If You Believe It, You Can Do It.

If You Believe It, You Can Do It.

It was just another regular morning for me when I was on my way to work. After I reached the university campus, I realized I had received a text message from one of my students. I read the text message and had to make her a quick call to congratulate her for one of her biggest accomplishments. She had received a personal letter from Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand.   

So elated and delighted to share that one of my student teams achieved something truly remarkable and here are the details:

Meet Student Team 'STAR CATCHERS' from BA in Journalism and Mass Communication, UPES.

NANCY BORA (Team Leader)
NANDINI ASTHANA
ANUJ GUPTA
ANSHIKA SINGH

I have been teaching them for the course 'Leadership and Teamwork' and have also been mentoring them for their student team project for the same course.  

Since the beginning, they all were highly impressed by none other than Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand for her exceptional leadership skills.

During our Formative Feedback meetings, they shared their idea of team project 'A Documentary Film on Jacinda Ardern and Her Leadership'.

I suggested them to try their luck in having an interview of Jacinda Ardern by writing to her, and they would have more substantial content (as primary source of data) for their Team Project.

At first, they laughed at it, but soon they realized I was serious, and they followed. Nancy wrote to Jacinda Ardern and shared her list of questions for her quick interview.

They didn't receive any response initially and then I encouraged them to keep following up. Luckily, they got convinced that there is no harm in trying at least.

After several days of persistence and self-belief, they received a pleasant surprise of their lifetime.

They not only received an official response from the Office of New Zealand Prime Minister, and surprisingly Jacinda Ardern's detailed letter to this amazing student team with the answers to all interview questions.

They did it!!! They made history, and their achievement will be remembered for a long time.

They did it!!! They made history, and their achievement will be remembered for a long time. And it will keep inspiring the whole UPES student community to believe in their efforts and dream BIG.

And this is exactly what we educators have got to do: To make them believe in themselves and keep the spark alive.

Proud of you dear Nancy and your team!!!

******