Aspire! Award for Self-Understanding and Integrity

I am humbled to share that I received the Aspire! Award for my pursuit of building common ground through creative, thoughtful, and impactful projects in service to the community at Virginia Tech. In a breakfast banquet in honor of all Aspire winners, Chris Wise, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, introduced me to the audience by sharing my work on celebrating cultural richness with International Mother Language Day, innovating new ways to make international students’ lives easier in the early days, and supporting the community of Bangladeshi students in Virginia Tech with my skills, experiences, and leadership. The Aspire! Awards honor students, faculty, and staff who embody the Student Affairs’ Aspirations for Student Learning.

If my undergraduate years were formative, my graduate years at Virginia Tech have been truly transformative. Over these years, I’ve rediscovered myself in so many different ways. VT allowed me to spread my wings, and I took full advantage of that. With the 3D Interaction Group, I found the perfect intersection of my passion and career. Through ABS and Cranwell, I uncovered a version of myself deeply committed to serving the community I call home.

This journey came full circle when Virginia Tech Student Affairs recognized me as the Aspire! Award Winner for Pursuing Self-Understanding and Integrity for the year 2024-25. In a way, this award is not just an accolade but a reflection of my growth and experiences as a graduate student. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who supported me along the way. Thank you, Susanna Young, Assistant Director of International Student Experience, for believing in me and nominating me for this honor. Thank you, Robert Emmett, Assistant Director of International Programs, for your mentorship and guidance. And thank you, Chris Wise, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, for introducing me with such kind words.

Congratulations to my fellow Aspire! Award winners—it’s an honor to share this recognition with you.

Featured stories:

• ExperienceVT did a feature on my journey at Virginia Tech