Huma W Saeed

“I never took for granted the golden opportunity of being able to study in the United States. I tried to study hard and do what was expected of me as a student.”

  • Program: 2009 Graduate Scholarship Recipient
  • Hometown: Kabul, Afghanistan

Biography

PROFILE: Throughout her life, Huma Saeed has been drawn to learning and education and the constant battle to preserve basic human rights. Growing up in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it was anything but an easy road for Huma, who recently graduated with honors from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and is now studying at the London School of Economics. She was born a year before the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and because her father was an American-educated military officer, the family was forced to flee across the border to Pakistan. Even with all the turmoil, she never stopped grasping for education.  It was Huma’s late grandmother who instilled in her the desire to succeed and to continue to learn, no matter what the circumstances. “My grandmother never had a chance to get the education she craved. She was an intelligent woman, but without opportunity. In 2004, the year she passed away, one of my resolutions was to go as far as I could in pursuing my education.” Before coming to the US shortly after her grandmother’s death, Huma had already been exposed to the struggle for human rights in her native land, particularly women’s rights. In fact, in high school she was chosen to attend an Amnesty International summit in London. She’s now come full circle from that conference a decade ago, and has returned to the UK to continue her studies in human rights. 

INSPIRATION: In addition to her grandmother, Huma said her thesis mentor at UMBC, Dr. Jeffrey Davis, had the biggest influence on her academically. “He worked with me patiently and fervently, providing constant feedback on my work.” With the support of Dr. Davis, Huma’s honors research project focused on how to stop the cycle of violence in her native Afghanistan. 

ASPIRATION: It is Huma’s goal that upon completion of her graduate education she can continue her lifelong commitment as a human rights worker. 

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Whether back in her native land, or on the UMBC campus, Huma made an impact, both in and out of the classroom. In Maryland, she worked with transfer students to ease their transition into their new school; in Afghanistan she worked for an international NGO as a workshop facilitator and translator (she speaks English, Urdu, Pashto, and basic Italian apart from her native Farsi); and while still in high school she was a committed women’s rights activist  traveling internationally to raise awareness on the plight and struggle of Afghan people, as well as raising funds for humanitarian projects.

ACCOLADES: Huma was named the UMBC Sondheim Public Affairs Scholar, Outstanding Senior of Political Science Department as well as among her university’s 2009 Outstanding Graduates.

INTERESTING FACT: Huma loves tea and has developed an expertise for making green tea with cardamom. Also, she doesn’t have a driver’s license and has never owned a car, even though she’s traveled around the world.

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