Student Spotlight: Zainab Alsamerraire

The kindness of Americans that Zainab Alsamerraire and her family experienced when they immigrated to the United States changed her academic and career focus. She had studied accounting in Iraq and planned to continue doing so here. She changed her mind after arriving in the United States three years ago with her three children, husband, and mother-in-law. "I decided I wanted to study Human services. I want to help people the way they helped us when we arrived here. Without those people we couldn't have done anything."

Alsamerraire enrolled at Onondaga Community College in 2018. Juggling parenting and the demands of coursework was a challenge. "It can be difficult to find the time. At home I would help our children with all of their school work, then do my work. I wanted to be sure they have everything they need before I work on myself."

All of her hard work paid off. Alsamerraire excelled in her coursework and after her first year was inducted into the College's chapter of international honor society Phi Theta Kappa. She credits her husband Firas with constantly encouraging her. "He supports me. He gives me a push. He tells me 'I'm always proud of you.'"

Alsamerraire is proud of the example she's setting for her children. Her oldest son, Mohammed, is also attending OCC and pursuing a degree in Physics. And her teenage daughter constantly looks up to her mom. "She tells me I am her idol. I try to do my best to always support my beloved family."