You have a great talent for learning and adapting and pulling something good out of misfortune and making it work for you. And you are putting those talents to use on the best of causes. Everyone at UB is so proud of you!
As Coordinator of the University of Baltimore’s Peer Advising Program, I have known Ibrahim for several semesters as a Peer Advisor. He was chosen on the basis of his strong academic credentials, leadership skills, people skills, and communication skills. His performance exceeded my highest expectations. Ibrahim also got results in circumstances that would have discouraged and defeated others. Two characteristics particularly stand out in my mind. One is his inclination to approach situations as a learner. I don’t know when I’ve seen someone—student or staff member—fine-tune their performance so successfully based on feedback. The other is his positive outlook. Sometimes new students can be hard to engage. Ibrahim worked with several advisees who were at first unresponsive but eventually responded to his persistence—not just a dogged, head-down sort of persistence, but an inquisitive, seeking-to-understand persistence that led him to try new approaches and his advisees to ultimately respond to him enthusiastically. I was astonished at his advisee’s turn-around.