Name:
Qasim Kazmi
Year:
Senior
Major:
Biology
Who is your role model?
Nelson Mandela! He is an inspiration for me to always stand up for what’s right even in the face of tremendous adversity. He stood up against apartheid, went to jail, was released after almost 30 years, and then went on to become the president of South Africa and end apartheid.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself as a physician fighting healthcare disparities. By that time, I’d love to be leading a non-profit organization. I also see myself as a husband and a father of four…teen children.
What positions do you hold in student organizations?
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Founder and Current National Chair of Emerging Healthcare Leaders; Senior Advisor to the VCU Chapter.
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Fourth Year Intern in Emerging Leaders Program
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One of the Social Chairs for Muslim Student Association
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Student Representative to Quest Steering and Implementation Committee
What made you start Emerging Healthcare Leaders?
In my freshman year, I was amazed with the strong, diverse, and vibrant Pre-Health community we had at VCU but I was astonished by lack of unity. I felt like there was a void to be filled. Future healthcare professionals have a desire to help others, but there wasn’t a unifying organization that brought all this passion together. I saw a potential for change and I wanted to unite people with a common purpose to help fulfill it.
What motivates you to be a leader?
It all goes back to my desire to make a difference. I want to leave my community and world a better place than when I inhabited it. We are so privileged to be living in the United States. Being part of the 6% of the world that has a college degree, I feel like it’s our responsibility to use our skills and time in constructive ways to make a positive difference.
What’s your favorite memory at VCU?
Serving as Emcee of Rent-A-Friend. It was one of our major events for Emerging Healthcare Leaders. It was the first event at VCU that had the entire pre-health community, with all of its organizations, and many others organizations co-sponsoring it. I promised everyone if we met our ultimate goal of raising $2000, I would shave my head off. I was amazed and inspired by how giving VCU students –my peers –are. In two hours, we raised over $4000 and I was a very, very happy bald man.
Share one interesting fact about yourself that most people don’t know.
Hakuuna. So I made my license plate hakuuna, as in hakuna matata. A lot of my friends know this but what most don’t know is that I did this because I realized that one of my biggest weaknesses is that I stress too much. One day when I was thinking of license plate ideas, I decided on hakuna matata because it’s an actual Swahili phrase that means “there are no worries” (check this out). So the license plate is a reminder to myself not to stress as in essence they’re truly are no worries. I used to stress over tests and other petty things that don’t matter too much. At the end of the day, I won’t remember the tests, the grades, or anything of the sort, but rather the memories I make and the people I am with. Hakuna matata!