You may have already seen her face in the TCNJ magazine, or even attended her presentation, but if not, let me bring you up to date. Abrar Ebady is a senior Psychology major here at TCNJ. She is an ambassador and a sustained dialogue monitor at TCNJ, and loves to travel.
Ebady had to complete an internship option of 160 hours for her psychology major, so she decided to fulfill that requirement by working with Syrian refugees in Jordan this past summer. Ebady said that she couldn’t imagine any other issue that is more deserving of those service hours while retaining her interest and passion. “The Syrian refugees really opened my eyes to the lifestyle we live here in America. While several of us spend $10 on a cup of coffee a day and don’t think twice about it, these refugees have maybe $50 a month to raise and feed six children.” These experiences not only helped ground Ebady, but also motivated her to spark awareness of the Syrian Refugee Crisis here on campus. Several students have already asked about her internship and how they can participate.
Ebady doesn’t plan on stopping here, she loves humanitarian rights, and no matter her future career option, she “will definitely continue helping out those that are in need”. Also, she wants to make her summer experience a readily available internship that will be accessible for multiple students, so that they too can travel to Jordan to fulfill their requirements.
When asked about how she brought her experience back to TCNJ, Ebady said, “Well – I’m Muslim and there aren’t many Muslims here at TCNJ. With everything going on now on the news, I think it is crucial that I show the best example of myself – because I represent my religion, and TCNJ. Me being grounded in my religion is how I bring back what I saw in Jordan to TCNJ.”
Ebady embodies what it means to be a humanitarian here at TCNJ. She brings her passion into her academic coursework as well as her future career path. It is through people like Ebady and their selflessness who will promote change in the world.