Saher Adukia, a year 13 student at Gems Wellington International who will be attending Carnegie Mellon University in the fall, raised the bar for Dubai students by using her athletic talent and leadership prowess towards making change in her community. She has proven that consistency and determination lead to success not only on the court, but also in promoting inclusivity in the realm of sports. Unsurprisingly, her efforts led to personal victory as she recently secured admission to several elite universities in the United States and the UK.
In year 12, Saher began receiving counseling from Hale Education Group, and over the course of two years she and her counselors would devise a strategy for channeling her achievements into a concise applicant profile. Saher stood out as one of the most determined students of the season, seeking every possible opportunity to meet with the counseling team in order to ensure that no box was left unchecked. The result was admission to elite schools: UC Berkeley, USC, Babson, Northeastern, and Carnegie Mellon to name a few. After thorough research and guidance, she ultimately decided to pursue a degree through CMU’s Tepper School of Business with a double major in Computational Finance and Business Administration, in addition to a minor in Computer Science.
One of the defining features of Saher’s background was her dedication to sports, and she would eventually become a prominent figure in the youth community in Dubai. Throughout high school, she captained the basketball and netball teams, as well as participating in football and rounders, and achieving a black belt in Taekwondo. But while she was fortunate to find a domain in which she thrived, she noticed that something was missing; there were endless opportunities for able-bodied athletes, but there was a disconcerting dearth of sporting resources for students of determination. Alongside one of her peers, she saw an opportunity to wield her leadership skills and founded Born to Sport and its namesake Cup, an initiative that sought to promote equity and diversity by welcoming all students into the fold of competitive sports. The initiative garnered widespread attention, attracting dozens of participants and leading to the creation of several adjacent programs across the UAE.
While her commitment to sports added both athletic distinction and consistency to Saher’s profile, she realized that she also needed to focus on academic excellence. Throughout her studies, she recognized her interest and potential in the field of business, and aimed to expand her knowledge beyond the classroom. In year 12 she pursued the Lumiere program where she completed undergraduate research on the competitive advantages of choice architecture, ultimately receiving a glowing review from her Columbia University mentor and publishing her paper in the National Highschool Journal of Science. She also strategically secured internships that would add a practical edge to the theories she hopes to advance when she eventually begins her university studies.
From her success, we witness the power of sports on multiple fronts. Saher’s counselors at Hale Education Group are proud of the impact she has made across Dubai, and are eager to watch her move forward as a future leader in the business world.