Two Extraordinary Pakistani Students Take Part in American Classes, Summer Fun in Boston as Part of Sister2Sister Exchange

in Global Matters
November 1st, 2023

During Summer Term 2, two young Pakistani women – Maheen Ali Mir (’26) and Fareena Ahmed (’24) – visited Boston University as part of their participation in the Sister2Sister Exchange Program. The Sister2Sister Program is a highly selective public-private partnership supported by the Department of State, led by American University, and run in partnership with U.S. universities, like BU, that provide summer scholarships to students who enroll in undergraduate course in their field of study and complete a cultural reflections project. The Program not only provides Pakistani female college students from underserved backgrounds with academic, personal, and professional development but also gives them exposure to American culture.

“We were delighted to support Maheen and Fareena this summer in Boston University’s second year supporting the Sister2Sister Exchange Program,” said Willis G. Wang, Associate Provost for Global Programs. “This is an important program in collaboration with the U.S. State Department that helps empower Pakistani women college students, and I have no doubt that Maheen and Fareena will continue to make great strides in their academic and career goals.”

Hosted by Global Programs, Maheen Ali Mir and Fareena Ahmed embarked on their first, solo journeys outside of Pakistan in early July and spent six weeks living in Myles Standish Hall alongside other BU students, many of whom also hail from places beyond the U.S.

“There is so much diversity in the U.S. and at BU,” says Ahmed. “We’ve had so many international students here [at BU] and living in Myles Standish this summer. It’s been very positive and fun to see people from all over the world.”

Being able to interact with and meet people from different countries and cultures is part of what drew Ahmed, who studies at the Institute of Professional Psychology, Bahria University Karachi Campus, to apply to the Sister2Sister Program. “I’ve met people from all over the world, and I’m really grateful for those connections, memories, and friends,” she says.

Ali Mir also noted her desire to experience cultural exchange and diversity while participating in the program. “I’m interested in exploring different cultures,” she says. “I’ve noticed that people are very kind to each other here, and that there is a progressive approach to gender equity, a positive way forward to deal with different [societal] problems. I’ve also noticed there’s a certain human connection regardless of where someone comes from or the differences we have, and I’ll take that home with me.”

Ali Mir hails from one of the most remote regions of northern Pakistan, an area that has only scarce healthcare access, educational opportunities, and communication capabilities. As a sophomore at Lahore University of Management Sciences in Lahore, Pakistan, she is studying social sciences and took an introduction to entrepreneurship class while at BU.

“Studying entrepreneurship here was fascinating,” she says. “One thing that was different from what we’d do in Pakistan is addressing the problem where you come up with more than one solution and something that can be put into action. The research and design thinking that we’ve done is definitely going to stay with me.”

This entrepreneurial mindset will serve Ali Mir well, as she has long term goals to run a business and work in her community. “After coming back from the Exchange Program I’ll be an example for the young girls who are hesitant to think out of the box [about their futures]. I’d like to equip myself with skills that will prove to be successful in my professional career and then deliver them to the young girls in my region who would then be exposed to a vast knowledge about career prospects that I didn’t have when I was growing up.”

During their time here, Ali Mir and Ahmed met with several faculty members and administrators to learn more and make connections in their respective fields of study. In the Questrom School of Business, they met with Sandra Deacon Carr, Master Lecturer in the Organizational Behavior Department.

“Fareena and Maheen are remarkable young women whose enthusiasm for learning is inspiring,” says Deacon Carr. “They are inquisitive, intelligent, hardworking, and focused on making the most of their educational experiences. I enjoyed meeting them and learning about their aspirations for the future, and I look forward to following them as they pursue their academic and career goals.”

Before attending the final presentations from Innovate@ BU’s Social Impact Entrepreneurs from its Summer Enlight program, Ali Mir and Ahmed also met with Siobhan Dullea, Executive Director of Innovate@BU.

“Both Fareena and Maheen were social innovators at their core,” says Dullea. “They both discussed ideas they had for improving their communities through a social entrepreneurship lens. They discussed their local social challenges and how they could improve the lives of individuals in their country. Their passion, energy, and desire to improve lives was infectious.”

Reflecting on her time at BU, Ali Mir says, “After coming here and exploring, I feel more connected to my own society. I feel like I am privileged to come here and explore things at a global level. I am representing my region, and what I’m learning is something I want to use for the people in my home and will give back.”

Like Ali Mir, Ahmed has learned how studying in a foreign place has helped her imagine new possibilities for herself and boosted her independence and professional development.

A student of psychology, Ahmed is keen to use her knowledge and experience to help normalize mental healthcare in Pakistan. She says that while the country and culture is moving in the right direction by not treating mental health as such a taboo topic, there is still much progress that can and should be made. “Here [in the U.S.] mental healthcare is not as stigmatized as in Pakistan,” she says. “It seems like mental healthcare is encouraged here, and I am hoping I can do something so it’s the same way in Pakistan.”

During her time at BU, Ahmed took an introduction to clinical psychology course and thoroughly enjoyed the class. She noted how impressed she was with the professor talking about his personal experiences, sharing how he does assessments with clients, and encouraging students to write reflections after class.

“I’ve witnessed a lot of personal growth in myself in the last six weeks,” Ahmed says. “This experience has taught me so much. I plan to contribute all the knowledge I learn to my community and guide others, especially young girls in Pakistan, towards their own career and self-development.”

Long term, Ahmed plans to earn a master’s degree in a sub-discipline of psychology, preferably somewhere abroad – perhaps in the U.S. – and then return to Pakistan to apply what she has learned. “I’d like to help address issues and help people help themselves,” she says.