Meet Sarah Safi, a senior at BU studying economics with a minor in Muslim Studies. Sarah is very passionate about social justice and has maintained a proactive and inspirational presence on campus. Sarah currently serves as President of the Gamma Chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon, a professional business and foreign service co-ed fraternity at Boston University. DPE works to bring together a group of passionate, open-minded professionals dedicated to serving global, national, and local communities.
Wish Pandey: Tell us a bit about yourself and your passions.
Sarah Safi: I was born and raised in Chicago, and my family is from Afghanistan. In terms of my passions, I’ve always been interested in economic development which really stems from a deep aspiration in solving poverty and inequality. When I came to BU, I realized that there is quite literally an entire world out there to explore—an entire host of issues related to poverty and inequality. I’ve always been dedicated to understanding the failures of capitalism and how exploitation has destroyed economies and countries across the world, so pursuing a career in international development allows me to address these issues on a global scale. And ultimately, I truly believe in the power of organization and bringing people together to affect social and economic change.
WP: What drew you to rush DPE in the first place?
SS: I had a pretty rough freshman year. Coming into a new city not really knowing where I fit in was difficult and I ended up not getting involved in the clubs that I truly wanted to get involved in. So towards the end of the year, I began to push myself more. I started an organization at BU called the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) society, which was an ideal intersection of my interests. In addition, I became an RA. Through PPE and my role as an RA, I met some amazing people through which I heard a lot about DPE. Although I was very much anti-frat coming into college, I decided to learn more. During the information session, DPE’s values and dedication to professional development and community service really attracted me. That, coupled with seeing people that I admired also being a part of this organization, drew me in. I could really see that DPE consisted of members who were kind, helpful, and passionate about the same things I was. I ended up rushing the fall of my sophomore year, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in college!
WP: What inspired you to run as President and how has your experience been so far?
SS: Last year I served as Recruitment Officer which was my first time on DPE’s executive board. Since running recruitment is like a microcosm of running the fraternity itself, I really got to see how this organization operates and gain experience. From there, I knew that I wanted to get as involved as possible and see this organization grow even more. Naturally, I became interested in being president. DPE has brought me so much joy throughout college that it only felt right to invest in this organization and give back what it had given me. In terms of my experience so far, I didn’t anticipate being president during a pandemic so it hasn’t been the typical presidential experience. But even with that, it has still been one of the best experiences because I have such an incredible E-Board—one filled with individuals dedicated to continuing the mission of DPE despite our current challenges. My experience has been incredible because I have an incredible team and incredible members who are all maintaining a sense of normalcy throughout this time.
WP: How do you think DPE will help you in your career post-graduation?
SS: I truly believe that the way you progress in your career is through the people you know, and one of the best parts about DPE is the extensive network we have. We have amazing people based in cities across the globe who work in international development, diplomacy, trade and economics, among countless other fields. We have such a wide range of interests among our members and our alumni, and seeing how our alumni have pursued their careers post-graduation really inspires me. It’s really nice to know that they have a lot of experience and are willing to help as I plan to get my PhD in Public Policy down the line. It’s great to know that I can reach out to members who I’ve never met before or who graduated before I even came to BU. Having this strong network is very beneficial to all of our members and it’s also nice if you’re traveling somewhere new and can touch base with a member who might be working there. And it’s not just that the alumni are smart, driven, and well-connected—everyone is also genuinely so kind and willing to help. People who you’ve never met before are just as willing to help you as your best friends!
WP: Do you think DPE has helped you in non-professional ways? If so, how?
SS: Absolutely. DPE is an organization that helps you professionally, but also personally. Just by nature of meeting so many different people who come from a variety of backgrounds from across the world, being in this organization naturally opens your mind to new perspectives. Based on all the people that you’ve met, you’re able to piece together new worldviews. You come into college seeing the world through one way, but as you meet more people and peel back the layers of their experiences, you start to build empathy for what they’ve lived through. This experience helps shape your own values and how you envision or wish to change the world.
WP: As President, what is your biggest goal for DPE this year?
SS: I have two main goals. First and foremost, I would really like to transform our events. Especially for our community service endeavors, I plan to cater to the social and economic issues that we’re facing not only in the US, but across the world. Like I mentioned before, I really believe in the power of organization and bringing people together to address systemic issues within our societies. I wish to get our members more involved in activism and also introduce them to this new way of thinking for our organization, given that DPE Gamma has historically been a-political. Also since the founding of this organization, it has been a white, rich, male-dominated society, so I really want to continue expanding our horizons. My second goal is to establish a strong relationship with other chapters of DPE throughout the nation, particularly other co-ed chapters. Hopefully, we can connect our members and host fun events together. I believe it’s really important to connect people with similar values and interests from different parts of the country.
WP: What do you hope that the greater BU and Boston community knows about DPE?
SS: I want people to understand that this is as much of a professional organization as it is service-oriented. Our members really want to get involved and affect social and economic change in our communities. I want them to know that we are an inclusive organization—we don’t want any barriers that prevent them from finding a home in DPE. We have one of the best student groups on campus because we have a great group of people driven to make an impact and help one another out, two very important skills especially in the realm of international relations, foreign service, and international business.
Sarah’s passion and drive inspire students across our college community to also immerse themselves in their interests and make the very best of their university experience.
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