When I first arrived in Cincinnati, fresh from a life split between India, Oman, and Dubai, I wasn't just enrolling into a university, I was stepping into a world I hoped would become home.
I was drawn by the fierce, proud spirit of the Bearcat community, and my greatest wish was to one day feel that pride too. UC didn't just meet that hope, it became where I truly found myself.
My journey began by building community, a virtue that is central to being a Bearcat. As a creator for UC International, I didn't just help new students apply or give them information, I tried to be their first friend! This sense of belonging deepened during my three years as a Resident Advisor. Seeing the lightbulb go off for a struggling student or having a former resident stop me years later just to say, "You made a difference," was the ultimate feeling of pride. I was a Bearcat.
I believe in doing as much as I can for my community as possible. That's why I didn't stop at just being a student. Through Student Government and the Residence Hall Association, I advocated and successfully championed for access to Halal food and crucial resources like period products for students. Every leadership role, every event I hosted, and even my Co-ops and work experience, was a chance to experiment, grow, and put myself out there. An opportunity only a strong base and community like the UC Bearcat community can provide.
I would not be the global citizen I am today without the relentless support of this university and fellow Bearcats. UC wasn't just a school, it was where I found meaning in everything I did, a home for every success, celebration and even mistake I made from which I could learn. My heart is forever imprinted with the red and black, and I only hope that my legacy will be etched into the very spirit that made me who I am today. That is why I am, and forever will be, a Bearcat for Life.
