NOVA Alumnus, Sohail Naeem, Discusses How NOVA Helped Him Build His Foundation
Sohail Naeem graduated from NOVA’s Woodbridge Campus in 2016 with an associate degree in business administration, and he is now a principal data analyst at Northrop Grumman. Naeem praises NOVA for providing him with an excellent foundation in academics, communication and professional development. At NOVA, he learned self-accountability and gained a ‘you-can-do-it’ mentality from several professors, including Dr. Nauri Ahmed. He also took advantage of the networking opportunities available to him here and built professional relationships via clubs and organizations like the Business Club, Accounting Club and Man Up, a mentorship program for men of color, founded by Dr. Richmond Hill.
Currently at Northrop Grumman, Sohail is supporting NASA’s Artemis 1 project, which is the first manned moon mission since the Apollo program in the late 60s. He is working on an Artemis sub-program called HALO, which will serve as the housing component for the astronauts (this module is like the international space station except it will be orbiting the moon). The goal is to have the first woman and person of color land on the moon by 2025.
Hear more about Sohail’s background and what motivates him in his own words:
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background:
Originally, my family is from Pakistan. We emigrated to the U.S. in the late 90’s and have been in Northern Virginia, specifically the Woodbridge/Dale City area, for 20+ years. I’m the youngest of four (two boys and two girls), my elder brother and sister attended NOVA Woodbridge years ago around the 2003/2004 timeframe.
My formal education from pre-K to high school and even community college has been in Woodbridge—I attended Minnieville Elementary, Beville and Godwin middle schools, Gar-Field High School and then, of course, NOVA.
I like to engage in sports, whether that’s physical or esports. I played football in my high school years and ran Madden (the video game) leagues for many years; this typically serves as my outlet to recharge. Outside of this, I keep myself busy with work and schooling or spending time with my family, specifically my niece and nephews.
What brought you to NOVA?
I started attending NOVA in January of 2015 after graduating high school. NOVA seemed to be a natural choice for me, considering the advantageous cost of attendance and that the college had guaranteed admissions pathways with many schools in the area. As I mentioned, I had some familiarity with NOVA via my siblings, so it was a logical and easy choice for me. Further, I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to do as a career or what exactly I wanted to study straight out of high school.
What did you study at NOVA?
I studied business administration at NOVA from 2015-2016. I was able to take advantage of summer semesters where I would take up to 20 credits, which allowed me to earn my A.S. within a year. My focus at the time was pursuing a career in accounting and/or finance as I was pretty good in those areas as a student.
Tell Us About Your Experience at NOVA; i.e., professors you liked and friends you met?
I experienced some of the finest, most genuine professors here at NOVA Woodbridge. The realistic approach to teaching and the emphasis on accountability was something I admired. The business department in and of itself was exemplary, and I was able to learn from a multitude of smart and enthusiastic professors—namely Prof. Nauri Ahmed and Prof. Jerry Newsome, among others.
What would you tell a student coming to NOVA?
To any prospective student, I would say, ‘You’ll get what you pour in. NOVA demands accountability and excellence (in any measure).’ I would say that ‘You’ll have a supportive network, caring professors, countless opportunities and a diverse experience. I think the experience of a community college is in the stories and various walks of life that the attendees come from; that’s something powerful.’
What did you do after NOVA?
After NOVA, I attended George Mason University and obtained a dual-bachelor of science in finance and information systems operations management. After obtaining my bachelor’s, I then worked in various industries, from start-ups, event planning, government contracting and then defense. I went from a variety of roles, from operations coordinator, accountant, financial analyst, senior data analyst and then to my current role as principal data analyst/engineer. Throughout my career, I have worked with many clients and even had the opportunity to support the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense.
Currently, I serve as a principal data analyst/systems engineer for Northrop Grumman, working in their Space Sector and supporting NASA. I am currently also enrolled in a master’s program for Data Analytics Engineering at George Mason, and I expect to graduate this year in 2023.
NOVA has given me a great foundation in both academics and professionalism. I’ve made some great friends and long-lasting relationships while at NOVA.
Submitted by:
Hoang Nguyen, Assoc. Director of External Comms., HDNguyen@nvcc.edu