USF President Moez Limayem reflects on his path from international student to university president and encourages alumni to stay connected and support future generations of USF students.
For USF President Moez Limayem, whose journey began as an international student with limited English skills from Tunisia before earning an MBA and doctorate and rising in the ranks of higher education, it was an opportunity to connect with alumni who have navigated the same challenges of building a life and career in a new country and gone on to thrive.
“I was really lucky. Someone invested in me, saw something that I didn’t even see at the time,” President Limayem shared with the crowd at Traditions Hall on Oct. 22, recounting the scholarship he earned to leave Tunisia for the U.S. “I went through the same struggle that almost of all of you went through.
“It’s not an easy to come to a country where you don’t know the culture. You probably don’t know anyone. The common denominator here is we worked hard and we made it. And you know why we made it? Because this country is an incredible country. If you work hard, you are rewarded.”
USF has the largest international student enrollment among Florida’s public universities and is recognized globally for excellence in creating global learning opportunities that support student success.
The alumni who gathered for the event represented 28 countries, but in any given year USF’s international student population regularly hails from more than 130 countries. USF has the largest international student enrollment among Florida’s public universities and is recognized globally for excellence in creating global learning opportunities that support student success.
USF Provost Prasant Mohapatra, who came to the U.S. as an international graduate student from India to attend the University of Rhode Island for a master’s in mathematics and Pennsylvania State University for a doctorate in computer engineering, also joined in the event. President Limayem noted USF’s rarity as a top-tier university led by two former international students.
Also joining the event was Vivek Mankar, who earned a Master of Science in Business Analytics and Information Systems from USF in 2021 and has since gone on to become the chief information officer for Paligen Technologies, an advanced manufacturing, engineering and defense company whose national headquarters is in the Tampa Bay region. Originally from India, Mankar’s connection to President Limayem is also a personal one — it was the president, who at the time was dean of the Muma College of Business, whose talk at a student recruitment event in India inspired Mankar to attend USF.
Vivek Mankar, a 2021 USF graduate and chief information officer at Paligen Technologies, recounts his journey from international student to executive, crediting USF President Moez Limayem’s inspiring words for influencing his decision to attend USF.
“I see this person on stage, wearing a green jacket, addressing the students and the person asks the students a question: Are you ready to break out of your shell? Are you ready to take this challenge of your life, which will transform you as a person and really take you out of your comfort zone?” Mankar recalled. “Something that night changed for me.”
Arriving in Florida initially was a culture shock, he said, but the support he found at USF made a lasting impact. “I would miss home. I would miss my family,” Mankar said. “Then I realized this is home. USF is home.” He ended up meeting his wife at USF, and they are now raising a family. You may read more about Mankar’s journey at this link.
Rima El Brouzi came to USF from Morocco as a 17-year-old undergraduate computer science engineering student. She met fellow international student Mathis Fürst Haugen, from Norway, and Nicolas Scargle, from Clearwater, and who went on to play soccer internationally, while managing the USF men’s soccer team. The innovative and entrepreneurial trio teamed up to create the hydration tracker device syp.
“Little did I know a big, big part of my journey would have been really discovering a new part of myself,” said El Brouzi, who is now pursuing a master’s in computer science at USF. “I know a lot of you can relate to that.
Rima El Brouzi, second from left, a computer science alumna and current graduate student from Morocco who co-founded the hydration-tracking startup syp, also spoke at the inaugural USF World Global Alumni Celebration. She congratulated fellow alumni on their successes and shared how meaningful it is to be part of the USF community. Also pictured are Yasmin Mounir (left), alumna Lisa Leseigneur, and Emilie Favier (right).
“… I was really fortunate to meet so many people who just opened the arms, homes and hearts to me.”
Syp has grown from a student-led startup to a technology project nearing its official launch on the market. Recently, El Brouzi pitched syp at global e-commerce company Alibaba’s CoCreate 2026 in Los Angeles, giving global exposure to the innovation.
“I am not done with my journey yet and I hope to be that person one day who can look back and help somebody else,” she said. “It’s an incredible thing we have in this community. We love USF. We bleed green and gold. As much as we love that identity, it’s also a responsibility.”
President Limayem encouraged the alumni to stay engaged with USF and connect with new international students just starting their journeys.
“Each of you has a story, each of you worked so hard to be where you are,” he said. “I am so proud of all of you.”
Join Global Networks
USF World Vice President Kiki Caruson encouraged the alumni to join one of the Global Networks, which allow alumni and students to connect via LinkedIn.