On August 28, the 2024 Michiana Forty under Forty Alumni Bash, hosted by the South Bend Regional Chamber, provided fellow honorees with an evening of connection and inspiration. Held at the modest Metro Event Center in Elkhart from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Michiana alumni united for delicious appetizers and drinks all while celebrating their shared past and present contributions to the Michiana region.
“We are in our 18th year of Michiana Forty under Forty,” said Shari Carroll, director of marketing communications at the South Bend Regional Chamber. “The bash is all about alumni connecting and learning from their fellow peers. It is an informal celebration to recognize and showcase the great things being done by young people in our community.”
The Michiana Forty under Forty program is a recognition initiative that highlights young adults making significant contributions to their communities and professions before the age of 40. Each year, a new class is celebrated with a recognition luncheon. Every so often, alumni events are organized to connect past honorees and foster networking opportunities. This week’s event brought together about 80 alumni and their guests.
“This award draws attention to the idea that we have a lot of people who are building a network and reputation around their professional life,” said Rob Kelly, a 2015 recipient of the Michiana Forty Under Forty Award and chief operating executive at the University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business. “I think one of the great things about South Bend Regional Chamber’s initiative to create this award is to acknowledge people’s civic engagement, their work in the community, and their pursuits in local business.”
For Kelly, the alumni bash provided him an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and highlight Mendoza College of Business’ sponsorship of the Michiana Forty under Forty recipients. Kelly’s mission highlights the importance of acknowledging civic engagement and local business efforts.
“On behalf of the Mendoza College of Business, we believe that we need to play a role in the community, and particularly in the development of talent,” said Kelly. “We have a number of graduate programs that provide an entrance for individuals in the region to take the pursuits that they have already accomplished in their jobs and build upon that with fundamental business education and cutting-edge concepts and disciplines. Though we are a relatively small school, we embody the true, fighting Irish spirit in the region. As we look at our competitors regionally, we continue to elevate.”
Another alumni, Shaban Varajab, of the 2023 Forty under Forty cohort, attended the event to connect with others and celebrate community change and vibrancy. A native of Kenya, Varajab moved to the United States in 2014. He attended the University of Notre Dame, where he completed his master’s in International Peace Studies and worked with Catholic relief services in the Philippines. He has continued to do work across the globe. His collaboration with enFocus Inc., a nonprofit group for developing future leaders, led to his roles with the Elkhart Community Foundation and the South Bend School Corporation.
“I am here to connect with the community and be around people who are out to transform communities that are struggling,” said Varajab. “Before I came to the U.S., I worked with a nonprofit based in Kenya that supported young people and women from violence, but also showed them how to get involved in community governance, livelihood projects, and helped them become who they are supposed to be. South Bend is one of those special places where I feel people are working to transform the community—whether it is housing, education, transportation, or healthcare. I enjoy this community.”
Varajab is also recognized as the National Professional of the Year 2023 by the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) initiative. As a data and account manager, his future endeavors include exporting books from South Bend schools to Kenya to establish a community library, emulating his grandmother’s history of leadership as a midwife. A documentary about Varajab’s life is also set to be released this November to inspire young people and challenge institutions to provide opportunities for those of diverse backgrounds.
“I feel passionate about preparing students to become constructive agents in the community,” said Varajab. “This passion comes from my upbringing and because of the support network that exists. One of the special people I met through the cohort was Beth North and I swear she is the reason I am here today. This cohort has led to beautiful things down the line. My plan is to bring every best practice I have learned from all the places I work.”
Varajab and Kelly, like other alumni, work to encourage future leaders to seize opportunities, even small ones that can lead to big changes. For more information about the South Bend Regional Chamber and the Michiana Forty Under Forty initiative, visit: sbrchamber.com