If We Don’t Make a Change, Then What About the Coming Generation?
In life, it is crucial to seize even the smallest opportunities, as they can often be the key to achieving dreams. The following story is an inspiring journey of a determined young student who tirelessly pursued her dreams, seizing every opportunity that came her way. Through her unwavering dedication, she ultimately achieved her long-held aspirations.
Thikra Ali is a Yizidi student from Sinjar who is a DAAD scholarship holder at
Catholic University in Erbil (CUE). She is in her 3rd stage of the Computer Science department at the CUE. Thikra lives in the dormitory for her studies. But this is not her first time, because she used to live 3 hours far from her city when she was in middle school and high school due to the poor educational infrastructure in her city.
She is a fully independent lady as she said, “You should take responsibility for your life and be independent.” In July 2024, she participated in a life changing-leadership exchange program in America for 28 days. This program completely transformed her life, providing her with invaluable insights into various strategies for enhancing her leadership skills. She gained a deeper understanding of how to effectively lead within her community and university, as well as how to navigate the complexities of different religions and cultures.
Thikra struggled to get accepted into the program, but eventually succeeded after many rejections. She had to complete various requirements to gain skills in order to be accepted. She participated in many workshops and events that are conducted by CUE, as part of the requirements. Those events really helped her to get accepted. Throughout the interview, Thikra advised other students to take advantage of every opportunity, as you might not know how much these small chances can benefit you or change your life.
Throughout the interview, she discussed about her journey in the exchange program in America:
In the program, she visited many universities: the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville, Wayne State University (WSU) in Michigan, and the Catholic University of America (CUA). She was the only Yazidi student who got accepted into this program. The program focused on empowering individuals to enact positive change within their communities, fostering peace, personal growth, and influence on those around them.
Thikra observed upon her arrival that there were numerous simple yet impactful initiatives there that were benefiting both society and the environment. She highlighted several ideas that could be implemented at our university. One suggestion was to install water stations throughout the campus, allowing students to refill their own bottles and reduce plastic waste. Another proposal was to provide hand sanitizers at the entrances and in various departments. Since sudden pandemics can occur, it’s better to maintain a clean and safe environment. She mentioned another point as well, making a gift store in the university. The store can feature artifacts from different backgrounds and cultures that can be either provided by students or guests who visit our university. Also, mugs, T-shirts, or bags with the CUE logo can be provided in the store. Any guests who come to CUE might buy, provide, or just overlook the ancient things in the store.
She mentioned something really inspiring that should exist in everyone, “In America, everything was provided, but why don’t we have those simple things in our community? therefore, we should make a change as the new generation, because if we don’t, then what about the coming generation?”
She said, implementing these ideas would not only make our university stand out, but also add a special touch that sets us apart from other institutions.
Thikra’s message for students:
The main message is to know what you are doing for living and what is the message that you want to communicate to others. Whenever you enter a place, don’t see yourself as an ordinary person but as a leader with full confidence.
When Thikra was a high school student, she applied six times for a scholarship to study abroad, but she was being rejected. However, the CUE scholarship changed her life, as well as the exchange program. She said, “Don’t say just because I got rejected, I will give up”. She believed that one day she would be accepted and she did.
She also encourages students to participate in CUE activities because they are really helpful. The certificates that she took from workshops helped her to get accepted in the American program.
