Nari鈥檚 interest in Arabic started when she was a student in Seattle and became involved in OneWorld Now!, an organization that offers international education opportunities to underserved high-school students. Nari participated in Arabic language classes through OneWorld Now! and her experiences there led her to seek a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of Washington. Wanting to pursue an immersive experience that would take her beyond the traditional classroom, Nari applied for a Boren Scholarship to study in Amman, Jordan at the Qasid Institute.
Her time in Amman intensively studying Ammiyah Arabic and Islamic Studies helped her develop the necessary language and cross cultural skills that she felt she would need to thrive in an increasingly globalized world. Beyond her classroom studies, she had the chance to intern, which allowed her to expand her professional skills while using her Arabic in a real life context.
Her experience in Jordan on the Boren Scholarship led her to an internship with the Global Security division at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in the safeguards division concerning safeguards and export control verification in the United Arab Emirates. While there, she started a blog called Strategic Swagger that addresses complex scientific and technological issues associated with national security, particularly nuclear and WMD affairs. Her time at LLNL enriched her professional development by offering unique opportunities to engage in diverse work, attend lectures, network, and participate in events related to the work of the lab and more.听
Since her time in Jordan, she has had the chance to live abroad in several countries, all leading her to a Masters Program at Sciences Po. All of these opportunities have allowed her to develop her cultural understanding and build lasting relationships that have been transformative. 鈥 There will always be trials and triumphs of living and working abroad, yet these experiences contribute to the development of open-mindedness that in turn expands cultural perspectives and sensitivity beyond the traditional classroom.鈥澨