“You placed your trust in me. You were always there and that was the most beautiful thing. Sometimes I doubted myself. Now I am standing here as a student, and you built this bridge so that I can participate in society and have a voice. My journey is not over yet.”
The evening of Friday 27 March 2026 witnessed another historic milestone for SEET. With temperatures hovering just above freezing, fifty people gathered at the ETH Alumni Pavillion, filling the room with warmth over the course of four hours.
Firstly, the 2025/26 Study Support Programme participants celebrated the conclusion of their year-long partnership before the evening seamlessly moved into a ‘second act,’ as mentees and mentors from previous programme cycles joined representatives from funding partners, as well as two of the organisation’s founder members for the launch of SEET’s Alumni Network. One former mentor had even travelled from Berlin to be involved.
Prior to the 2025/26 graduation ceremony, each of the participants were asked to use just one word to describe their SEET experience via an app. As the responses flashed up on the screen, members of SEET’s volunteer team could not fail to feel humbled. ‘Inspiring,’ ‘Eye-Opening,’ ‘Enriching,’ ‘Empathy,’ ‘Friendship’ and ‘Support’ were just some of the epithets used.
The thirty-nine mentees who took part over the last year hailed from eight different countries: Afghanistan, Eritrea, Georgia, IR Iran, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine. Whilst some of the mentees will continue their involvement as they follow their education-related goals, others will prolong their connection to SEET in a different capacity.
To further improve the effectiveness of its programme, SEET is committed to building a stronger community among those it supports. The launch of an Alumni Network aims to create a space for former and current participants, mentors, and SEET team members to come together, strengthen peer-to-peer support, enable mentees to benefit from the collective knowledge and resources within the SEET community, and foster long-term connections.
Three of the alumni were invited to share their stories on Friday. Batoul, Leyla, and Elene each highlighted the legal, linguistic, and financial barriers displaced individuals face, such as long waiting periods for residency permits and restricted access to employment.
They emphasised how SEET’s programme offers more than just monetary aid; it provides essential mentorship, emotional stability, and guidance to help them navigate the Swiss academic system. Through this support, each one has successfully enrolled in diverse fields, illustrating how targeted advocacy and community integration empower refugees to overcome systemic hurdles and achieve their professional dreams.
Batoul explained how despite the challenges she faced during a period when her asylum request was unanswered and then refused, she never felt alone. It was her mentor and the SEET community that believed in her and supported her in these difficult years, allowing her to continue her path and talk with someone openly. She is now studying physiotherapy, slowly approaching her dream, step by step.
Leyla, whose quote opened this blog, shared how SEET’s support had also positively impacted her family. “No matter how difficult things get or what you are going through in life, you don’t give up if you have people by your side. My children see what I have achieved, and I am their role model. My daughter last week learned that she had passed the ‘Gymi’ entrance exam. She saw that if you don’t give up, you can succeed. Without SEET, none of this would have happened.”
As the evening moved towards its denouement, a QR code was displayed, and everyone present was asked one simple question: would you like to join the Alumni Network WhatsApp group? Within seconds, a series of phone numbers began to cascade down the screen. The group is fast approaching fifty members, with one offer of free language tutoring support already made.
Reflecting on the evening, SEET President Nora Diehelm sought to describe her emotions. “So many mentees and mentors approached me to express their deep gratitude for SEET’s programme and how important it is for them” she said. “One participant explained how beautiful it is for him to be part of this community – where people are so kind and open – because that is not what he has always experienced in Switzerland.
“Another said that every time she comes to a SEET event, she feels like part of a family. These words of gratitude make me so happy and are testament to the power of what a small group of people, united around a common cause can achieve.”
If you would be interested in supporting SEET as a future mentor, donor, partner or volunteer, please email us at: seet@seet.ch
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