Stories

Stories from the Minerva Community

From classrooms to cities around the world, these are the stories of how Minerva students, alumni, and faculty apply what they learn to real challenges, careers, and communities.

Featured

July 28, 2026

World Wise Voices: Satrio Wicaksono on Adapting Leadership to a Changing Climate

As part of our World Wise Voices series, Satrio Wicaksono explores how cultural fluency and adaptive leadership can turn environmental priorities into action across Asia.

July 28, 2026

World Wise Voices: Sonia Boumendjel on Bringing Global Leadership Back to Her Community

As part of our World Wise Voices series, Sonia Boumendjel reflects on how the inaugural program is strengthening her leadership and creating new opportunities for the students, colleagues, and communities she serves.

May 13, 2026

Minerva Students Pitch Big Ideas at Venture Café Tokyo

A recap of an evening connecting Minerva students with Tokyo’s innovation community.

Browse Stories

Explore stories from across the Minerva community—student experiences, alumni paths, faculty perspectives, and insights on learning and leadership.

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World Wise Voices: Satrio Wicaksono on Adapting Leadership to a Changing Climate

As part of our World Wise Voices series, Satrio Wicaksono explores how cultural fluency and adaptive leadership can turn environmental priorities into action across Asia.

Executive Education

World Wise Voices: Sonia Boumendjel on Bringing Global Leadership Back to Her Community

As part of our World Wise Voices series, Sonia Boumendjel reflects on how the inaugural program is strengthening her leadership and creating new opportunities for the students, colleagues, and communities she serves.

Executive Education

Minerva Students Pitch Big Ideas at Venture Café Tokyo

A recap of an evening connecting Minerva students with Tokyo’s innovation community.

Student Initiatives

Student Stories

Business

Inside San Francisco with City Director Matthew Paffhouse

A conversation with Matthew Paffhouse, City Director, San Francisco.

Faculty & Staff

Minerva Alum Alexia Benakova on Art, AI, and Creating Her Own Path in San Francisco

Meet Minerva alum Alexia Benakova, whose journey from global classrooms to San Francisco’s art and AI spaces is redefining what a creative career can look like.

Alumni Outcomes

Two Nippon Foundation Scholars Join Minerva's Class of 2030

Get to know this year’s Nippon Foundation Scholars, Kiyomi Koide and Sakura Matsuzuka.

“Not Quite a Tourist, Not Quite a Local”: Minerva Students Reflect on Four Years Across Borders

At Minerva University’s 2026 graduation ceremony, student speakers Wisdom Ifode and Jonathan Shamwana reflected on courage, community, and the relationships built across four years of living and learning around the world.

Global Experience

Student Stories

“Go Out in the World and Be a Sentence”: Adam Met and Mike Magee Reflect on Identity, Community, and Global Citizenship at Minerva University’s 2026 Graduation

Commencement speaker Adam Met and President Mike Magee reflected on identity and the importance of community during Minerva University's 2026 graduation.

Executive Education

How One Minerva Student is Preserving an Endangered Indigenous Language

Explore how Alex Korablev (M27) is using AI to help preserve Qom, an endangered Indigenous language spoken in Argentina.

"Better Thinkers. Better Leaders. Better People.”: MDA Graduates Reflect on Community and Decision-Making at Minerva University

MDA graduate Katarzyna Buszka reflected on decision-making and community at Minerva University’s 2026 graduation ceremony.

Graduate Programs

Student Stories

First Generation, Global Ambitions: Pietro de Souza (M27) on Finding His Path at Minerva

Learn how Pietro de Souza (M27), a first-generation student from Brazil, overcame barriers, secured multiple scholarships, and found a global community at Minerva.

Student Stories

Minerva Alum Jiayuan Tian Joins St. Gallen's Top 100 “Leaders of Tomorrow”

What does it mean to be a "Leader of Tomorrow"? M25 alum Jiayuan Tian reflects on his St. Gallen Symposium experience and how Minerva shaped his approach to global leadership.

Alumni Outcomes

Where Polar Science Meets Math Modeling and Creative Expression: Annabel Schön’s Journey

Meet Annabel Schön (M25), whose Minerva experience led from conservation research to advancing snow modeling in the Arctic

Alumni Outcomes

How Minerva Led Yutaro Shimizu from Biology to Space Technology

Learn how Minerva's interdisciplinary education helped Yutaro Shimizu (M23) launch a career in deep tech and Japan's expanding space industry.

Alumni Outcomes

From Satellites to Refill Stations: How Taher (M27) Is Using Tech to Tackle Environmental Problems

Discover how Taher (M27) is using AI and data to tackle real-world sustainability challenges

Student Stories

Sustainability & Impact

Computational Sciences

How Tatiana Tylosky Uses Decision Frameworks to Build Better Companies

Learn more about how Tatiana Tylosky’s journey from Minerva University's MDA program led her to found OpenLedger, rethinking how work is defined, priced, and delivered.

Alumni Outcomes

Graduate Programs

Business

Yerkezhan’s (M27) Research Journey at UC Berkeley

Learn more about M27 Yerkezhan Toleukhan and her passion for molecular biology and research lab experience at UC Berkeley.

Student Stories

Innovation & Research

Natural Sciences

How Emma Zhang Found Her Path in History, Policy, and Storytelling

Learn about Emma Zhang (M27), whose passion for military history and creative writing shapes her work in foreign policy and historical storytelling.

Student Stories

Arts & Humanities

Social Sciences

Building Community Through Leadership: Sonja Monastyrski’s Minerva Journey

Meet M26’s Sonja Monastyrski, Director of Finance at 180 Degrees Consulting Minerva, with roots in Ukraine and Canada.

Student Stories

Alumni Outcomes

The Operating System Between You and AI: A Conversation with M21 Gavin Lee

A Conversation with Gavin (Chia Ta Lee), M21 — the first Taiwanese student admitted to Minerva’s MDA program, co-author of Taiwan’s bestselling book on Habits of Mind, and founder of Worldviews Academy.

Alumni Outcomes

Graduate Programs