Duaa Faquih has woven her multicultural faith-based life into a tapestry of rich experiences, meaningful relationships and a strong and empathetic drive.
Faquih's connection to Vanderbilt began when she was born in Nashville while her father was a Vanderbilt graduate student. The political science and psychology double major moved multiple times between Houston, Texas, and Saudi Arabia during her upbringing. Her last two years of high school and first year of college were in Riyadh, and then she transferred to Vanderbilt.
"I was always the new kid, so I learned quickly how to make friends and also stay grounded," she said. "I think dealing with so much change was good practice for me for life, and it's definitely made me a more empathetic person and able to detect when someone is feeling left out or struggling, because that was often me. So now I'm able to see it a little bit more and hopefully be able to help people."
COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION
Faquih found her grounding at Vanderbilt within the student Muslim community. She's helped to lead more than 50 community-building events with the Vanderbilt Muslim Student Association and advocated for mental health resources for the group.
Her desire to bring people together has inspired her work with the Research on Conflict and Collective Action Lab, whose mission is to use data and analysis to produce rigorous research on political violence and collective action. Most recently, she was outreach director, garnering more than a hundred applications from students wanting to work in the lab.
EMPOWERING WOMEN
Beyond Vanderbilt, Faquih's greatest passion is supporting and empowering women. She interned in Washington, D.C., with the Department of Justice in the Office on Violence Against Women.
She also volunteers with Asians Against Domestic Abuse, a nonprofit organization that supports women experiencing domestic abuse. Faquih recalls leading a storytelling project and helping amplify the voices of women by telling their stories of empowered survival.
"I have been impressed with both Duaa's drive and willingness to deeply feel for the social justice issues impacting her life," said Tiffiny Tung, vice provost for undergraduate education. "Her time at Vanderbilt has strengthened her passion for social justice, holistic learning and cross-cultural connections."
We sat down with Duaa to find out more about her life and her Vanderbilt experience.
1. HOW HAVE YOU GROWN AND EVOLVED IN YOUR TIME AT VANDERBILT?
"I feel like I've changed so much, and sometimes I can't even believe how different of a person I am from the first semester that I was here. Genuinely, I was so anxious and uncertain. I've changed so much just in terms of my self-confidence, and that comes with my faith. And now I know my purpose. I believe that I'm going to be put in different places for different reasons because of the impact that I can have on whoever's around me and the impact that other people can have on me."
2. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE?
"I earned a Keegan fellowship with the goal of exploring how different cultures around the world interact with Islam as a religion, but also specifically how they interact within the mosque as a place of worship. One of my most cherished memories was observing women in a 'Turkish' mosque who stayed after evening prayers to study and bond with one another."
3. WHAT KEEPS YOU GROUNDED?
"My faith has been strengthened so, so, so much since I've been in college, which I think is different because you go to college and there's no one telling you to go pray or follow obligations. But when I came here, it's like I had this choice. Now it's up to me. Am I going to choose to invest in my faith? It's such a huge part of my life, and it's also such a huge part of my journey here at Vanderbilt."
4. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS AFTER GRADUATION?
"I want to work in public service, and I would love to open a domestic abuse shelter for Muslim women, addressing the need for culturally sensitive support. I could definitely see law school in the future after a few years of working."
5. FINISH THIS SENTENCE, "TO ME VANDERBILT IS…"
"To me Vanderbilt is home. Just because I've been moving around my whole life, and I went to three different high schools in different countries. I've never had a stable friend group until I came here. I've always spent my life just trying to find that sense of stability. The people here have made it feel like home."
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