I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and I take pride in my diverse upbringing.
The exotic and colorful scenery of my childhood includes memories of the Egyptian Pyramids, Mecca and nine very different schools in America.
I lived in Egypt and Saudi Arabia with my family as well as amongst a wide spectrum of cultures, ethnicities and faiths in the U.S. I chose to attend Temple University in Philadelphia primarily because of its diverse population.
I recently graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a minor in political science.
I seek to use my knowledge in these fields to solve pressing economic and policy issues worldwide.
In college, out of a growing curiosity for issues facing the community, I became involved in a program named LIFT (non-acronym). LIFT allowed students to work with low-income families to act as a support system in finding jobs and housing, with the goal of helping the families to lift themselves out of poverty. Excited to contribute to local neighborhood development, I also got involved in Habitat for Humanity. I interned at the World Affairs Council, the Mayor's Office of Community Services in Philadelphia, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, where I worked to strengthen peace between Americans and the Muslim world. I also worked with the U.S. presidential campaign in the fall of 2012 where I mobilized my community to get out and vote.
One of my proudest and recent accomplishments is a Habitat for Humanity service project in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which I initiated and headed. The project led 5 students across the country in a service and cultural excursion to contribute to a local neighborhood revitalization initiative.
My interests include economics/finance, economic/neighborhood development, social enterprise, poverty alleviation, human/civil rights, public policy, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, and international trade/business.
