Niaz Ahankoob is an overachieving third year student in Eleanor Roosevelt College. At only 20 years old, she is leading a chapter of over 100 collegiate women in the sorority of Kappa Kappa Gamma. This is not an easy job to manage while sustaining an outstanding GPA at UCSD, let alone her sanity; however, she does it with grace. Niaz is a human biology major and aspires to become a doctor in the future. This remarkable young woman sets high goals for herself and manages to accomplish them all. She has passed on a few tips describing how she manages to do it and she also discloses a hidden talent you may not have suspected from her.
Q: What are you currently involved with on campus?
A: I am the President of Kappa Kappa Gamma and the Secretary of Alpha Epsilon Delta. I also volunteer at Thornton Hospital in the Same Day Surgery/Post-Anesthesia Care Unit as well.
Q: What have you gained from your involvement in Greek life?
A: I’d say the two main things that I have gained are amazing friends and confidence. Since the Greek community is tight-knit, there is a larger opportunity to find people whose goals and personalities align with your own. My friends are the reason why I enjoy going out to events and pull all-nighters in Geisel. Another great aspect of being involved in the Greek community is the numerous leadership positions available. These leadership positions plus the support of my sisters has really positively impacted the way I view life and myself.
Q: What are your career goals?
A: I aspire to become a plastic surgeon. The fact that you can transform your appearance and self-esteem with a knife and needle intrigues me whether the procedure is for aesthetic reasons or reconstructive. I know it is a difficult specialty to get accepted into, so I would also be really happy becoming any other type of physician as well because my main goal is help people through the power and technology of medicine.
Q: What motivates you?
A: There’s obviously many factors that answer this, like friends, family, and a nice 4.0 on my academic history; however, I would say the most important thing would be knowing that what I do now will set up the lifestyle that my future kids will be born into. I want to make sure that they have just as amazing of a family and life as I did and still do.
Q: How do you balance school and social life?
A: I balance school and social life with the help of my planner. Time management is nothing without organization!
Q: What is a hidden talent you have that no one really knows about?
A: I would say belly dancing. I’ve been dancing since I was around 7 years old because it is a tradition that is passed down through the women in my family. My favorite belly dance costume once belonged to my grandmother. Not to mention belly dancing is a fun way to get my daily exercise in outside of the monotony of Rimac.
Q: What is your favorite quote?
A: “Bye Felicia!” Just kidding, it would probably be, “Don’t look back because if Cinderella did for her shoe then she wouldn’t have become a princess.” I firmly believe that you should always go forward with the wisdom of your past because even Cinderella was well aware that she had lost her shoe, but she kept on going.