Fatima I.

Scholarship Stories

Return to Giving

Fatima Profile Photo
Major: 
MS Information Science with a concentration in Health Informatics

COI: Why did you apply for the scholarship? What made you think you were a match for it?

Fatima: As an international student, I feel scholarship opportunities for us are rare. Since this scholarship could have also qualified me for in-state tuition in addition to the monetary support, I was eager to apply. However, this scholarship meant more than just financial support for me. With everything being online, it was stressful for someone like me who didn’t have much experience with online schooling before. For me, applying for this scholarship was a recognition of all my hard work, challenges, and dedication during this first year of my grad program. Also, we can’t deny that in today’s professional world, scholarships and co-curricular activities hold same weightage as GPA. 

After reading about Margaret Irby Nichols, I felt connected with her and her values. She is an inspiration, her motivation towards selfless work and her fearless nature encouraged me to apply for this scholarship. Just like her, I aspire to become a person who values her profession with humility and dedication. After checking and meeting all the requirements of the scholarship like GPA, credit-hours, etc., I couldn’t find a reason to not apply for this scholarship.

COI: How has this scholarship helped you reach your goals?

Fatima: This scholarship has helped me in more than one way. I was able to get a substantial amount towards my tuition which also qualified me for in-state tuition. It alleviated my stress for finding a second job and buying necessary things like electronic devices, course books, and other resources for the classes. I can now concentrate more on my studies and career related stuff. In addition to all the monetary benefits, being the recipient of this scholarship has helped me distinguish my resume and gives out an impression of excellence.

COI: Give us one or two highlights about what you have accomplished so far as a student in the program.

Fatima:  Starting graduate school in 2020 meant online classes, Zoom meeting with professors, and virtual participation in cocurricular activities. I had not done any of those before because I never liked online classes. However, I did not let the circumstances stop me from enjoying my grad school and utilize all the resources that I would have in a regular scenario. I stayed focused and dedicated even more time and effort to not only my classes but also other professional development opportunities. I started working as a TA since the first semester of my graduate program. Although the classes were online, I never hesitated to reach out to my professors via email or office hours and hence, was able to make solid connections with them which also made getting reference letters for scholarships and other opportunities much easier for me. Considering that I never preferred online classes, I am so proud to be able to take full time courses online and still maintaining a perfect GPA so far. Getting involved with student organizations and attending virtual events were not something I thought I would like but I am glad I challenged myself. I enjoyed as much and this year I am the President of the UNT LISSA, a fully virtual organization for Information and Library Science students. 

I am so grateful for the scholarship and this opportunity to share my story with everyone! I really appreciate each and every person involved in this whole process. 

Tuesday, November 2, 2021