DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE
“Diversity and inclusion creates a more effective learning environment. I attended schools where I was always one of a few Muslim students. Although those environments were not diverse, I believe that both schools had a great sense of inclusion. I never felt insecure in my beliefs because of the people around me. I believe this positively impacted my confidence as a person. My peers were able to learn more about the world through me, and I learned through them. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee strives to build a culture of practicing inclusion. Being a part of that culture is important to me.” - Diversity and Inclusion Student Spotlight
During my time at the Bush School I served in two leadership positions within the Student Government Diversity and Inclusion Committee. My first year I was a Program Outreach Leader. My responsibilities included supporting committee chairs with research, presentations, leading general meetings, and organizing Brown Bags. I engaged the student body to send student spotlights to Bush School students, faculty, and staff.
During my second year, I became a Committee Co-Chair. My responsibilities included managing program outreach leaders, creating a budget, overseeing research, engaging students and faculty to attend general meetings and Brown Bags, recruit on behalf of the Bush School, and present at different conferences.
BUSH SCHOOL AMBASSADORS
A Bush School Ambassador represents the Bush School at development functions, alumni events, Bush Foundation, Mosbacher Institute, and Scowcroft Institute events. Ambassadors serve as official student hosts of special guests and provide support for recruitment efforts. Primarily ambassadors are student liaisons to special guests invited to come to the A&M community. An examples of service is the support given during the Bush Foundation's 20th Anniversary Harvey Relief Concert, where ambassadors were responsible for hosting VIP guests.
Being an Ambassador has given me the opportunity to meet amazing people, but to also represent the Bush School. Many visitors are interested in the students that attend the Bush School. They want to know what we are studying, and what led us there. Being able to share my experiences and story with donors and supporters of the Bush School allows me to pave a way for future students. By inspiring a donor to give to the Bush School, future students will have benefited from my time here. However it is not just donors who we connect with.
My most memorable Ambassador’s experience was when I was given the privilege to have breakfast with the wives of all the former Deans of the Bush School as a part of the school’s 20th Anniversary Celebrations. I was seated next to Reverend Kathleene Card, who is former Dean Andrew Card’s wife. We hit it off immediately, bonding over my experience of attending a Christian School all my life. She was so interested in my story of how I found inclusion in a not very diverse environment. We ended the breakfast with exchanging information and a newly formed connection. She told me that this is exactly what the Bush School was about, bringing people from diverse backgrounds and finding that we have more in common than we do differences. My ability to represent the Bush School as an ambassador allows me to help others connect with one another and the Bush School.
PUBLIC SERVICE ORGANIZATION
The Bush School's Public Service Organization is comprised of many volunteer organizations. My passion for education led me to hold a leadership position with Read by 3rd, an organization whose goal is to increase literacy levels in elementary school children. My responsibilities included developing curriculum for students ages 11 and up, engaging with students while parents received support to help their children learn to read, adapted curriculum to fit the unpredictable classroom size and age ranges.
One way children learn is through playing. Being able to create educational activities, while still having fun was my goal for working with Read by 3rd. Many times we played card games or wrote stories to read to the class. However whatever activity we were doing, I always was sure to participate. Working with an older age group, I wanted to lead by example. If I was “cool” enough to participate, then they could as well. Often times this led to me being able to have a conversation with shy students, because I was able to break a barrier and be at their level. I was able to connect with many students when they learned I too have parents who are immigrants. This connection allowed me to encourage students to follow their dreams, and aim high. I wanted to let them know that college was an option for them if they worked hard. I was able to share my story with them, and let them know that they too can achieve great things with Education.