The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies successfully conducted the 23rd session of the INSPIRE Webinar Series, titled “Rise Beyond Limits,” on 10th January 2026 via Zoom from 7.00 PM to 8.30 PM. The session encouraged engineering undergraduates to reflect on their personal and professional journeys, understand the realities of the corporate world, and develop the mindset to grow beyond limitations.
The session featured two industry leaders: Mr. Denver De Zylva, Global Head of Sustainability & Facilities at Virtusa Corp and Joint Country Head, Virtusa Sri Lanka, and Ms. Shehani Seneviratne, Chief Operating Officer at 99X and Chairperson of SLASSCOM.
The discussion commenced with the transition from school to corporate life, emphasizing that early values, attitudes, and habits shape professional identities. Ms. Shehani stressed that deep passion with long-term goals will take an individual to the fullest. Mr. Denver emphasized that grades do not define a career; what matters is what we accumulate along the journey. Maintaining a can-do attitude, grabbing opportunities, going the extra mile, and volunteering to gain exposure and build leadership were pointed out by Ms. Shehani as key strategies to be successful.
The session focused on learnability, noting that companies now value critical thinking, emotional intelligence, ethics, adaptability, networking, and working alongside AI more than technical skills alone. Gender diversity was highlighted, encouraging female participation and overcoming doubts. Mr. Denver reminded students to focus on genuine skill building, be bold, and maintain integrity while adapting to fast-changing technologies. The interactive Q&A allowed students to explore qualifications, AI-readiness, ethics, and corporate expectations.
Thanks to the dedication of the second-year engineering undergraduates of the INSPIRE crew, the webinar ran successfully and left a strong impact.
Moderators: Rashmi Ekanayake & Mohomed Ilham
Zoom Master: Lasith Anupama
Content Writer: Oshadhi Suraweera
Flyer Designer: Amandi Konara
Video Creator: Tharuka Jeewajith
