I’m originally from Yemen but grew up in Berkeley, California. I graduated from UC–Berkeley in 2022 with a BA in ethnic studies. I also studied psychology, political science, and social work.

In my spare time, some of my favorite things to do are reading and learning about politics and watching Turkish tv dramas! When I want to de-stress, I go to the park with my family or friends, or I hang out with my mom and family and watch tv and drink tea.

Coaching offers students guidance and another perspective that can shape the way they go through their academic, professional, and personal lives.

I learned this first-hand while being mentored by my scholarship advisor, who assisted me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. She was there for me always; she always made time for me and truly cared about students’ well-being and experiences. She was younger and related to me and taught me so many things I wouldn’t have learned otherwise. Her coaching and mentoring style really inspired me to do for other scholars what she did for me.

To me, the keys to college success are consistency, time management, and finding balance between life, school and work (if you’re employed). Focusing your whole life around school can be detrimental to your health—and can backfire by hurting your academic performance.

Some things I wish I’d fully understood as a student are, first, don’t stress too much or rush. Everything takes time and patience. Second, there’s no limit to knowledge. You can understand and be great at multiple things or know multiple subjects, not just your major.