When the school year began, University of Minnesota student body president Rahma Ali took the stage in 3M Arena at Mariucci to welcome thousands of new students to the U of M’s College of Liberal Arts (CLA) and emphasize the importance of building connections.
“The power and support of those around you will shape your experiences and allow you to reach your potential,” she said. “Look around you and know that you’ll all be a part of each other’s experiences some way or somehow.”
For Ali, these aren’t just words of wisdom, they are her lived experience. She says that while attending the U she’s been supported by peers, friends, faculty, staff, and community members. That in turn helped to shape her time in CLA as a student leader and scholar, and inspired in her a desire to attend the U of M Medical School after graduation.
How did you decide on your major?
I have wanted to major in biology since high school, but I did not want to have one perspective of studying the subject. I wanted to make sure there was diversity in the course curriculum to allow me to explore the impact biology has on arts and humanities, society, and environment. What attracted me to Biology, Society, and Environment is the combination of prerequisites for medical school and the liberal arts/humanities-focused courses.
Which CLA class or professor has had the biggest impact on you?
I took ENGL 3505: Protest Literature and Community Action taught by Eric Daigre my junior year, and that had a huge impact on my studies and day-to-day life throughout that semester. Professor Daigre is an amazing professor and makes sure his students feel as comfortable as possible with the course materials, the structure of the curriculum, and facilitation. He cares about every word of our feedback, not just at the end of the semester but throughout every week. He inspired me to always keep going.
Has having a mentor made a difference in your college career?
I'm a President's Emerging Scholar in CLA, and I frequently met with my mentor Adam Elmi before eventually becoming a mentor myself to about 28 first-year students. Adam is on a pre-medical track himself and having him as my mentor helped me throughout my first and second years. Everything from recommending his favorite classes and professors, to sharing studying tips and tricks, and sharing life advice. He really inspired me as a mentor to the point where I applied and got hired to be a peer mentor myself.
Tell us about your learning abroad experience.
I recently went to Quito, Ecuador, for the Health in Ecuador study abroad program and it was one of the most incredible experiences ever. I was able to learn so much about and from the Ecuadorian community. Everything from their culture, day-to-day lives, amazing food, traditions, and so much more. The focus of the program was comparing healthcare systems—Minnesota’s compared with Ecuador’s. It was interesting learning about Ecuador’s universal healthcare system, and this program allowed our cohort to be able to see their process by shadowing physicians.
How has your internship experience helped prepare you?
The Minnesota Advancing Science and Enhancing Diversity Program I was a part of had a two-in-one internship and research opportunity which allowed me to be able to gain the skills of an internship as well as engage in research and study through the Department of Family Medicine. Hearing University faculty talk about their studies and how to conduct research really opened my eyes to ethical standpoints to keep in mind for every step of any research process.
How have you been a leader during your time at the U?
I've been engaged with Undergraduate Student Government since my freshman year and have taken a leadership role throughout my senior year. My first year, I started off as an intern. For my sophomore year, I was elected for a (student) staff position. Now I have the honor of representing the undergraduate student body as the president of the Undergraduate Student Government. I am very fortunate to work with such amazing student-staff ... I couldn't ask for a better team.
This story was adapted from the original at the College of Liberal Arts
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