What first got you interested in your field of choice?

I had always wanted to become someone with a position to help everyone in need and for that from a young age, I decided to become a doctor. I went through undergrad with that dream in mind and even took MCAT to stay on that path.

During undergrad, I actually did not know about anything else that I could do with my degree apart from becoming a doctor or a professor. Then, while studying for MCAT, I was introduced to KGI by a friend. When, I visited KGI campus, I was introduced to something new, something that I had never thought about doing before. Also, it was something that was still on the same path that I had worked towards my whole life. I realized that by becoming a biopharmaceutical engineer, I could help tens of thousands of people. I could still serve the community as I wanted to do by becoming a doctor.

What type of obstacles have you had to overcome on the road to getting your education?

I believe any obstacles you face in life always leave you with lessons learned and for you to carry something positive forward with you. I grew up in a very poor family, we lived in a house where we didn’t really have a place to sleep inside because of there being too many people in the house, which usually happens when you are a part of a household with multigenerational family under the same roof.

My family has been mostly consisted of multigenerational farmers so no one in my family had previously been to college. My dad decided to change that with his kids and sold everything he could back in Pakistan to bring us to the U.S.A. so we could achieve higher education. Both of my parents were 8th grade dropouts but they did not leave any stone unturned in getting us the education we needed.

We moved to the U.S. when I was 15 and I started my education here from 9th grade. The culture shock was huge but there was also excitement of being in a new place, surrounded by new people and learning the new language that we had only heard people talk about. Since then, I graduated high school, became the first person to get into college and graduate from there and now I am going to be the first to get a master’s degree in my family as well.

Unfortunately, my dad passed away with lung cancer before I could finish my bachelor’s degree, but I know he would be proud to see how far I have gotten in my educational career. Because of my family situation I had to work multiple jobs while attending college, and at one point I was even working at three different jobs simultaneously while attending school, but that has only motivated me more to become something big, someone better.

How did you know that KGI was the right school for you?

When I visited KGI back in 2018, I had the pleasure of speaking with then MEng director Dr. Parvez Shamlou, who showed me how me becoming a biopharmaceutical engineer would not take me away from my path of becoming the helping hand for many. Also, it would help me serve the community faster as I would not have to stay in school for longer than two years. I also saw how close knit the KGI community was as I walked through the hallways of building 535 and saw the way students interacted with the faculty. I was also fully intrigued by the labs and wanted to be the next person to use the devices being used in KGI labs and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them. When I felt the need to be associated with something so great, I knew KGI was the school for me.

Why did you want to become an Admissions Ambassador?

I feel that if I hadn’t found about KGI through a friend, I wouldn’t have known that this opportunity exists and there is something else I can do with a biology degree rather than just becoming a doctor or a professor. I feel there are more people out there who need to know about what KGI has to offer and what the students here can achieve and bring into this world as future biotech leaders. As an Ambassador, I can help people realize that dream and help them fit into this role of being the next big leader of biotech industry. I want to be able to help prospective students as much as I can in making their journey towards becoming KGI students much easier.

What is one fun and interesting fact about you?

I can speak five languages fluently (English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Siraiki) and can easily read/write three more since I’m currently learning these right now (Arabic, Farsi, Spanish).