25 Under 25 Honoree Zeynep Sude Aytekin

Zeynep Sude Aytekin arrived at Stevens as an international transfer student, navigating a new country, a new major and a new academic culture. She responded the way she responds to most challenges: by getting to work.

A junior majoring in business and technology with concentrations in management and computer science and a minor in computer science, she currently serves as a Research Assistant for Professor Sibel Ozgen Novelli in the School of Business, supporting ongoing academic projects while managing a full course load.

Before arriving at Stevens, she participated in the Maple Scholars Program at Goshen College, conducting mathematical research on game theory and legislative behavior in Turkey, modeling strategic parliamentary voting behavior using Python and R and presenting her findings at a faculty symposium. That foundation in quantitative research has carried directly into her professional work. During the summer of 2025, she completed two internships in New York Citysimultaneously. One at Liberty City Ventures analyzing emerging technologies across AI, blockchain, sports technology and gaming, and another at Findigs, where she automated onboarding workflows, developed data classification pipelinesand integrated API-based communication systems to improve operational efficiency.

On campus, she founded a mentorship program through the International Student Association, where she serves as Public Relations Officer, drawing on her own experience as an international student to help others feel less alone in their transition. She is also developing two mobile applications, one in the beauty industry and one in sports technology, with plans to launch both in 2026.