After a transformative experience at National Selections, Nain Abdi (’22) was eager to join the Loran community, so he could barely hide his excitement when he got the call a few short weeks later. “I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone I got the award, but everyone in the room could tell. It felt amazing, not just for the financial aspect, but also because it validated everything I had accomplished,” he said. 

Fast forward a few years, Nain is in his third year in the University of Waterloo’s electrical engineering program, wrapping up his first term as president of the university’s chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Aimed at empowering Black engineering students both academically and professionally, NSBE hosts events focused on everything from helping students study for exams to connecting students with Black engineers working at companies like Google, NASDAQ, and Bloomberg. 

One of Nain’s goals as chapter president has been building a deeper connection to NSBE’s broader community. When Nain attended the annual NSBE conference last year along with a few representatives from his chapter, they realized what they were missing. “Schools from everywhere were showing up with dozens of students and people were getting hired on the spot. We saw how much more impactful our chapter could be if we got involved.” Through conversation with company sponsors, they raised $15,000 to send twice as many students to this year’s conference in Chicago.

Nain attributes his confidence in developing values-based corporate partnerships, which makes him an effective leader, to his Loran mentor Iain Klugman, CEO at NorthGuide. Ian not only introduced Nain to engineers from many different fields during his first year but also helped Nain feel included in the Waterloo region. “What’s remarkable is how Nain combines bold, inspiring ideas with genuine humility. People naturally want to follow his lead because they can see he’s not just talking about change—he’s making it happen,” Iain said. “But what truly sets Nain apart is his deep commitment to others’ success. He’s not just focused on his path forward; he’s dedicated to uplifting everyone around him.”

Loran’s Leadership Development Coaching program connects interested upper-year scholars with leadership coaches who guide them toward fulfilling their personal, academic, professional, and community goals, which Nain said helps him focus his efforts. His coach has helped him learn to have faith in others—a hallmark of an authentic leader whose impact outlives their tenure. “There are so many things I want to fix, but Anowa taught me to focus on one tangible goal and trust that future students will continue to build on our work. By showing commitment, we might even start a chain reaction.”

During his time as NSBE president, Nain began to recognize that Black students do not have access to the same resources as other students. To fill the gap, he began developing Boardroom, a platform that offers skills-based assessments for companies and low-cost educational tools for engineers. When capable candidates miss out on positions because they don’t have the right connections, Nain considers that a loss for both the candidates and organizations because diverse, socially mindful teams create better work. “Someone might find a solution to a problem you may not have considered because they’ve experienced it themselves. Especially within the Black engineering community, we’re inclined to help people,” he said. “Empathy is a very powerful thing.”

Staying connected with the Loran community through his mentor, attending the annual Scholars’ Retreat, and volunteering at National Selections reinvigorates Nain’s passion and pushes him to keep working diligently to find creative solutions to the issues he encounters. “When we’re able to tie character, service, and leadership in with the work we’re doing—and I think Loran Scholars do a very good job of that—it leads to more success. It becomes empowering to do good.” 

To finalists preparing for National Selections Weekend, Nain shares two pieces of advice: give yourself grace and strive to do as much as you can with the resources you have. “That’s the beauty of Loran; it opens the door for anybody to make a difference,” he explained. “You might think something that you did was small, but if you start telling that story, you’ll realize it was pretty important to the lives you touched.”