By Faraz Munaim (MUWCI ’00)
It has been twenty-five years since I first stepped onto the MUWCI hill, but even today, nothing quite matches the sense of excitement and longing I feel when I think back to those two years. MUWCI was not just a school for me, it was a place where friendships became family, where ideas were debated passionately, and where life unfolded in all its intensity.
From late-night conversations over Maggi noodles in the courtyards to falling in and out of love, from Global Affairs debates to quiet moments of reflection, the memories are countless. Yet, one moment in particular continues to stay with me.
A moment that captured the MUWCI Experience
I have always loved playing sport, and MUWCI gave me the space to explore that passion fully. One afternoon during the Wada Olympics, I was playing basketball for Wada 1 against Wada 4 on the old basketball court (which has since made way for Wada 5).
As I paused mid-game and looked around, I saw something extraordinary. Friends and classmates gathered around the court, watching and cheering, a couple of runners jogging laps nearby, another group playing hockey on the neighbouring field, a fiercely competitive football match unfolding in the distance. All of it framed by the hills that surround the MUWCI campus
In that moment, everything came together: community, movement, diversity, and nature. I remember thinking then, and still think now: could anything be more magical?
Life after MUWCI: Carrying the Hill with me
After graduating from MUWCI, I went on to study Economics at Harvard University, graduating cum laude. From there, I entered the world of investment banking, working in capital markets and trading.
Today, I am a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in New York, where I lead the Currencies and Emerging Markets derivatives business. I have been with Goldman for ten years, following nine years at Deutsche Bank.
I live in New York with my wife, Sabrin, whom I met at Harvard, and our two children, Maya and Zayn. While Sabrin did not attend MUWCI, she has become close to many people from my time on the hill and visited campus for the first time during our 20-year reunion.
Yet, despite the professional milestones and geographic distance, MUWCI has never felt far away.
The strength of the MUWCI Alumni Community
Many of my closest friends today are people I met at MUWCI. We stay connected through regular calls and messages, social media conversations across time zones, and in-person meetings whenever paths cross.
Over the years, MUWCI reunions have become especially important, not just for reconnecting but for deepening relationships in new ways. At one reunion, I reconnected with someone I hadn’t been particularly close to during our school years. A few months later, he was staying with us in New York.
That, to me, speaks volumes about the strength of the MUWCI alumni network. These are not just nostalgic connections; they are relationships that continue to grow, evolve, and offer support through different stages of life.
What MUWCI gave me
MUWCI gave me a broad global perspective, but more importantly, it taught me how to engage with the world thoughtfully. It encouraged questioning, debate and reflection, skills that continue to shape how I think and work today.
My hope for MUWCI is that it stays true to its roots while continuing to widen its umbrella. The world today needs people who can balance idealism with practicality, who are willing to engage with complexity rather than shy away from it.
For the broader UWC movement, I hope it continues to reach more young people and create spaces where different perspectives, idealistic and pragmatic alike, can coexist. Education, after all, has the power not just to inspire change, but to influence the systems that shape our world.
I would love to return to campus one day, not just to revisit memories, but to spend time with students, share experiences, and give back to a place that continues to shape who I am.
