Making a Difference from La Verne to Qatar

First Person Commentary

If someone had told me as a young boy that one day I would get to travel across the globe as a college student to practice building foreign relations in the Middle East, I would not have believed it. I grew up in South Central Los Angeles, where kids like me are not given many opportunities to expand their horizons. That all changed for me when I attended the University of La Verne.

The community of educators and leaders at La Verne helped me reach far beyond my dreams and realize my potential. So when the opportunity to apply for a Qatar Exchange Fellowship came way, I felt empowered to pursue it. And I am so glad I did, because it led to an amazing journey.

Through the prestigious Model Arab League program, offered by the National Council on U.S. Arab Relations, I embarked on a nine-day trip to Doha, Qatar in late 2014 to represent La Verne. There I began to view life and politics from a new perspective.

I was able to meet with Qatar government officials and learn first hand how they operate their society and are working toward greater human rights. I visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well and met with educators from the Qatar foundation and journalists from the world-renowned broadcaster center, Al-Jazeera. I also visited the National Human Rights Committee, and learned about the current state of women’s rights in a region where women are seen as second-class citizens. Things are getting better, but there is much work to do.

Being immersed in this cultural experience was incredible because not only did it instill in me a desire to travel the world but I also came away with a desire to improve foreign relations on behalf of the United States government. This is what I want to do in my career.

Now that I have officially graduated from the University of La Verne, I have my mind set on the future and I am excited about where life will lead me next. Thanks to the University of La Verne and this community, I feel like I can go out and make a difference in the world.