Syed Ali
Bluefield State College
Syed M. Ali, a third year student at Bluefield State College, is an advocate for ensuring that all individuals are availed the opportunity to not only be educated but also have the means and resources to achieve an education. He has been a member of the Student Government Association for two years which has allowed him to enact many positive changes on campus. Having the initiative to found a chapter of Rotaract, a college branch of Rotary International, Syed, President of the Bluefield State College Rotaract Club, is currently working with the Rotaract to collect books for the New Victorian School Library in Haiti to replace books damaged by floods and earthquakes. He is also currently working with various campus clubs as well as local organizations to achieve the goal of collecting 2000 books by 1 April 2019. Having means and resources may be key to creating a firm foundation for education; however, he believes in creating a motivating and stimulating environment. Therefore, Syed, also the President of the Bio-Med Club, is orchestrating a poster day in which students may display their research projects in an effort to inspire fellow students to join research programs and apply to graduate/professional schools.
Personal Statement
Through personal experience, I have encountered the unavailability of educational resources due to financial struggles. Not being able to continue my education and fulfill my life's dream of attending the school I wanted due to the sudden illness of my father, inequality towards women in my country thus preventing my mother from helping by having a job and a lack of finances really impacted my life. My Aunt Nasreen invited my family and me to come to the Land of Opportunity so that I could pursue an education. But when I arrived in West Virginia, I saw people going through the same struggles and this was my turning point, the motivation that made me want to be the change so that other people would not have to experience what I had just experienced. Enrolling at Bluefield State College, joining the Student Government Association and founding the Rotaract campus chapter at Bluefield State provides a great platform for me to take the appropriate steps to bring positive change and provide educational means and resources to underprivileged people who may not have an opportunity to be educated. My motto is, "Service above Self" and to the community.
