By: Tassneem Ayman
4th-year Clinical Pharmacy student at Kafrelsheikh University in Egypt
Participating in the Entrepreneurship Exchange Program has been one of the most memorable and meaningful experiences I’ve had this year. Over eight weeks, I had the chance to dive into entrepreneurship in a way that blended learning, teamwork, and real-life application, and it honestly taught me more than I expected.
One of the best parts of the program was working with teammates from different countries across North Africa and the United States. Even though we all came from different backgrounds, our team quickly became a comfortable space for sharing ideas, solving problems together, and looking at things from new angles. Surprisingly, we never faced challenges with time zones or communication—everyone was flexible, organized, and committed to finding meeting times that worked for all of us. We also used shared documents and slides so we could contribute ideas any time, which made collaboration incredibly smooth. Each brainstorming session opened my mind a little more and reminded me how powerful it is when people with different experiences work toward one goal.
The live sessions with professors and entrepreneurs were another highlight. They shared real stories, challenges, and lessons they had learned along the way. The session that truly stuck with me was the one with Prof. Dr. Eric Fretz, where he talked about the student who founded Valiant. Hearing how a simple classroom concept grew into a successful company, with its signature Valiant t-shirt even reaching Prof. Fretz’s own family, was incredibly inspiring. It showed the real-world potential of entrepreneurship and made everything we were learning feel real and achievable. It also pushed me to think differently, ask better questions, and become more comfortable with uncertainty, which is such a big part of the entrepreneurial journey.
The ExtendEd elearning modules tied everything together for me. They made concepts like business models, financial planning, and pitching feel practical and accessible. By the end of the program, I felt more confident turning an idea into something structured and real, supported by clear value and hands-on thinking.
But beyond all the learning, what made this program truly special for me were the people. My teammates brought so much personality, passion, and warmth to every conversation. I came to appreciate the true value of teamwork. This experience showed me that when people come together with different backgrounds and perspectives, they can create something far stronger than what any one person could accomplish alone. Learning to listen, support each other, and build on one another’s ideas transformed our simple concepts into something meaningful.
This program also changed the way I think about entrepreneurship and my goals. I realized that entrepreneurship isn’t just about starting a business or making profit—it’s about creativity, perseverance, and finding innovative solutions to real problems. It taught me to see challenges as opportunities and motivated me to approach my future with a more entrepreneurial mindset, embracing innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning in everything I do.
I’m really grateful for everything this program gave me, from the knowledge to the friendships to the inspiration to keep growing. I’m excited to carry these lessons forward and see where the next steps in my entrepreneurship journey take me.