Name: Njoud Abu-Jaber
Year: Senior
Major: Finance, with a minor in Economics
Hometown: Amman, Jordan
Campus activities, clubs, or teams: International club, Economics Club, a tutor, and a peer mentor
Hobbies? Listening to music, talking, watching movies
What is your favorite part of being a student leader?
Being able to make a change, in that position I have a value and a vision that can be discussed and implemented. I can be the change I want to see in the world.
Why did you choose Marymount?
It was my only option. I needed somewhere that was close to my uncle, and also had a scholarship. Marymount has a Queen Rania of Jordan scholarship, I heard about it and supplied. I got it, and here I am now!
What is your favorite part about Marymount?
It has two things: the diversity and the size. The international diversity lets you meet a lot of different people, and you can see a lot of different perspectives. I really like meeting people from different parts of the world. I like the size because you really get to know people, at a bigger school you wouldn’t. You can make closer and more personal connections.
What is the typical day in the life for Njoud?
I wake up, go to class, work at the CTL, then homework, especially writing. On lighter days I see friends at the caf.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Having at least two years of working experience, and then going to grad school for my CFA, and then working somewhere in the financial realm.
What is your most memorable Marymount Moment?
The International Banquet last year. I was the president of International club last year, and I had to give a speech. It is one of the biggest events the club has, and we had been planning it for five months. There were a lot of ups and downs and goods and bads when planning it, but the night of the event when it all boiled down to it the moment that stood out to me was the speech. I thanked people who helped and people really enjoyed it. It was one of the best banquets ever. The work really paid off, and I know a lot of people learned a lot about other places and cultures that night.
What will be your biggest takeaway from Marymount?
My biggest takeaway would be getting out of my comfort zone. It is something I have done by taking the scholarship and leaving home to come here to a totally new place. I came here timid and homesick, and really scared. The biggest accomplishment is getting out of my comfort zone. I have done things I never thought I would do, I grew up, and matured and got stronger. If I didn’t force myself to get out of my comfort zone, I would not have been a club president or a peer mentor or in honors societies. My comfort zone was me being in my own shell.
What is your dream job and how wil you get it?
My dream job is to be a financial advisor, which means that I would work for a company or individual and them make wise choices about their investments. I plan on getting it by working hard and understanding the concepts. I want to get a year or two of experience, figure out what mistakes I make, and then move on to grad school and get my certificate, and then become a leader.
What is your favorite quote?
There are a lot. But my favorite is “If you want something really bad, the whole world will conspire with you to get it.”
[Image Credit: Njoud Abu-Jaber]