Humera Qazi ’93 Makes Giving Back to Adelphi a Priority

Humera Qazi ’93 first arrived on campus 35 years ago as an international student. She said the University is where her “American life began.” This is one of the reasons that as managing director at Morgan Stanley, serving as head of Wealth Management Operations, Client Service, and Reporting Group, she has made it a priority to give back to Adelphi financially and by giving her time and leadership.

Qazi, who earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in what is now the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, has served on the Adelphi University Board of Trustees for the past seven years. In 2016, Qazi, a vocal advocate for women in the workplace, suggested to President Christine M. Riordan that Adelphi launch a conference for students, faculty, staff and the community that would reflect women’s leadership, inspiring and empowering the next generation of women leaders. The first Adelphi University Women’s Leadership Conference was held in 2017 and has continued to be held—and to grow in attendance—every year since, with Qazi serving as co-chair.

Here, she shares her endeavors to make that connection for current and future Adelphi students.

What motivates you to give back to Adelphi, not just financially, but with so much of your time?

I lived in three countries, three different continents, until I was 18, so I couldn’t really call one place my home. But once I settled at Adelphi, it became my home, and New York has been my home since then. Adelphi is where I started and set those roots, so it has always had that special place in my heart. To be able to make decisions [as a board member] that will impact Adelphi’s future feels phenomenal. I take that responsibility very, very seriously and so does every trustee, because we are predominantly alumni. Every time I step into that [Ruth S. Harley] University Center, I get chills because I remember that first time as an 18-year-old. To be able to give back to the institution that gave so much to me may seem cliché, but it’s 100 percent true.

How have you been tapping into your resources at Morgan Stanley to make a difference in the lives of Adelphi alumni and students?

We have a strong alumni base who work in financial services, about 50 of whom are currently working at Morgan Stanley. Two years ago we held the first networking event for them, and the response was wonderful. Because we all attended Adelphi at different times, it was also nice to talk about what it was like for each of us when we were there. It brought back a flood of memories for everyone.

Last year, we decided to hold it again with a twist: 13 current students attended to interface with the employees. It gave the students an opportunity to practice their networking and social skills and make some connections, and allowed the Morgan Stanley folks to give back. It was so successful that we decided why not try to do this at other companies?

What do you hope that leads to in terms of programming and opportunities for our students and alumni?

For our students, it’s exposure to the financial services industry and to a professional work environment. They may never have stepped foot in a large organization like that if they haven’t had an internship. The flip side is exposing firms like Morgan Stanley to Adelphi. As an alum, and especially as a trustee, I consider myself an ambassador for the University. Wherever I go, I look for opportunities to bring up Adelphi, whether I’m wearing the shirt or mentioning where I went to school. I would like to see Adelphi be more well known in and around not just New York, but more broadly, and to be more well recognized within the industries and companies that recruit heavily in our region and to see our students find more opportunities in those leading industries.

You’re a vocal advocate for diversity in the workplace, having served as the co-chair for Morgan Stanley’s Women’s Business Alliance. Why does this advocacy matter?

Diversity is what makes anything successful, but it’s not just diversity in terms of race, gender or socioeconomic status. It’s diversity of thought. If you have different opinions and different ideas being discussed, you have a well-rounded, 360-degree view of the problem and therefore a well-rounded, 360-degree view of a solution. I feel strongly that not only is it in a company’s best interest to enforce diversity and inclusion tactics; I think it’s also the right thing to do.

It’s also the fair thing to do as women. There is no reason why we shouldn’t have an equal and fair role and chance at opportunities in the workplace, and especially in certain industries that have traditionally been male-dominated. It doesn’t mean that we haven’t made progress. Things were very different when I was entering the workforce compared with how they are today. But there is still a gender gap when you look at senior leaders within most organizations. This is why I do what I do around women’s leadership, both at Morgan Stanley and at Adelphi.

You serve on the board of directors of MCW Global (Miracle Corners of the World), an organization dedicated to empowering youth leadership in Africa and around the world. What can Adelphi students learn from your example about the power of giving back?

It’s gratifying to see the results of the work we put in, like building a community center in a remote part of Zambia or Tanzania, and then seeing the impact that has on the local community. Maybe that’s my selfish way of wanting to be involved so that I have this gratifying feeling of having given back. I am so fortunate in so many regards. Being selfless and recognizing when you are more fortunate than somebody else is important. We tend to compare ourselves with those who are better off than we are, but it is definitely more helpful to compare yourself with someone who is less fortunate, which puts things in perspective. You can’t solve the world’s problems all alone. But if you play your little part and impact even just two or three lives, you feel like you’ve made a little bit of a difference.