This week’s Campus Celeb is second year Politics & International Studies student, Atena Tabeahmadi!
Atena insists that she has always had a fierce interest in politics, having grown up around it from a young age: “My interest stemmed from when I was a child and my father would take me to political protests, such as for Palestine and the 2003 Iraq war. I would see awful things on the news and it would have a terrible impact on my mood ever since I was a child”. Her passion for Politics is what drove Atena to study it here at The University of Exeter’s Cornwall Campus, with her saying “it is one of the few things that I am passionate about”.
Atena has a particular interest in human rights, Middle Eastern politics, gender development and women in politics. Although recently she has developed an interest in Environmental politics: “I’ve recently started learning about Environmental politics and how serious it is to actually take care of the environment”. Atena added that “the environment and the danger it’s in should be taught from a young age”.
As well as having a busy schedule as a Politics student, Atena also plays vital roles in two different societies.
As ‘Social Secretary’ of the recently established Islamic Society, Atena is in charge of creating events, recruiting new members and the general organisation and promotion of all of the society’s events. When asked what the Islamic Society is all about, Atena said: “The society is for both Muslims and Non-Muslims. It is a society formed to address and serve the spiritual needs of Muslim students and staff on campus. The Islamic Society aims to produce and inclusive society where everyone is welcome, regardless of background. Against the backdrop of an often misrepresented faith, we aim to foster an environment where people can learn and understand the peaceful message of Islam”.
Atena also plays an active role in The Amnesty International Society as their Secretary. She is in charge of admin within the society, taking the minutes at all of the Amnesty’s meetings and the general organisation of the society. Atena explains: “We are a campaigning organisation; it’s what we do. Our purpose is to protect people wherever justice, fairness, freedom and truth are denied.”. When asked what main issues the society will be focussing on this year, Atena tells us “LGBT society, women’s rights refugees & torture”.
When she graduates, Atena has two options at the moment: “I would either do a Masters degree in International Law, then do a GDL (Graduate Diploma of Law) and eventually go on to practise Law or I would go and work for a Multinational Organisation such as The UN.”.