Student Voices

What's a recent experience at WMU/Merze Tate College that exemplified the strong sense of community for you? Was it an event, interaction with classmates/faculty, or something else?

Going to my study abroad in the Dominican Republic gave me so many insights regarding what I want to do right after college. I have always wanted to do diplomacy or any career field relating to Humanitarian aid. During my visit in the Dominican Republic, I was able to do an internship with diplomats and American spokesperson at the American embassy in Santo Domingo. I was able to get so much insight and so much information that will help my dream turn into a reality. I have been studying and preparing for my foreign service exam. Being in the Dominican Republic I was also able to work with a small public school called Cristo Rey is situated in one of the least developed regions of the Dominican Republic. Imagine being ill by the water you drink while growing up in a slum, struggling for food and your survival. Imagine yourself as a child with aspirations that you are dubious you would be able to realize owing to a lack of finances and support. Imagine being unable to behave normally as a child because you are forced to mature into an adult at such a young age. Due to having experienced terrible events in the past, I was able to connect with some of the pupils during my visit to Cristo Rey Public School and I saw myself in those students. Due to language barriers and the fact that most of the pupils were so shy, it was initially difficult to communicate with the students. The pupils became more communicative and at ease when we started working on their vision boards. The majority of pupils desired careers as baseball players, flight attendants, models, attorneys, and physicians. Hearing them talk about their goals and how driven they were to change underprivileged neighborhoods and free their families from poverty was inspiring. I remember returning back to my hotel with some of the WMU faculties and I started crying. I was able to talk to the faculty regarding supporting and donating to the school. Before we left the Dominican Republic, we were able to spend $2500 in purchasing backpacks and school supplies for all the students. We were able to promise the school we were going to continue to support the school and WMU will be sending a group of students every summer to the Dominican Republic, and they will be able to work with the school and the students. 

I was also given the opportunity to visit the Dominican Republic House of Congress. I met with one of their congressmen called Deputy Jose Rodriguez and he spoke to me regarding a bill he had presented to the House of Chamber regarding early child marriages in the Dominican Republic. Deputy Rodriguez asserts that poverty is a significant factor in the occurrence of child marriages in the Dominican Republic. The early child marriage law was passed in the Dominican Republic in 2021 to protect girls and young women from the harmful effects of child marriage. Child marriage is a violation of human rights and can have a devastating impact on the lives of girls and young women, including increased risk of early pregnancy, childbirth complications, and maternal mortality, as well as limited educational and economic opportunities. The new law prohibits marriage for anyone under the age of 18, with no exceptions. I went on into asking him a question regarding whether the bill he had presented regarding child marriages was going to make an impact and he stated that It is too early to say definitively whether the new law has had a significant impact on child marriage rates in the Dominican Republic, but it is a positive step in the right direction. The law has been praised by human rights groups and advocates for girls' rights, who believe that it will help to protect girls from early marriage and the harmful consequences that it can have on their lives.  

If there is anything I have learned throughout my entire visit to the Dominican Republic capital is that marriage is a terrific means to bring together two souls who are grown enough to handle life's obstacles because it is a pure bond of love and harmony. Child marriage, however, is an unethical approach to joining two individuals who do not even understand the realities of life. They are somehow persuaded or compelled to be married to an unknown person even if they have no idea how to handle good and terrible scenarios. Gender inequality and the idea that girls and women are somehow less valuable than boys and men are the main causes of child marriage in the majority of underdeveloped nations. Child marriage is a difficult topic. The practice is fueled and maintained by poverty, illiteracy, cultural norms, and insecurity. The 'weight' of your daughter's marriage can be seen as a way to lessen financial stress by shifting it to her husband's family. Young women should be allowed to go to school and to fulfill their dreams.

When I returned back to the United States I started working on my Foundation. The name i was able to come up with for my Nonprofit is HalNur foundation. I used three letters of my mother's first name which are Halima and Nur in Arabic which means light. I was able to register my Non-profit with the government. I would not have been able to achieve this milestone if it wasn't for a faculty at WMU, who had advised me to do so. I mainly decided to name the foundation after my late mother. My mother has always been patient and supportive when it comes to my education. From an early age, she recognized the importance of education and made it a priority in our household. She is the main reason I am the woman I am today. Unfortunately, my mother passed away in 2012. My mother's impact on my education has been profound. Her patience, support, and inspiration have inspired me to become the student and person I am today. Without her, I would not have had the same level of motivation and drive to succeed in school and beyond. I am grateful for the positive impact that my mother has had on my education. As I move forward in my academic and personal journey, I will always carry her lessons with me and strive to make her proud. At HalNur Foundation, our mission is to advocate for the constitutional rights of young women forced into child marriages and to support children with their education. Our initiatives and activities are designed to catalyze true transformation, driven by passion and a commitment to meaningful action. By working together, we believe we can overcome challenges more efficiently, which is why we launched HalNur Foundation. We are dedicated to making a positive change in all of our pursuits. Still, far too many children, youth and young people are left behind and deprived of basic rights promised to them. Their rights are threatened, and their childhood cut short by poverty, violence, and inequity. Many children and youth are denied the opportunities to be included, be heard and participate even in the matters that directly affect them. No matter how long and rough the road ahead, today is the time that we must walk together to support every right for every child. Children must be able to live in a nurturing environment for them to realize their full potential and to meaningfully participate in society. HalNur foundation is committed to the driving force to fulfill the pledge and to stand with children as they are standing up to bring positive change and shape the better world, a little big world fit for every child. 

I will truly advise any student at WMU to take advantage of the study abroad opportunities. Don't stress yourself out so much regarding funding because the office of Study Abroad does offer a few scholarships. 

Describe a challenge you faced during your studies and how TRIO and the college community (peers, support services, etc.) helped you overcome it?  

One challenge I faced was struggling with my comparative politics class in my major during my sophomore year. I was having a hard time grasping the concepts due to the professor not being so great at explaining the information into detail and felt overwhelmed. Thanks to support from the TRIO tutoring services and my academic advisor, I was able to get extra help to improve my performance in the class. My advisor helped me identify where I was struggling and connected me with a TRIO tutor who could provide individualized support. The tutor worked with me weekly, breaking down the challenging material, answering my questions, and making sure I stayed on track. With their support along with some peer study groups organized by classmates, I developed a much better understanding of the content. I was also able to attend some office hours with the TA for the class and she was very helpful. In the end, I was able to pass the course successfully. Having that strong academic support network in TRIO and my college community made all the difference in helping me overcome that obstacle. I'll always be grateful for the individualized assistance they provided so I can continue moving forward in my program.