What's a typical day like for you in college?
"My normal day involves going to class, eating lunch in between my classes and club meetings at night after dinner. I also sometimes have meetings with upperclassmen mentors, career services and advising during the day. After my meetings I hang in my room with my friends and do some homework."
What advice would you give to future Binghamton students?
"Get involved! Coming into Binghamton University I was excited to be a psychology major but wasn't sure what I wanted to do after graduation. It was through my involvement with Unibuddy and my on-campus internships that I found my passion for student affairs. If you're unsure about your future, it's okay! Take opportunities that interest you during your time at Binghamton, you'll be able to look back and find links and explore careers in those areas. Getting involved can show you a lot about yourself and help you meet some forever friends!"
Why did you chose to attend Binghamton?
"I decided to become a Bearcat after falling in love with Binghamton’s campus during the Binghamton Summer College Program for high school students. Here, I became a part of two women empowerment and sisterhood based organizations where I met life long sisters."
What is one goal you have for yourself?
"I’m trying to become a doctor so I can help the refugees from my home in Kurdistan."
What do you want to do in the future?
"I want to be able to support my mom. She raised me by herself and still works til this day."
Why do you think it's important to challenge yourself?
"I think that's part of life. I think that if you just stay put and don't see the world, then you're missing out on things."
Talk about an event that changed your life for the better?
"When my grandmother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For me, that's when I really grew up, when my eyes really opened and I thought differently. I wasn't the same after that. I had to step up and kind of be a man at that point, at a young age, because it's just me, my mom and my grandparents. They can't do it all."
Do you have any hobbies?
"I like to learn languages and draw. I'm learning Chinese, Korean and Arabic."
What do you want to do as a career?
"I want to become a Supreme Court Justice. I could enact a lot of change that way."
What is important to you?
"In my culture, which is the Filipino culture, family always comes first. We're taught at a young age that family are the most important people in your life, because at the end of the day, you know they will always be there for you. That means dropping whatever you're doing to help ---whether it's your mom, dad, sister, aunt, uncle, anyone that is somehow related to you -- to always be there for them. This continues to resonate with me because I truly understand the importance of family at college. Because even though I'm not there, my family constantly checks on me-- and I hope I can do that someday for my future family."
What are you most passionate about?
"Seeing it through. What I mean by that is achieving all of my ambitions and helping others achieve theirs. And of course, you have to make your mama proud."
Talk about an event that changed your life for the better.
"Getting into foster care...It opened my eyes to a lot of things and it taught me to be more independent."
Talk about an event that changed your life for the better.
"I spent three months in a tent, basically borderline homeless, in Colorado. I learned that I can be extremely poor and extremely happy at the same time. Thankfully, nature is free, so I was able to enjoy that."
What is something you are proud of?
"The thing I am most proud of about myself is stepping out of my comfort zone and getting more involved in the community."
