Finding Community and Helping Others

As a high school senior, there were two things I knew I wanted from my undergraduate experience. The first was to be actively involved in a large and diverse Muslim community that I lacked but so strongly desired growing up, and the second was to have a better idea of what type of lawyer I wanted to be. As I enter my final year of my undergraduate experience, I can confidently say I have found both opportunities at Drexel University.

With my professors' help, I realized a community-based approach is the most effective way to address the systemic problems we discussed in class.

During the past four years, I have grown particularly involved with Drexel's Muslim Students Association (DMSA). At first, it was very difficult for me to form the same tight-knit bonds that students living on campus had because my commuting schedule forced me to prioritize studying over socializing when I was on campus and limited my ability to attend late-night events. I struggled to make eye contact and facilitate conversations due to the profound effects of the pandemic on my mental health. I was particularly hesitant to contribute to religious discussions because I was terrified that I would embarrass myself due to my lack of religious knowledge. However, I was pleased to find that most people did not judge me upon discovering these gaps in my knowledge. Consequently, I started to make an effort to not only attend more and more events, but to come early, help set up, and welcome the first-year students. This led me to form strong connections with people from diverse backgrounds and inspired me to pray daily, fast, and learn more about Islam.

While being involved in the DMSA, I also welcomed every opportunity to integrate law into my course of study. With my professors' help, I realized a community-based approach is the most effective way to address the systemic problems we discussed in class. Therefore, I accepted a co-op at the nonprofit Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) Pennsylvania, an organization that provides legal and social services to refugees and asylum seekers. As a child of immigrants, I was excited to help my clients with their legal applications. However, it wasn't until I was assigned my own clients that I formed a more complete picture of the challenges they experienced. This includes limited English and digital proficiency, financial resources, and ability to recall important information due to trauma and the destruction or lack of documentation. I realized I must help my clients with these challenges in order to properly complete their legal applications.

One way I achieved this was by building up the confidence and proficiency to speak with clients in Spanish myself instead of using an interpreter. The rapport this created led one client to tell me about her desire to learn English to help her son with his homework. This motivated me to suggest our organization's ESL classes. However, she couldn't attend due to her work schedule, so I found external classes that fit her schedule, language level, and included members of her community. At the end of my internship, this client thanked me in Spanish for making her feel seen, and my boss explained how my actions would eventually help her pass her citizenship exam. Realizing the impact I had on my clients at HIAS PA has led me to seriously consider a career in public interest law.

As I am standing on the brink of my senior year at Drexel University, I am humbled to announce that I will be serving as vice president of the DMSA and submitting law school applications. I am forever grateful for the guidance I received in helping me choose Drexel University and achieve beyond what I thought was possible. I look forward to becoming a practicing public interest lawyer and to offering continued leadership and service to my community.