About Me
My name is Fatuma Ali
I am a first-generation college student from Eritrea, a small country in East Africa. I am a freshman at Indiana University Indianapolis. I am majoring in Health Sciences, and plan to pursue a career as a physician assistant. I am an Honors College Scholar and a 21st Century Scholar. I have started taking the initiative and seeking out opportunities anytime I can. I am currently taking part in a work-study with Dr. Kaushal and joined health-related clubs. I am in both the Pre-PA club and the American Medical Woman Association. I'm in other non-health-related clubs such as the Ethiopian-Eritrean Student Association, African Student Association, and Honors Art Club.
Work-Study
During the first semester of my freshman year, I took part in a work-study led by Dr. Kaushal. Dr. Kaushal is a professor and researcher at Indiana University Indianapolis. He works with students in an effort to teach more about exercise science. He taught my group and me about the purpose of research and how this information will be used by many to better the lives of individuals. I was tasked with sending out surveys to college students that inquired about their exercise habits. The purpose of the survey was to learn about the hindrances and/or motives of student's exercise habits. I was able to go to the Midwest American College of Sports Medicine Conference of 2023 with my team and watch experienced presenters share their research.
Midwest American College of Sports Medicine Conference
Skills
Languages
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English
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Tigrinya
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Arabic
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CPR certified
Goals and Hopes
- I hope to grow as a person and develop great leadership skills.
- I hope to create strong bonds with both students and professors.
- I plan to join more organizations and join their executive boards.
- My current goal is to get on the dean's list.
- This year I plan to go to the American College of Sports Medicine conference to network with other researchers.
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My Growth
I was really nervous about beginning my first semester since I did not know what to expect. I really wanted to break out of my shell and chase after any opportunities given to me. I was always shy and hesitant growing up, which got in the way of any possible growth. As this semester is coming to an end, I cannot help but look back on how I used to be. I am still gradually coming out of my shell by expressing my opinions and asking questions. I have also been able to overcome my confidence problem, which took some time to adapt to. As of right now, I am working on a team for a work-study with Dr. Kaushal on research about the health of students on campus. This was an opportunity that I immediately chased after without doubting myself.
During my first semester, I learned a lot about myself. For example, I am someone who tends to procrastinate on a lot of assignments. Of course, this is not something I am proud of, but I think it’s important to mention it. I spent this first semester trying to overcome this fault. I practiced time management and different studying methods to overcome it. Through learning different studying methods I learned that I have the ability to get in the zone. When I do study or learn something new, I am able to keep my focus on that task. I consider this a strength. This semester I also learned that I work well with teams. In H-200 surveys of U.S. healthcare systems, I worked with different students to complete assignments. I enjoy collaborating with others and coming to an agreed-upon conclusion.
The reason why you do not believe in yourself is because of your self-doubt. There was always a voice in the back of my head dissuading me from taking opportunities. I honestly didn’t believe that I’d be able to work with a professor on a work-study, so I almost didn’t show up for my interview. I’m glad that I did not give in to that voice. You are your biggest critic. You can apply this for future situations as well. Do not doubt yourself because you may miss the biggest break of your lifetime. I hope that next semester, I can grow more self-confidence and chase after many more opportunities.