Maryem Aslam
Year: Sophomore (Class of 2017)
Hometown and what you love about it:
Monroeville – I love that the Monroeville Public Library is less than 10 minutes away from my house, and that there is a mosque 15 minutes from my house!
Areas of study and how you chose them:
Biology and Psychology – my favorite teachers in middle school and high school were always super excited about teaching science, and they always had fun activities to reinforce the lecture material. The brain is fascinating, and I became interested in learning about it when one of my teachers mentioned that it controls everything in a person’s body!! The connection between the biology and psychology of humans is wicked awesome, too!
Why did you choose Chatham?
Although I had heard of Chatham, I did not realize that it was so close to my house. I had applied to small-sized, suburban-located colleges, and every time I narrowed down my list of potential colleges, Chatham remained on my list. One of the unconscious factors during my college search was certainly a women’s college, but it never actually occurred to me how that would change the classroom dynamic. Although the campus was beautiful, I was ecstatic to hear about the professor-to-student ratio, and the positive feedback about the one-on-one mentorship. Chatham has a Muslim Student Association and a plethora of campus activities. As soon I set foot in the library, I knew that I would feel right at home here, even as a commuter student.
What’s surprised you most about Chatham so far?
Other than the decision to go coed, I was surprised to discover that Chatham did not have separate facilities for women in the Athletic and Fitness Center! If the gymnasium had a women’s section to exercise in, I think a lot of women would feel comfortable sharing the experience with their friends and Chatham Sisters….
Childhood Dream Job:
Librarian (or elementary school teacher)
Current Dream Job:
Peace Corps volunteer (as a teacher or librarian)
If you could only eat at one Pittsburgh restaurant for a full year, which one would you pick and why?
Salem’s Market and Grill! It is one of the few halal restaurants that is perfect for individuals in the Pittsburgh community as well as the Muslim community. :) Also, it is the only place that I am aware of where I can order a cheeseburger without wondering if the meat is halal!
If you could be best friends with any movie character, who would you pick and why?
OMG Genie from Aladdin, definitely! Who wouldn’t want a blue-colored, shape-shifting best friend? We would travel all over the world. This is kind of cheesy, but it would be cool to volunteer at different places with Genie. Can you imagine all of the problems he could fix in rundown parts of the world?
If you could join the cast of any TV show, which one would you pick and why?
Hmm… I don’t really watch TV shows, but I think Scooby Doo would win, hands down! Why? Imagine eating food like Shaggy and Scooby! Here I come, exotic fruits from all over the world. ;)
You have a friend visiting Pittsburgh for one day, and you’re planning the itinerary. Where do you take them?
Decisions, decisions…. I would bring them to campus first, and show them around campus, particularly the JKM Library. We might go to Salem’s Market and Grill for lunch and head to the Carnegie Science Center to finish off the Epic Day of Fun.
You can live in the world of any book for a day. Which one do you choose and why?
OMG Harry Potter!! Chocolate, magic, and Hogwarts galore. I would love to use magic to do the simplest tasks, and update my laziness status. ;) (I always wanted to go to boarding school, and become best friends with strangers… the crazy adventures would also keep life interesting :) )
What do you love most about being a Chatham student?
I loved the classroom dynamic, and I still love that I can attend campus events and get into a conversation with classmates I haven’t seen in a while. I love my colleagues and coworkers – and the librarians! – at the JKM Library. I love the concern my professors express about different topics. I love the interesting classes that make me THINK and try to improve the situation, but also make me want to gain more knowledge before I take action. I genuinely love getting involved on campus and knowing that everyone I know will support me in my endeavors throughout my life. Love you Chatham Sisters!
All photos courtesy of Maryem Aslam