Alumni Update: Pakistan

Aroona Arthur was a participant on the Global UGRAD program during the 2014-2015 academic year. Read what she has been up to since returning home to Pakistan.

I came back from U.S. in May 2015 and spent the summers in reverse culture shock. In August, I entered into a new phase of life by getting engaged. Ever since I came back from the NESA UGRAD cultural exchange program, my world has changed around me. I am more confident to accomplish my goals in life, which include higher education and phenomenal change in my society. The first step toward this change was to do research. I learned research skills in the second semester of my program at Humboldt State University, which was helpful for me to complete my research project on the topic of “Public Opinion on the Death Penalty” as my major was Sociology. Even though the people in Pakistan highly favor it due to the current scenario of terrorism and corruption, still my aim is to be a peacemaker amidst of all this through my education.

I have just finished my final year at my university in Pakistan with a sense of high achievement and looking forward to the graduation in November 2016. I have a passion to work for the prisoners which is inspired by my father. I plan to do a master’s in family counseling that would lead me to work among prisoners’ families and society at large to help them grow in unity and come out of despair.