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Mohamed Bakri

Biography

In Sudan, Mohamed Bakri grew up as an only son with seven sisters. To his family, success meant achievement in school and learning. Entering college, Mohamed compromised with his parents, studying drama because of his own interests and law because of his family's wishes. At Cairo University, Khartoum Branch, the political climate appealed to Mohamed, and drama seemed less relevant. Mohamed's second year in Khartoum coincided with major political change in Sudan, where the dictatorship altered the entire legal system. Debate ensued in the Islamic world. "Like many students of the period, I started to think of law as a part of a large picture that I needed to comprehend." Mohamed delved into the study of current events.

Mohamed used his legal training to develop his arguments. He contributed articles and essays to university newspapers and magazines. "Writing became my favorite tool in the political struggle." He worked in Sudan as a writer, and eventually as an editor, at a respected newspaper. But political strife drove Mohamed from his job and home. "It was not easy to keep living and working under a dictatorship when your profession depends on your opinion." Mohamed became a political refugee in Egypt under the protection of the United Nations.

Mohamed eventually settled with his family in the United States and returned to school to learn English. He worked as a caretaker and painter while studying at a community college and the University of Minnesota, from which he graduated summa cum laude. He volunteered as an interpreter for other refugees, and participated as an activist and organizer in community and global groups.

With this scholarship, Mohamed will now be able to pursue a graduate degree in public affairs. "I believe foreign policy has a profound influence." He hopes to serve in the United States Department of State, and eventually establish a research center specializing in political and social issues in the Middle East.

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