What has your life been like since graduating from the University of Pittsburgh?
My life at the University of Pittsburgh has been a very holistic experience. I have found that the city and local community with their very generous and hospitable personality have adopted me as one of their own. I even remember when my mom and I came to the city, everyone was so kind and were so curious and open about our Coptic/Christian Egyptian American background. I think many famous people have unfairly given Pittsburgh a bad name. The city has a very underrated and wonderful cultural and communal background, which has made me very fond of the city. Moreover, in the genuine and sincere kindness of the people, I have a found that a piece of my home from the South resides right here in this city through its people.
The faculty at the University of Pittsburgh have been some of the most engaging and altruistic people I have ever come across. Besides many wonderful classroom and research experiences, I have found myself on many an occasion just knocking on a professor’s door and having a conversation with them on everything from the death penalty to sustainable development. Professors such as Dr. Jeff Vipperman, Dr. Ilya Prizel, Dr. Sebastian Saiegh, Dr. Anibal Perez-Linan, Dr. Laura Eisenberg, Dr. Alec Stewart, and so many others have made my experience at the university formative, inspiring, and life-changing.
I cannot even tell you how many times staff at this university have went out of their way to help me patiently through my many inquiries. They are always there with a wonderful warm smile and an unconditional helpfulness. Staff such as Brittany Guthrie, Glinda Harvey, Cheryl Paul, Amy Eckhardt, Michelle Bergman, Dr. Ed McCord, Dr. Sylanus Wosu, and so many nameless others have been crucial and integral in my collegiate life as wonderful mentors and people who I have been privileged to cross paths with throughout my collegiate experience.
As we face globalization, undergraduates must now have a more holistic understanding of not just their coursework but the world around them. The University of Pittsburgh frankly does this better than any institution of higher education that I know of. With its attention to undergraduates through classroom offerings, through research, and through an extensive international education program incorporating study abroad programs and international research internships, this university will continue to maintain this reputation and attract students like myself who reside well beyond the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It has been my pleasure to experience and become part of the “Steel City” for the past five years, and it is my great honor to fondly and proudly carry the title of University of Pittsburgh alumnus for the rest of my life.
What are you doing now?
I have been privileged enough to receive the Rhodes scholarship, so I will be studying in Oxford for the next two years in Management Research and Drylands Science and Management. After I complete my Oxford education, I would like to pursue doctoral studies in mechanical engineering and engineering systems. My goal is to empower change through sustainable grassroots efforts involving technology and policy. Through these efforts, I hope to combine my Western education with indigenous creativity and innovation to promote technologies and science that work to alleviate socioeconomic inequality in the developing world. I hope my teaching and research as a future professor can empower future students in the same direction.