Hello! I am Samar Khelifi, Finance – ESC Tunis.

I am Samar, a finance student with an interest in investment strategies. I graduated high school in 2022 as a Math Major from the Pioneer High School of Hamam Lif. I aspire to launch my own startup and bring opportunities to others.

I’ve always been curious and willing to try new things. In high school, I founded TIMUN Ezzahra, where I developed my diplomatic skills, intercultural dialogue, and public speaking through Model UN simulations. Later, at university, I created the 3Zero Campus Club, a sustainability-focused movement that mobilized students around active and global citizenship. After that, I launched Scholar Valley, a community project that has supported over 100 underserved students across Tunisia. What started as small workshops in overlooked universities grew into a digital platform reaching 1,300+ students. These experiences ignited in me a passion for leadership and the belief that youth-led action can drive real impact.

In summer 2024, I had the chance to be selected for the SUSI on Economic Empowerment program to study finance, economics, and entrepreneurship at the University of Massachusetts. SUSI was a turning point, it sparked my interest even more to launch my own project and it reminded me that learning and growth are not only about career goals but also about enjoying the journey.

Professionally, I have explored different fields: During my HR internship at the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, I realized how much inclusion and teamwork matter in building a positive workplace. As an investment analyst intern at Flat6Labs, I gained insights into startups, market research, and investment strategies in the MENA region. That role sparked my entrepreneurial spirit and sharpened my curiosity about how ideas turn into scalable ventures.

I am now excited to be part of the TAEF Fellowship and can’t wait to know what this opportunity is hiding for me to network with inspiring people and learn more from them. These varied experiences showed me that the more we try different things, the more we understand ourselves and what we want to build.