From Bangladesh to Bronco Pride: How Tasfia Al Amin found her confidence and community at WMU

KALAMAZOO, Mich.— When Tasfia Al Amin first learned about Western Michigan University at an IDP Education fair in Bangladesh, she was immediately drawn to the school's welcoming atmosphere and the flexibility of its graduate engineering management program. 

"I wanted a degree that could pull me up in my career," she says. "The degree that Westerns offers is very unique."

“WMU is open to students from all engineering backgrounds—not just mechanical,” Al Amin says. “That really stood out to me."

After earning a bachelor's degree in electrical, electronics and communication engineering at the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) in Dhaka, Al Amin worked for three years in Bangladesh—first in her university’s research department, and later in supply chain management and procurement. There she developed strong administrative and organizational skills and a passion for project management.

Al Amin's says her path to Kalamazoo was not easy, but it was worth it. Her visa interview was rescheduled multiple times, and though she was originally admitted for 2024, she couldn't start until 2025. 

Despite the challenges, Al Amin held onto her dream and arrived in Kalamazoo one-year ago ready to begin her next chapter.  

“When my visa was finally approved, I saw how proud my parents were. Especially my father—I saw it in his eyes," she says. 

A Living and Learning Community Abroad

One of her first priorities was finding an on-campus job. “During International Student Orientation, I was eating pizza and talking with the chef,” Al Amin recalls, laughing. “Within three days, I had a job in Dining Services!” 

That role helped her adjust quickly to life in the U.S. and connect with people across campus.

By April, Al Amin joined the Haenicke Institute for Global Education (HIGE) as a student marketing ambassador, helping to promote international programs, support new international students and share her experiences with prospective students from around the world.

“HIGE lifted me up to be out there,” says Al Amin. “I took to that opportunity nicely. I’ll always be a part of HIGE and Western.”

Al Amin felt so welcome at Western that she helped revive the Welcome Here campaign in 2025 with a video made to celebrate the more than 1,000 international students at Western. 

She is now launching a WMU International social media video series, interviewing students from around the world, showcasing the campus's global diversity and its strong academic options. 

There are students from 95 foreign countries at WMU. International students can sign up to participate in a video interview here. 

“There’s always something happening on campus,” says Al Amin. “And when you reach out or ask for help, you realize you do belong here.”

This fall, Al Amin also began working with the WMU Evaluation Center, managing social media and collaborating on real-world projects with a community impact. 

Through these experiences, she’s grown more confident and outgoing. “Now I know how to approach a professor or start a conversation,” she says. “I can talk a lot more than before.”

Documenting an International Life

Outside the classroom, Al Amin loves to dance and create social media content—a passion that began in Bangladesh when her traditional dance videos started gaining attention online. 

“I never wanted to be an influencer; it just happened to me,” she says with a smile. “I love to be in front of the camera.”

Al Amin credits her father for inspiring her love travel and documenting life's adventures. An officer in the Bangladesh army, he holds two U.S. graduate degrees, she says. The family of five moved several times during Al Amin's upbringing. They were always exploring new places. 

"My father always had a camera—he wanted to capture everything,” she shares. "I wanted to be like him. I wanted to study abroad too. He was also an electrical engineer. We have the same background."

Whether she’s dancing at a campus Zumba session, exploring West Michigan’s Tulip Festival or welcoming new international students in Kalamazoo, Al Amin says she is thriving at Western and documenting it every step of the way.

She plans to graduate in December 2026 and hopes to gain work experience in Michigan through an internship or co-op. “The job market here is very different,” she says. “I want to learn and explore it for myself.”