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| hope college > admissions > international students |
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What Students Say Ghadeer Yasser  For
senior Ghadeer Yaser of Ramallah, Palestine, the Hope College experience
began differently than it does for most students.She applied at the recommendation of her principal, though she knew little about the institution itself. "There was something about the optimism of the name 'Hope College' that made me feel I should come," she said. Initially Yaser found it rather difficult to communicate and relate to her new culture. "Like any newcomer, when I first came to Hope I had culture shock," she said. "Even though I was fluent in English when I came, it took some time to fully understand the social English and slang expressions." Despite these differences, Yaser was impressed by the friendly environment the community provided. "I love the Hope community and feel that people here truly care," she added. "Hope students are competitive, they go after their dreams and goals." Yaser quickly developed a love for the liberal arts aspect of Hope. She considers this to be one of the best ways Hope prepares students for their futures. "Hope provides a very well-rounded education for its students," she said. "Here you find students that are passionate about both art and science and can be involved in both." As a double major in international relations and economics, Yaser hopes to attend graduate or law school in order to contribute to the development of her own country, focusing on Palestinian political and human rights and women's rights. Throughout her undergraduate career, Yaser has been active in the Union of Catholic Students, IVE League leadership program, the Pew Society, and Residential Life. She has also participated in Images, an annual event celebrating multiculturalism, as the emcee and by taking part in the International Food Fair. She stresses the value these activities have had in helping her to recognize what is important to her about her own culture and to appreciate other cultures, too. "Hope College challenges as well as nurtures my faith, which has been as equally significant as my academic activities in shaping my experience at Hope," she said. Yaser sees her time at Hope as an opportunity to harness resources that will aid in achieving her future goals, which she considers an important aspect of the development of the individual. "I might be a very idealistic person," she said. "But I believe dreams are what make us human." Ghadeer Yaser '01 Ramallah, Palestine.
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