Why I Want To Attend SMU

Growing up Iranian American, I was greatly impacted by the opinions of my peers early on. Classmates would criticize my lunch or convey evident shock at the fact that I was Muslim, so I grew up feeling patronized for much of my early life. Eventually, I began surrounding myself with others who were also in my shoes, facing the discrimination that came along with being different. Over the years growing up surrounded in a fusion of cultures has made me appreciate the diversity that makes each culture so unique. Growing up traveling the world, learning multiple languages and being encouraged to accept all that cultures have to offer is something that is very beneficial in today’s global society and something that I will bring to SMU’s diverse campus. Should I be fortunate enough to attend SMU I will bring my open mind and worldly perspective to the learning environment and clubs on campus. Within the classroom I’d apply my background in my desire to study conflict within the Middle East and ways to resolve that.