Why I Joined the Global Scholars Program

     Growing up in Pasadena has meant growing up in a bubble that has provided me comfort and safety but has also cost me. It wasn’t until middle school when I realized that the world is so much more vast than Pasadena, California, and the United States of America.

    In fifth grade, my mom, my brother, and I traveled to Sialkot, Pakistan, for a family wedding. Other than annual trips to Canada, it was the first time I had been out of the country. The moment I stepped out of the plane and into the airport, I knew I had officially left my comfort zone, which both scared and excited me. At the surface level, the differences between Sialkot and Pasadena were obvious, but the deeper, inherent differences were the ones that stuck with me. In Pasadena, I have rarely felt truly connected to my identity as a Pakistani-American, but I immediately reveled in the rich culture present in the food, people, and traditions in Sialkot.

    Ever since that trip, I have developed an intense desire to relive the experience. However, as much as I would like to take from the world to fulfill my adventurous spirit, I wholeheartedly believe in the value of giving back to the world. I believe that participating in Poly’s Global Scholars program is the perfect way to do so. The program will undoubtedly push me to learn about the current events happening in the world to become a more educated individual. Furthermore, the specific parts of the Global Scholars program, including taking globally-oriented classes, sustaining a blog, hosting and attending GIP events, and completing the Capstone project will allow me to develop the tools to become an attentive global citizen.

    I could not be more excited about this opportunity to become a Global Scholar because I am hopeful that by the end of my senior year, I will have contributed to the world in a memorable way.