Alumni shaping the future
To celebrate the IB’s 50th anniversary, we’d like you to meet some of our alumni who graduated from the IB Diploma Programme and went on to report from war zones, change the lives of refugees, create beautiful music, and soar through space. Our alumni do incredible things every day to make their community—and the world—a better, more peaceful place. These are just a few who represent what it means to be an IB graduate, and what it means to put the skills learned in the IB into practice.
Our alumni portraits have brought together members of the IB community from around the world. Watch the trailer, or find out more about the students who composed original music for the films.
Watch all our alumni portraits below
Maryam Al-Ammari
Maryam is an IB graduate and social activist from Saudi Arabia. She set up Maharat Sewing Center in Dhlail, Jordan at the age of 16. The center runs sewing classes for Syrian refugees and local women. Aside from teaching the women practical skills, it also serves as a social refuge within the local community. Maryam is currently pursuing a BA Honors in International Relations at St. Andrews University, Scotland.
Akihiko Hoshide
Akihiko went from being an IB graduate to exploring space. He is the 3rd Japanese astronaut in space, and is set to spend time on the International Space Station in 2020 as Commander. Akihiko is actively working for the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and is based in NASA space centre, Houston, TX, USA.
Aernout van Lynden
Aernout was one of the first IB students at UWC, Atlantic College in Wales. As a renowned war correspondent and journalist, he became a familiar face in homes all over the world as he reported from war zones across the Middle East and the Balkans. Of British and Dutch heritage, Aernout currently lives in The Hague and is a lecturer in War Studies at Leiden University College. Among the major current affairs crises that Aernout reported on were the fall of Yugoslavia, the Palestinian intifada, and the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan.
Falana
Falana is a Nigerian Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, and composer. She attended Turner Fenton public high-school in Canada. While exploring her artistic voice, she discovered the music of Cuba and developed her signature “soul fusion” sound: a blend of jazz, soul, Afro beat, and R&B.