“`html
Miriam Alrahil, a recipient of the Florida State University IDEA Grant and a student of the Middle Eastern Studies Center, came to FSU to contribute to her community through the Service Scholars Program.
Alrahil works as an English tutor for middle and high school learners who speak other languages. She is also a youth mentor for refugees in Tallahassee, aiding them in adapting to their new surroundings.
Throughout her tenure at FSU, Alrahil has engaged in a variety of research initiatives that showcase underrepresented groups and deficiencies in academic literature. As an Honors in the Major student, she has utilized her research experiences to undertake ethnographic and archival studies that ensure representation for diverse communities worldwide.
What motivated you to select FSU?
FSU distinguished itself as the most fitting university to help realize the future I aspired to. It appeared as an institution sincerely devoted to supporting its students, placing emphasis on their development and accomplishments. The university’s extensive selection of programs and extracurricular activities in the arts, languages, and communication provided a platform for me to pursue my academic and personal interests.
My admission into the Service Scholars program was the pivotal element in my choice to enroll at FSU. The unique curriculum, supportive community, and commendable mission of the Service Scholars program made FSU stand out. I recognized that my college experience would be profoundly enriched by this program, offering a degree of advancement and guidance I couldn’t find elsewhere.
Which academic projects do you take the most pride in?
The initiative that immediately resonates with me is the oral history project I carried out in the Colombian Amazon with the assistance of the Social Science Scholars Program, the IDEA Grant, and the Spanish Program within the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics. With guidance from these three programs, I was able to develop my own research project, live independently in the Colombian Amazon for two months, and acquire invaluable skills in audiovisual storytelling and oral history gathering.
During this initiative, I collaborated with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous conservationists and local leaders, chronicling how they utilized Indigenous ancestral knowledge and practices in their climate action and conservation efforts.
What was your thesis for the Honors in the Major about?
I concentrated on the post-exilic writings of the Lebanese diaspora in Colombia. For this endeavor, I analyzed two substantial novels and one poetry collection from Lebanese-Colombian authors, none of which were available in English translation.
I devoted considerable time, enthusiasm, and energy to this academic undertaking, gaining numerous skills in conducting specialized research, translation, and writing. I also had the honor of presenting my research in Montreal, Canada, at the Committee on Undergraduate Middle East Studies Undergraduate Workshop as part of the Middle Eastern Studies Association’s annual conference in November 2023.
In what ways have you contributed to the FSU and Tallahassee community?
From my initial semester, the Service Scholars program enabled me to be actively involved in leadership and community service at FSU. I started as an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) tutor with Darasa, a recognized student organization at FSU. I visited local middle and high schools and served as a teacher aide in ESOL classes.
I also served as a youth mentor with the International Rescue Committee, where I guided refugee youth in Tallahassee, assisting with their integration into the U.S. and English language acquisition.
Additionally, I contributed through my academic endeavors, especially via my Indigenous studies internship with the FSU Spanish Program. I collaborated with the FSU Special Collections & Archives to establish an Indigenous oral archive aimed at localizing information in an accessible manner for students. I aspire to leverage this experience to mentor others and empower them to pursue similar initiatives.
The post Miriam Alrahil appeared first on Florida State University News.
“`