– The Advancement Intern
“Creating Prism 25 was one of the highlights of my internship. I had so much liberty with it as it was just me making it (with some help from Grant Venables), and I also got to honor the decades of poetry ISKL’s community has written. I’m still very proud of it and hope to see Prism 50!”
Meet Sera Ahmad Fuad (‘20), an alumni student studying Psychology at University College London (UCL). After graduating from ISKL, Sera has interned twice with the Advancement department and served as the Editor-In-Chief for Prism magazine in her Senior year and for the 25th edition of Prism during her internship.
Here is Sera’s story:
Do tell us more about yourself.
I’m from Malaysia but moved around a lot when I was little – my family lived in Scotland, the USA (Houston, Texas), and China. We lived in KL before, but I attended a different school. When we returned to Kuala Lumpur for the second time, my parents enrolled me and my siblings in ISKL.
Now, I am studying Psychology at University College London (UCL) and am about to start my final year.
Which year did you join ISKL?
I started at ISKL in 2013 in Grade 6 and stayed until I graduated in 2020. So, my entire Middle School and High School experience was at ISKL, which I am grateful for. Staying for so long has let me build many relationships with friends and teachers and made the school feel like home.
Did you have any siblings attend ISKL – where are they now?
I have three siblings. My oldest sister graduated in 2015 and works in marketing in KL. My brother graduated in 2018 and is working at a hospital in Edinburgh. My youngest sister graduated in 2022 and is attending the University of Manchester. Since we all attended ISKL, I have heard the question, “Are you Nina’s/Umair’s/Lola’s sister?!” a lot.
Were any teachers or mentors at ISKL who were particularly influential for your chosen university degree/career path?
Since I study Psychology now, I am grateful for my IB Psychology Teacher, Becky Naughton. She was a big reason I enjoyed it so much and was very supportive during the two years of IB. I’m unsure if I would be studying Psychology if it weren’t for her.
I was a Strings student from Grade 6 all the way to Grade 12, one of the best parts of my whole time at ISKL. My Strings teacher, Vincent Cee, was a big part of why I kept playing, and I am thankful for not only the music lessons but also life lessons – self-confidence, recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, and learning from mistakes are big parts of being a musician.
I was also an HL English Literature student, one of my favorite IB classes. My IB English and Literature Teacher, Grant Venables, made it fun and challenged me; I grew a lot as a writer in that class. When I write essays and lab reports in university, I still use things I learned in HL Lit.
Please share more about your CCA experiences at ISKL.
I did a lot of musical after-school activities. I played in the pit band for ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ which was fun, and I was on the IASAS Strings team for three years. I also co-founded the ISKL Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (IPYO), which I am glad is still running.
I also participated in Quill, the after-school writing co-op, and Prism, the school’s literary magazine. I spent a lot of time hanging out with my friends in the MS/HS library or the Commons. Staying after school, practicing in the Orchestra room, waiting for rehearsal to start, or discussing layouts and poetry – those experiences stay with me ’til today.
What have you been up to since graduating from ISKL?
I am part of the Class of 2020, which means I am a part of the Class of COVID-19! I graduated in my living room via livestream.
I didn’t want to lose a year of university to the pandemic, so I deferred my place at UCL and took a gap year. I started in 2021 instead, which I’m very glad for – although some lectures were still online, I still got to move to London and attend classes in person and on campus.
You have been an ISKL Advancement intern twice – can you tell us more about your experiences?
I had graduated from ISKL, deferred my place at university, and was doing nothing all day. My friend Amanda Soo (’20) told me she was interning with the ISKL Advancement team and encouraged me to join, so I interned from July 2020 to June 2021.
It was lots of fun – interviewing people, being on shoots, and writing content for ISKL’s blog and social media. I remember being a human teleprompter one time, holding the iPad behind the camera while we shot a video! I had to interview some people after a panel once, and they asked me to be on camera, too – I was nervous and probably almost dropped the microphone. I don’t think the footage was used, but I was glad to be put out of my comfort zone. If there was any place to do it, ISKL is one of the best options I can think of.
So I decided to come back this summer too, as my previous experience had been so positive. I got to improve on my skills that I felt weak in while in a supportive environment.
You worked as Editor-in-Chief on the 25th Edition of Prism Magazine and during your HS career – can you share more about your experiences on this?
I only joined the Prism copy-editing team as a Grade 11 student in HS, as I was a little intimidated by it before. I wasn’t sure my opinions were good enough. But joining was definitely one of the best decisions I made. I learned a lot, especially as a leader in my Senior year as Editor-in-Chief.
Creating Prism 25 was one of the highlights of my internship. I had so much liberty with it as it was just me making it (with some help from Grant Venables), and I also got to honor the decades of poetry ISKL’s community has written. I’m still very proud of it and hope to see Prism 50!
Who or what inspires you?
My parents, my siblings, and my friends are my inspirations. Someone in my life always plays a part in inspiring or encouraging what I do.
What does ISKL’s vision statement, ‘”Know yourself, care for all and create a better world” mean to you?
It emphasizes knowing your strengths and using them to make a difference. It is easier to help others around you when you know yourself.
Do you know of any student, teacher, parent, or staff who always have an anecdote to tell, love to share some insights into their passions and interest, or simply is a Panther through and through? Nominate them to be featured in our Panthers of ISKL stories by sending in your submissions here.
