Aga Khan University Alumni Association of North America

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Outgoing AKUAANA President’s Message to Alumni, December 2015

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Dear alumni,

Happy Holidays everyone!

Your Alumni Association’s new Executive Council will be taking over on January 1, 2016. I wanted to personally thank all of you for all the support that my team and I have received over the last two years. It has been an honor to serve you all.

Our intent has always been to grow AKUAANA and provide value to our members. We have been met with many successes and some unfinished business. Our numbers have grown by 900% and the traffic to our Facebook page and website is now in the thousands. Abdul Basit Saeed (2007), our Web Manager, has been the rock around which the technical aspects of our web presence have been built and the organization will always be indebted to him.

We have been granted 501(c)(7) status and our taxes are up to date. I cannot thank Shazia Hussain (1990), our Treasurer, enough for getting these two critical issues taken care of. The 501(c)(7) status allows our holdings to be tax free and firms up our legal status.

The organization could not have flourished without the careful organization that Atif Shafqat (1993), our Secretary, has provided. We held regular meetings, kept careful notes and our agenda items stayed constant. He guided the rewriting process of the AKUAANA Constitution and Bylaws, as well as the Executive Council elections. He leaves a legacy that will help keep the guiding principles of AKUAANA strong.

We enter a new phase in the coming years. The need for increased involvement of the younger classes, continued membership drives and defining our mission are the critical components of success.

I wish President Elect Habib Chotani (1995) and his team the best of success, and thank you all again.

Best regards
Faisal G. Qureshi (1993)
AKUAANA President, 2014-2015

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Alumni Reunion, 2015: AKUAANA Grows

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Dear Alumni,

Congratulations on a very successful AKUAANA Reunion in Orlando, Florida on Friday August 14th, 2015. We hosted the largest gathering ever in Orlando, with 170 participants and graduates from every class from 1988-2006. The classes of 2005, 1995 and 1990 celebrated their class milestones and in true “Mighty Ninety” fashion, the most senior class stole the show.

The reunion was very well attended by University leaders including Dr. Farhat Abbas (Dean, AKU Medical College), Mr. Zahir Janmohamed (Director General, Resource Development) and Mr. Louis Ariano (Associate Vice Provost & University Registrar). In fact, Dean Abbas had just been chosen as a recipient of the Sitara-E-Imtiaz and received a standing ovation.

The General Body meeting was separated from the Reunion Dinner for the first time and took place on Friday afternoon (minutes available). This was done to allow for alumni-only discussions and crucial decision-making. Constitutional changes were approved after a vigorous discussion; elections results were announced and finally financial and membership details were examined (financial report available). We then spent an hour hosting a round table with Dean Abbas, Mr. Janmohamed and Mr. Ariano. The roundtable meeting allowed for an open discussion between University leaders and alumni.

We are now the 4th largest component society at APPNA and the fastest growing in terms of numbers. The leaders of APPNA highlighted our continuing influence on the larger society when they visited with us during dinner. Our guest speaker Alex Kronemer, Founder and Executive Producer for Unity Productions Foundation spoke to us about tolerance and the importance of dialogue.

The AKUAANA Executive Council, 2015

The AKUAANA Executive Council, 2015
L to R: Atif Shafqat (Secretary), Shazia Hussain (Treasurer), Faial Qureshi (President)

After a lively dinner, we sang and danced the night away with Atif Aslam. The classes of 2005, 1995 and 1990 hosted their private celebrations on Saturday the 15th. The evening banquet was very well attended, where Umer Sharif and Ali Haider entertained us. Please visit our Facebook Page to view pictures from the reunion, tag yourselves and like the page as well.

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The next reunion will be held on August 12th at the Gaylord Resort in Washington, DC. Our new Executive Council will be Amber Syed (1994) as Treasurer, Rehan Khan (1994) as Secretary and Habib Chotani (1995) as President. They will be hosting us in DC where the classes 1991, 1996 and 2006 will be celebrating their respective milestones.

We look forward to seeing you there, and remember to buy tickets and book hotel reservations as soon as they become available.

Thank you again!

Our best regards,

Faisal Qureshi, President
Atif Shafqat, Secretary
Shazia Hussain, Treasurer

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AKU Alumni Association of North America Annual Meeting, 2015

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Dear Alumni,

The AKUAANA Annual Meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30 PM (EST) in the Sun Ballroom at the Gaylords Palm Resort & Convention Center, Kissimmee, Florida. We hope that you arrive at the venue early to spend time with your old friends during the early ‘Meet and Greet’ hours. The formal meeting will start at 7:00 PM, when we will hear from the Executive Council and Dean, Farhat Abbas.

Zahir Janmohamed, Director General of Resource Development at AKU, will be briefly talking about Alumni Giving in view of the interest shown at the last annual meeting regarding class gifts/gift agreements/endowment funds etc. A comprehensive copy of the outline the University has set in this regard is also available, in case that is needed by the alumni.

At 10:00 PM, towards the end of the meeting, you will be able to sing and dance the night away with Atif Aslam. Remember, your Alumni Dinner ticket will get you into the concert.

Please find below the program for the AKUAANA Annual Meeting.

See you all tonight!

Faisal G. Qureshi
President
AKU Alumni Association of North America

AKUAANA Annual Meeting Program, 2015

 

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AKUAANA General Body Meeting and Round Table Meeting, 2015

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Dear Alumni,

The AKU Alumni Association of North America Annual Meeting will be held on August 14th, 2015 at Gaylords Palm Resort & Convention Center, Kissimmee, Florida. Hopefully, by now you all have purchased your tickets and are probably settling into your hotel reservations.

Prior to the Annual Meeting, there will be a General Body Meeting between 2:00 and 2:30 PM in Sanibel Meeting Rooms #2 and 3, comprising of:

  1. Treasurer’s Report
    • Budget
    • Balance Sheet
    • Non-profit status and tax update
  2. Secretary’s Report
    • Elections
    • Constitution changes
  3. President’s Report
    • State of membership
    • Mission/Vision statement
    • Open discussion

This will be followed by a Round Table Meeting with the AKU Leadership between 2:40 and 3:30 PM in Sanibel Meeting Rooms #2 and 3, which will cover:

  1. Updates from AKU
  2. Giving back to AKU
  3. Academic/Research collaboration
  4. Open discussion

All alumni are encouraged to contribute towards AKUAANA by attending and actively participating in these meetings.

Looking forward to meeting you all in Florida!

Faisal G. Qureshi
President
AKU Alumni Association of North America

AKUAANA Annual Meeting, 2015-Flyer

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Online Approval of Proposed Amendments to the AKUAANA Constitution and Bylaws, 2014

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Dear alumni,

The ‘Executive Council’ and the ‘Constitution and Bylaws Committee, AKUAANA’ recommend that the General Body approve several proposed amendments to the AKUAANA Constitution and Bylaws, 2014.

The main objectives of the proposed changes are to:

  • form a Board of Trustees to oversee the Association
  • clarify the duties and separation of authority of Board of Trustees and the Executive Council
  • have an oversight mechanism for monitoring the assets and finances of the Association
  • have a mechanism to resolve any ethical issue or grievance addressed towards AKUAANA, its members or its officers
  • have a mechanism to address a vacancy for any officer of the Association

The document listing all proposed amendments is available for review by the members for at least 30 days, with voting being open to dues paying active members of the Association only. As per the current Constitution, at least thirty percent of the active membership must participate in the voting and two thirds of the votes must be in favor of the proposed amendments for them to be passed.

This is a perfect opportunity for AKU alumni who are not AKUAANA members to sign up and help determine the goals and direction of the Alumni Association. Alumni can join as AKUAANA members or renew their membership dues through the website and vote via our online survey on the AKUAANA website anytime prior to the Annual General Body Meeting which is being held on August 14th, 2015 at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center, Kissimmee, Florida. It is advised that you use a laptop or desktop to visit the website for signing up and casting your vote.

In case of any comments or questions related to the proposed amendments or the Constitution and Bylaws, please email them to .

Atif Shafqat, MD
Chair, Constitution and Bylaw Committee

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Note by Nominations and Election Committee for AKUAANA Executive Council Elections, 2015

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The Nominations and Election Committee is seeking nominations for elections to the Executive Council of the Aga Khan University Alumni Association of North America (AKUAANA). We are actively seeking nominations for:

  • Treasurer, AKUAANA
  • Secretary, AKUAANA
  • President, AKUAANA

The term for these positions will extend from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017. These three members will make up the Executive Council along with the Immediate Past President of AKUAANA. The Executive Council will continue to help connect alumni with each other and the University, to build traditions, foster academic leadership, provide philanthropic options and serve the diverse needs of our community.

The elections will be held on Friday, August 14, 2015 at the AKUAANA General Body Meeting and Reunion in Orlando, with online voting commencing 30 days prior.

All nominees have to be active AKUAANA members for 6 months prior to August 14, 2015. All those interested can nominate themselves or can nominate others. The deadline for nominations is July 15, 2015, 30 days prior to the election, and all nominees must abide by the rules of the Committee.

Please forward your nominations to us at , and use “Nomination” as the subject of your email.

Thank you!

 

Nominations and Election Committee
Faisal Qureshi, 1993
Parvez Khatri, 1992
Osman Malik, 1996

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AKUAANA Annual Alumni Meeting, 2014 is a huge success

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Dear Alumni,

Congratulations everyone on a very successful AKUAANA Reunion in Washington, DC. We hosted the largest gathering ever, with 190 tickets sold. There were 117 alumni at dinner, with the classes of 1989, 1994 and 2004 celebrating their class milestones. We are now the 4th largest component society at APPNA and the fastest growing.

AKUAANA Reunion, 2014

L to R: Shazia Hussain (Treasurer), Faisal Qureshi (President), Sadaf Khan (Immediate Past President), Habib Chotani (Local Host)

Dale Shaw, Immediate Past President of the Duke Medical School Alumni Association, was our guest speaker. We had a surprise faculty visitor in the form of Dr. Nasir Ahmed, one of the founding surgeons at AKU.

Our biggest accomplishment of the night was successfully ratifying the new constitution. We also surveyed the group about the direction they wanted their association to head in and the top three choices were:

  1. Philanthropy for healthcare projects in Pakistan/Medical School
  2. Philanthropy for education related projects in Pakistan
  3. Development of programs in Pakistan that can engage our offspring, such as exchange programs, volunteering opportunities

After a lively dinner, we sang and danced the night away with Shazia Mansoor and Kumar Sanu. The banquet was very well attended the next evening, where Shreya Goshal entertained us and dancing was strictly not optional. Please visit our Facebook Page to view pictures from the reunion, tag yourselves and like the page as well.

The next reunion will be held on August 14th at the Gaylord Resort in Orlando. Elections will be held that year, so consider running for office as President, Secretary and Treasurer. The classes of 1990, 1995 and 2005 will be celebrating their respective milestones.

We look forward to seeing you there, and remember to buy tickets and book hotel reservations as soon as they become available.

Thank you again!
Our best regards,

Faisal Qureshi, President
Atif Shafqat, Secretary
Shazia Hussain, Treasurer

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Agenda and Program: AKUAANA Annual Alumni Meeting, 2014

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Dear alumni,

Please find below the program for the AKUAANA Annual Meeting to be held at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Maryland, Washington DC on August 15, 2014.

An easy to navigate phone app is available for the 37th APPNA Annual Convention that lays out the meeting programs for the entire convention.

APPNA 37th Annual Convention
AKUAANA Annual Meeting, 2014 - Flyer

Looking forward to meet you all at the Annual Meeting.

The AKUAANA Executive Council

Executive Council: 2014 - 15
DesignationNameClass
PresidentFaisal Qureshi1993
Immediate Past PresidentSadaf Khan1992
SecretaryAtif Shafqat1993
TreasurerShazia Hussain1990
   
Website Management
DesignationNameClass
Web ManagerAbdul Basit Saeed2007

 

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AKU Alumni Association Annual Meeting, 2014

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Dear Alumni,

The AKU Alumni Association Annual Meeting will be held on August 15th, 2014 at 6:30 PM (EST), barely two weeks away. Hopefully, by now you all have purchased your tickets and made your hotel reservations. We hope that you arrive at the venue early to spend time with your old friends during the ‘Meet and Greet’ hours. The formal meeting will start at 7:30 PM, when we will hear from the Executive Council and Dean, Farhat Abbas.

Our Keynote Speaker Dale Shaw MD, President of the Duke Medical School Alumni Association will give us a historical perspective of his association’s history, projects and successes. We will also celebrate the 25th year anniversary for the class of 1989, the 20th anniversary for the class of 1994 and the 10th year anniversary for the class of 2004.

At about 9:00 PM, we will start our Business Meeting, where we will need your priceless contribution. There are many items on the agenda and your vote will be critical.

At 10:00 PM, you will be able to sing and dance the night away with Shazia Mansoor and Kumar Sanu. Remember, your Alumni Dinner ticket will get you into the concert.

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Finally, there is much to do and see in the National Harbor and greater DC area. I hope to see all of you there, and please introduce yourselves to your elected representatives at AKUAANA.

AKUAANA Administration, 2014 - 15
DesignationNameClassEmail Address
PresidentFaisal Qureshi1993
SecretaryAtif Shafqat1993
TreasurerShazia Hussain1990
Web ManagerAbdul Basit Saeed2007

We look forward to seeing you at the Gaylord Resort, National Harbor, Maryland.

Faisal G. Qureshi (1993)
President,
Aga Khan University Alumni Association of North America

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Ratification of re-written AKUAANA Constitution and Bylaws, 2014

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Dear alumni,

The AKUAANA Executive Committee has recently felt the current AKUAANA Constitution and Bylaws document to be outdated and no longer able to serve the functioning needs of our growing Alumni Association. This is especially important since the main Aga Khan University has grown and has multiple campuses and multiple schools now.

The Constitution & Bylaws Committee, chaired by Sadaf Khan (’92) has worked on and re-written this document, considering the needs of the Alumni Association as it moves ahead. The Executive Committee and the Constitution & Bylaws Committee, both, are advocating that this re-write be ratified and adopted as the current Constitution & Bylaws for the Association.

As per the current bylaws, a copy of the proposed draft has been circulated to all dues-paying/lifetime AKUAANA members with voting privileges, 30 days in advance of the AKUAANA Annual General Body Meeting scheduled for August 15th, 2014. A mechanism to solicit online ratification/votes has been put in place and solicitation begun. Online voting will stop 2 days before the Annual Meeting on August 15th, 2014. However, voting can still be done by members in person on site at the Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

This is a perfect opportunity for AKU alumni who are not AKUAANA members to sign up and help determine the goals and direction of the Alumni Association. Alumni can join as AKUAANA members or renew their membership dues through the website.

We look forward to meeting everyone at the Annual Meeting on August 15th, 2014.

Sadaf Khan, MD (Past-President and Chair, Constitution & Bylaws Committee)
Faisal Qureshi, MD (President, AKUAANA)
Atif Shafqat, MD (Secretary, AKUAANA)
Shazia Hussain, MD (Treasurer, AKUAANA)

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