Intern Profile

Life as an IUPUI Student

Indiana is one of the places I call home. IUPUI is my school. Coming from Niger, a third-world country, taught me so much of what it means to be a minority. I have moved from state to state, but being here at this school has never made me feel like I don’t belong here. Not only are my professors and advisors very helpful and respectful, but so are my classmates.  

My first semester I did not make friends, but my second semester I got to know more people than I could ever have. I did not let my background stop me from talking to people of different cultures.

Through my major, Global International Studies, I have made lifetime friends. We share a common background and put our differences on the side to support one another. This shows how lucky I am for being an IUPUI student. We may come from different countries but our major united us all.

IUPUI is one of the most diverse places I have ever been. It’s a place where you meet people that you never thought you would meet in your life time. The best place on campus that I found interesting is the library. It has become a place of social interaction for me.

Adjusting to American Culture

I was an English as s Second Language student once, and now I am assisting with teaching an ESL class to other students like me. This is a sign of hope that no matter what your background is, there is a place for you in this nation called America – where you never know which opportunities will come to you.

I remember how hard it was for me to adjust into the American culture when I first arrived in the United States. I did not speak English and was a teenager thrown into the American teenager life. Something that was hard to understand was the opportunities many teens have. Back home, we did not have the luxuries they have, but we still used what was available for us to pursue an education.

We may not have had all the technical resources, but we survived on what was available to us to make sure we got educated.

Coming from a majority Black country and now being in a minority Black country was hard to adjust to, but being a minority does not mean being alone. Its means that you are different and unique in your own way, and that should not stop you from becoming who you want to be.

Fatima interned with the Fairbanks School of Public Health to learn more about global health and communication. After completing her undergraduate degree, she plans to pursue a career in global health, working within a healthcare organization.