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Catching Up with Our Alumni: Ayesha Hamza

July 13, 2016

Catching Up with Our Alumni: Ayesha Hamza

Ayesha Hamza receiving Student Internship Program Award

Interview by Jessi Jones

I managed to catch up with one of our recent graduates, Ayesha Hamza, by email right before she departed for Russia. She was chipper and happy to be interviewed, and seemed to be dauntlessly excited for adventures to come. Even though she was loaded down with exams and papers for finals (she is currently in graduate school at my undergraduate alma mater- University of Denver), she was eager to share her personal journey into Slavic Studies. 

What was your major and minor at OSU and how did you choose it?

I double majored in International Studies and Russian, specializing in International Relations and Diplomacy. I chose International Studies because of the interdisciplinary nature of the degree program – I had the opportunity to choose classes outside of the international studies and political science departments and apply them in a meaningful way to my degree. I chose Russian because of my interest in Slavic history and culture, born out of a high school research project on the UN’s reaction to the Bosnian war of 1992-1995.

What made you choose The Ohio State University?

Columbus, Ohio has always been home for me, even though I lived in Syria for my high school years. Ohio State is also an innovator and leader in many fields, including political science and Slavic studies, making leading experts in the field accessible to students. Finally, Ohio State’s mass

ive alumni network means even after I left Ohio State, I would have access to a whole host of resources offered by former students.  

In front of Savior on Blood Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia

What was most beneficial to your education and degree pursuit during your time here?

Perhaps most beneficial to me throughout my undergraduate career was the accessibility of classmates and professors. For example, in each of my Russian language courses, we all had a different level of language knowledge but we each helped each other, peer-tutored each other, and spread word of various language learning resources such as Trivia Crack in Russian, Wiktionary, and where to find Russian TV shows and movies. It was through a classmate that I first found out about the Foreign Service, a career path I plan on pursuing following my graduate studies.The International Studies office sent around any and all information on upcoming internships and application deadlines that they knew of. Without thes

e emails, I likely would not have found out about the US Department of State Student Internship Program, which I was a participant of in Fall 2013.

What was the best part of your undergraduate college experience?

Perhaps my most memorable undergraduate experience was the Spring 2014 Kapustnik, held by the Department of Slavic Languages and Literature. My class made a parody of David Letterman’s “Top Ten Reasons” by making our own absurd list of the top 5 reasons of why Crimea might be better off with Russia. It was fun, quirky, and 

entertaining and was an excellent way to explore different perspectives of Russian culture.

What are your non-degree related interests/hobbies/activities?

Outside of my field of study, I enjoy traveling. I am also an avid reader, I always try to find time to read for pleasure. I also enjoy watching various sports such as football, soccer, tennis, and figure skating.

What did you do after graduation, and what are you up to now?

After I graduated, I took the summer off to celebrate my achievements and also worked to save up for graduate school. At the end of the summer, I moved out to Denver, CO to attend graduate school at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies. I am pursuing a Master’s degree in International Studies, specializing in International Security and Russian Regional Studies.

Currently, I am wrapping up my first year of graduate school in Denver. I will be in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia for two months this summer on the Critical Language Scholarship, an intensive language learning program funded by the US Department of State.

What are your future career goals and how do you plan to achieve them?

My long-term goal is to join the US Foreign Service as a Foreign Service Officer. Utilizing the Ohio State and Korbel School alumni networks will help me find opportunities both within the government and abroad, and I hope to use them to the best of my ability. 

What advice do you have for someone just beginning their undergraduate education experience?

Be active and don’t be afraid to speak up. Speak up in class even if you might be wrong, ask questions when important speakers come around, encourage healthy debate. You never know who’s listening – something you say may very well land you a job you never thought you’d have the opportunity to have. Take the time to go to events, listen to speakers on topics that both interest and don’t interest you, or join a club if that interests you. I went on two Buck-i-Serv trips that helped develop my leadership skills. You’ll find at the end of your undergraduate career that networking is everything, so take every opportunity to do so.