International Students and Scholars Office

A dental graduate with hands-on experience in the public healthcare sector, Fatima has been deeply involved in shaping Pakistan's healthcare landscape. From serving on the front lines during the COVID-19 crisis to spearheading medical relief efforts in the aftermath of the devastating 2022 floods, her commitment to improving health outcomes is unwavering. Beyond her clinical work, Fatima is not just a healthcare practitioner; she's a dynamic content creator, utilizing digital platforms to dismantle social and health-related taboos, igniting awareness, and championing positive change. As an active member of the Global Shapers society, she leads initiatives dedicated to enhancing wellness and healthcare access among marginalized communities. With her MA in Global Health Policy and Management, Fatima is poised to drive transformative change, advocating for robust disaster management policies and blending her clinical acumen with policy advocacy to create a healthier, more resilient Pakistan.

Country:    Mongolia
Program:   Master of Finance
School:       International Business School

Country:    
Program:   
School:       

I was born and raised in Hyderabad, the second-largest city in Sindh, Pakistan. I completed my O levels from Beacon House Hyderabad and did my A levels from The Lyceum School Karachi. I was able to secure scholarships throughout my schooling years. After completing A-levels, I joined Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) for the ACF degree but later I transferred to IBA Karachi, Pakistan’s premier business school, and completed my BBA (Finance).

After graduation, I joined the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) as an assistant director under the SBOTS-20 program. I served for 4 years in the Banking Inspection Department of SBP. My work areas included enforcing compliance, imposing penalties on commercial banks, monitoring SLR, etc. I developed special Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor the performance of the specialized banks and spearheaded the Knowledge Management Module (KMM) in coordination with the IT department of SBP.

I then joined Pakistan Civil Services as a 48th Commoner, and I am currently serving in Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce. Presently, my job functions include producing sectoral development plans and policy suggestions for the Ministry of Commerce, coordinating with Pakistan’s Trade missions abroad, developing extensive research papers, etc.  

As a person, I am adventurous and enjoy making connections across the globe. I have a deep reflective personality, and I believe that life is all about social welfare and serving others. I am an active participant in an apolitical social welfare group in my village in interior Sindh Pakistan. I have dedicated my life to the educational advancement and empowerment of women in my village in Sindh.

Lily is a highly experienced public health practitioner with a background in Dental Surgery. She holds a master's degree in Public Health from Mahido University, Thailand, and a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from the University of Dental Medicine, Yangon. With over eight years of professional experience, she has demonstrated a commitment to improving public health, community development, and women empowerment, particularly in conflict-affected and remote areas of Myanmar through various health projects since 2016.

She is also a dedicated alumni of the U.S. ASEAN Women's Leadership Academy for YSEALI, has psent two years on taking the role of Country Lead Myanmar as part of core leadership team at YSEALI Women Alumni Network since 2022. Her efforts across 11 ASEAN countries have created a ripple effect of positive change in society, promoting gender equality and women empowerment throughout the region. Through her leadership, passions, and dynamism, Lily spearheaded impactful regional projects with the collective efforts of fellow alumnae from Southeast Asia, which led to her nomination for the 'YSEALI Regional Impact Women Leaders Award' in 2024.

As a 2024 Fulbright scholarship awardee, she is gearing up to pursue studies in Global Health Policy and Management, specializing in Health Economics at Brandeis University.

Country:     Myanmar
Program:    Sustainable Development
School:        The Heller School for Social Policy and Management

I have a B.A. in Business Management from the University of Distance Education, Mandalay, Myanmar, and certifications in Sustainable Agriculture, Training of Trainers fro HIV/AIDS education, and Basic Livestock Training. I am proficient in Jing Hpaw, Zai Wa (Kachin), Myanmar, and English.

Currently, as the national coordination and liaison officer at the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Office in Myitkyina, Kachin, I facilitate nexus activities between development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding entities. My responsibilities include strategic coordination, stakeholder engagement, and political analysis to support UN initiatives across Kachin State. Previously, I served as Field Coordinator at International Rescue Committee and Program Analyst at UN Women.

My expertise spans project management, capacity building, strategic planning, and partnership development with government, INGOs, and local communities. In my spare time, I enjoy watching soccer.

Born and raised in the city of Patna, Bihar in India, I moved out of my hometown to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Delhi, India. Having developed an inclination towards comprehending the world through a gender lens since high school, my encounter with feminist theory during my BA classes in college created an increased desire for studying gender more deeply. This led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Women’s Studies from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. My learnings at TISS Mumbai were not limited to academics as I realized the need to imbibe feminist theory in everyday life, a work continuously in progress.

Shifting to Hyderabad, India to begin my doctoral work and its constituent fieldwork gave me the opportunity to extensively experience the spatiality of another metropolis in the country. My own mobility over the years as a woman in similar yet vastly different urban landscapes gave rise to the topic of my doctoral research which looks at women’s everyday spatial mobility in urban spaces. At Brandeis, I aim to continue to gain insights on the methodological and analytical aspects for my ethnographic work that also aligns with the interdisciplinarity of the Department.

Additionally, over the course of my ongoing doctorate, I have presented my work at several national and international conferences and co-authored publications in peer reviewed journals and other online fora. My interest in research allowed me to undertake funded research, such as the Centenary Decade Undergraduate Research Grant by Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and the Sponsored Studies Project by the Indian Association for Women’s Studies.

Lastly, as someone who enjoys spending time outdoors, I keenly look forward to newer experiences and unlearning inhibitions that come with unfamiliarity. I also immensely enjoy sports, particularly basketball and cricket, and hope to expand my research work on theme of gender and sports in the upcoming future.

Country:     El Salvador
Program:    Master of Science in Business Analytics
School:        International Business School

Mohamed Sawadogo is a Fulbright Scholar from Burkina Faso. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.
He is a professional Language Service Provider with over 5 years of experience. Mohamed earned a B.A. in English Language, Literature and Foreign Civilizations from Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo (Burkina Faso) and an M.A. in Conference Interpreting from the Pan African University (Cameroon). Prior to joining Brandeis, he was working as a freelance professional Translator/Interpreter for many local and international organisations including the International Monetary Fund, The Planned Parenthood Global – Burkina Faso, The African Union Advisory Board against Corruption, The U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. After graduating from Heller, Mohamed aims to play a key role in peacebuilding, peaceful coexistence in his country Burkina Faso, serve as a peace ambassador with the African Union and later work with the United Nations in peacekeeping missions.

I graduated from Haifa University with a bachelor of laws degree (LL.B.). During my studies, I took part in the university debate team, sculpting argumentation and public speaking skills while serving as spokesperson for the headquarters of “The Struggle to Promote the Aliyah of Ethiopian Jews”.
Later in my professional career, I served as a senior advisor to the former Israeli Minister of Immigration and Absorption, Pnina Tamano-Shata, Israel's first black minister. My role entailed framing and promoting policies on behalf of the minister, including managing the agenda of the Ministerial Committee for the Advancement of Ethiopian Jews in Israel.
I like to discuss and explore political views, play and watch football (soccer) and sing karaoke.