I was born and raised in Palestine/Jerusalem and moved to Portland in 2010. I chose to attend Portland State University because of the family-like atmosphere. A university with many international students, you get to meet many students from all around the world who help you shape your understanding of other cultures. Life at PSU is so different from other universities because the different types of lifestyles and cultures make it interesting. It is good to open your eyes and look around and appreciate the diversity in this world because it makes life more beautiful and exciting. PSU is an outstanding university, full of diverse professionals, professors, and students, all working together to create a positive learning experience. I'm very impressed by the high academic standards of my professors, particularly in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. When earning a degree, it feels great to know that it’s coming from an exceptional university.
During my course of study at PSU, I was asked about the secrets to my success. If asked to choose one, it would be self-confidence and help from the people that surrounded me throughout my journey.
Looking back I learned that pursuing a degree is very challenging, especially in the science field. This is because science is a big combination of memorization, making connections, beginning to learn and understand new vocabulary, and also the challenging combination of math, physics, and biology. This journey became an obstacle that I needed to learn how to tackle and overcome. My advice to all future students would be, “Don’t be hesitant about acknowledging the skills you have. Maybe you will be able to find something that you will be good at and even create a job position that benefits both you and your employer. The path to success is full with obstacles and hardships, but it’s a path worth taking after all. Follow your dream to become the best version of yourself that you can be!!!”
For me homesickness was the biggest challenge that I faced when I came to the USA. As I came here alone, knowing absolutely no one, with no friends or family, I faced this issue every day for the first month or so. This is a very normal feeling, but I decided that I cannot sit at a place and wish for things to change. I started going out and talking to people here in my new home and making new friends. For this reason, another critical piece of advice I would pass on to students would be to make as many friends as you can. I have these two friends that I met, and honestly, besides my hard work, they played a huge role in my success. We would do our work together and encourage each other even though we weren’t in the same major. Although we are getting ready to leave this place, PSU has provided us with something that would last us long after our journey here, such as unforgettable memories, joyful experiences, and incredible relationships.
As a biochemist, my dream is to help science researchers find a cancer medication to kill this disease from the roots. We see how many people talk about how friends suddenly disappear from their lives because of this disease. I'm so excited to start working as medical technician because it will help me learn more about how to examine the samples from patients and understand what biological and biochemical changes are happening inside our patients’ bodies that lead to different kind of diseases. For me, this will be an exciting and joyful experience. I look forward to using what I’ve learned at PSU through my academic experience, the diverse community around me, and my own hard work and efforts to take the next steps towards adventure and success.
May Mousa graduated from PSU in June 2018 with degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry. She will begin working as a medical lab technician in September 2018 and plans to pursue a graduate degree in Chemistry from PSU or WSU in the future.