Brian Nkala, a Masters student in Environment and Society at the University of Pretoria (UP), was recently invited to participate in the SUSI 2019 Closing Forum Alumni Panel the 2019 Study of the U.S. Institutes for Global Student Leaders Closing Forum as a SUSI All-Star Alumni in recognition of his leadership and community engagement.

Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences and an honours degree in Geography and Environmental Sciences from the University of Pretoria (South Africa). He is an ardent problem solver and likes to take up new challenges. This is why he co-founded the Greenline Society at the University of Pretoria. The concept of life and the many opportunities it holds excites him and it is with this passion that he makes use of every experience, both good and bad, to keep growing. He believes in using the Internet and technology to transform societies, the real magic is turning youth from consumers of the Internet and technology to potential producers of technology.

He is a volunteer at a num­ber of Non-Profit Organizations, facilitated computer classes in a aMamelodi Initiative, is a former country coordinator on digital grassroots, was a member of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at the University of Pretoria in 2016, and was a Youth Fellow with the Internet Society Youth@IGF in 2017. The Youth@IGF Programme is designed to involve young individuals from all around the world in ISOC’s global engagement activities while providing valuable expertise and know-how to IGF meetings. ISOC itself is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization established in 1992 to provide leadership in Internet-related standards, education, and public policy with the goal of achieving an Internet that is open, globally-connected, and secure. He has also participated in the In­ternet Governance Forum in collaboration with the United Nations and the Internet society in Geneva Switzerland and is a current Common Purpose Fellow.

For all these reasons and his dedication and engagement in these societies and passion for Internet and technology and the potential it has to society, he was invited to join the 2019 SUSI Closing Alumi Panel. The Study of the United States  Global Student Leaders Closing Forum is an annual gathering where ideas and experiences are shared to find innovative solutions to the most pressing global development challenges. This year’s delegation, the 2019 Global Student Leaders Cohort consisted of 5 Institutes organized into a consortium by Meridian International Center.

Meridian is responsible for overseeing each Institute, as well as organizing the pre-departure, case study tours, and closing forum in Washington, DC. This year’s cohort consisted of 99 students divided into different cohorts such as: Civic Engagement (Bard College); Entrepreneurship & Economic Development (The Donahue Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst); Religious Freedom & Pluralism (The Dialogue Institute at Temple University); The McCain Rule of Law and Public Service Institute (Northern Nevada International Council at University of Nevada, Reno); and Youth, Education, and Closing the Skills Gap (Foundation for International Understanding through Students at the University of Washington, Seattle).

The Department would like to congratulate Brian on this achievement! Photos of his visit to Washington, DC can be seen in our gallery.