Building Skills to Build a Better Tomorrow

As a Senior Associate DEI Business Partner and Pfizer Refugee Leadership Initiative project manager, Gullnaz Saeedi understands how important finding one's community is to finding success.

In addition to her work and personal networks, Gullnaz can now rely on her classmates in the Stevens Enterprise Project Management master's program to assist her on her academic journey. She enrolled as a part-time student in the Fall 2022 semester as part of the School of Business' partnership with Pfizer and expects to graduate in the fall of 2025. Her cohort includes Pfizer colleagues, professionals from multiple industries and even those taking a break from their careers to pursue a degree.

"I've learned a lot from my peers and classmates," she said. "We have engaging and interactive classes. Colleagues are from different organizations, and even the Pfizer employees are in different fields and different parts of the business. I would never get a chance to meet them otherwise. It's insightful to hear what they're working on and their experience. For example, I'm part of HR, and sometimes we talk about different HR challenges. We have very collaborative discussions and hear different perspectives from other companies. Sometimes you learn things you want to apply in your company, and sometimes we share things they apply in their company or projects."

Gullnaz has worked in human resources and project management throughout her professional life. After earning her bachelor's degree in business administration from Panjab University in Chandigarh, India, she worked as an HR volunteer for the United Nations World Food Programme, returning to her native Afghanistan. She was a Senior Human Resources Officer and Project Manager for the Shuhada Organization, a non-profit organization "committed to the welfare and advancement of Afghan citizens, with a particular emphasis on the empowerment of women and children," before becoming an Executive/Financial Specialist at the Administrative Office of the President. She moved to the United States as a refugee after the collapse of the former government of Afghanistan. While pursuing her career in the United States, she started to work with Pfizer in March 2022.

"I'm originally from Afghanistan, and I have been doing this work in a different format back in my country," Gullnaz shared. "We don't have the specific DEI terminology because of the regulations of the government's policies, but we do work around gender equity and women in leadership. I have been doing that for more than seven years, and that's my passion. I enjoy working with people, helping people and making an impact."

Not only is her relationship with Stevens helping her learn skills and strategies that will enhance her impact managing DEI initiatives, but it has also had tangible effects on improving the lives of the refugee community.

"What I like about this program is the diversity of students from different backgrounds," she said. "We started a refugee cohort, and the class was all refugees. I was grateful that Stevens provided the opportunity to have one specific cohort of refugees from Pfizer. It was great to see that once they completed the course, everyone was ready to be in a diverse class for every group, not only refugees, because they were hesitant at the beginning. We have had many refugee students who are part of the classes at Stevens. It's very flexible for them. Getting that degree from other universities can be challenging because there is a lot of process and waiting, and even then, you don't know if you will get a chance. I appreciate that part about Stevens."

Born with a natural curiosity and love of learning, Gullnaz's decision to pursue a master's degree wasn't only to improve her career prospects. She also understands the opportunities she has that many others around the world do not.

"I grew up in Afghanistan, and the only measure for success is to have a good degree and education," she explained. "Education has been very important in my family, and I have been very motivated to pursue my master's degree. I always think that when I have a chance to study, I will take it. Many other women around the world don't have that chance to go to school. I do, so I wanted to take this opportunity to learn and develop my skills."

Once she decided to return to school, it quickly became apparent that Stevens was a great fit. In addition to the partnership with Pfizer, several other factors existed. First, her supervisor is a Stevens alum. Second, the curriculum was relevant to her goals, and the program’s design fit her professional needs. Finally, the cost fit within the company's tuition assistance program.

"When I learned about Stevens, it was really aligned with what I was looking for," Gullnaz said. "Stevens is a corporate partner with Pfizer, which makes a lot of things easier than other educational institutions. It's very flexible in terms of the admissions process and the hours of the study. We're all managing cross-functional projects where there is a lot of communication. We've also learned about the strategic approach to project management and leadership. Sometimes, we think we are a leader, but we are just managing. Those skills were helpful for our self-awareness—how we are actually doing and what areas we need to work on."

Despite having about half the program remaining, the curriculum has already helped Gullnaz navigate projects across a large, multi-national organization.

"I had never worked with a big company like Pfizer where we communicate with different people and personalities who are important parts of the project," she said. "Stakeholder management and collaboration are important. The courses I have taken at Stevens help me apply the knowledge I've learned to my daily tasks. Before, I didn't know how important managing this communication was. I had worked for smaller companies where communication was easier. You would go to that person who was involved. At bigger companies like Pfizer, managing cross-functional projects is critical."

Taking on the extra responsibility of working toward her master's degree hasn't been easy, but Gullnaz has a firm belief it's worth the effort.

"We are all working," she said. "Sometimes it's overwhelming, and some people say, 'Oh, it's too much. I just don't want to go back to school.' But I feel like it's worth the effort. You need to step outside of your comfort zone. It's going to be a great accomplishment for me. It will equip me for new opportunities in my company."