-
In Her Own Words
Sadiya Muqueeth '02
Sadiya Muqueeth '02 is currently a doctoral student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This year, she was honored with Bryn Mawr's Young Alumnae Award, which is given to an alumna who has graduated within the last 20 years and who has distinguished herself professionally or in the community. On May 5, Muqueeth returned to campus to give a speech about her career path at Upper School convocation. The text of her speech appears below, lightly edited for length and clarity.
I would like to begin by thanking the teachers, administrators, and all the staff who are here and have been here, day in and day out, throughout the year. Students: every parent, family member, friend’s parent, teacher, administrator and staff member has been here for YOU. It may not always feel as though they are, but they want you to succeed. Please, don’t ever forget that, because the real world is not always as kind.
It is the teachers, who were both supportive and difficult, that I still remember today. Bryn Mawr was not always easy in Ms. Gray’s Spanish class, but it was useful when I was living in Paraguay for two years. I remember re-writing every paper I got a “B” on for Ms. Massey’s eighth grade English class, because she allowed us the privilege of doing so. Bryn Mawr created an extremely safe environment in which to fail, try again and fail better. Through this process, Bryn Mawr made me more resilient – and that is the school’s purpose, stated in its mission:
“A Bryn Mawr education is grounded in the expectation that young women will be resilient in the face of complexity, ambiguity, and change; will become responsible and confident participants in the world; and, will lead considered and consequential lives.”
I know you’ve heard these words countless times, but I hope that with time you internalize them. I did not pay much attention to them while I was here, but I have consistently thought about this mission since leaving. First is the concept of resilience, which teachers and staff build through numerous experiences both inside and outside the classroom. This concept now permeates the work that I do.
Currently, I am a doctoral student studying public health at Harvard. My aim is to engage multiple facets of public health, including epidemiology, economics, financial management, political analysis, innovation and programmatic development. For me, the purpose of doing this is to build and sustain more resilient health systems. In doing so, I hope I can support governments – locally, nationally and globally – to better serve their residents.
My journey to this point was an unexpected one, and I hope it continues to change and evolve. I had expected to graduate high school, graduate college, graduate medical school, complete my residency, and then start a living – you know, “adulting.” That is not what happened. This is not to say these paths in life are ones to avoid, but rather, that it is critical to choose paths that feed your soul. I have a great example of that in my mother; she loves working with young children at Little School, setting them on a path of success and ensuring that from an early age they have the support and tools they need to become whomever they wish to be.
Looking back, I don’t quite understand why I thought so narrowly about possibilities, because the life I have had the privilege of living has been far more adventurous, exciting and fun. I’ve volunteered in the Peace Corps, worked on outbreaks and surveillance, done policy work in increasing public health capacity and led a coalition right here in Baltimore. It has been a blast.
Bryn Mawr was one of the first places that helped me begin to expand my understanding of what was possible. Classrooms and common areas provided me a place to discuss ideas around gender, race, religion, socio-economic backgrounds and sexual orientation that many of my college and graduate school peers have not had a chance to. This capacity to speak about challenging topics may have changed over generations as the collective “wokeness” of society increases. But for me, Bryn Mawr was the first foray into looking outside my own lens as an immigrant Muslim woman and critically analyzing myself, my community and society at large. This skill is one I use in the work I do in public health every day.
My first piece of advice for you is to build teamwork skills, early, because they will make up most of the work you will do, whether or not you are in a role of authority. Leadership is important, but it is critical to learn to follow well. Being a formal authority will not always allow you to lead. Following well may be the best way to truly lead in the face of complexity, ambiguity and change.
Teamwork will also help as you confront problems that cannot be resolved through simple solutions. They will require multidisciplinary stakeholders, engagement with non-traditional actors and iterative processes that are challenging and frustrating. Some of the most effective work that I have had a chance to participate in was right here in Baltimore with the B’more for Healthy Babies initiative, which aimed to reduce infant mortality. It was founded upon the premise that all of Baltimore’s babies can be born at healthy weight, full term, and ready to thrive in healthy families. My supervisors brought together a team of people across disciplines that succeeded in decreasing infant deaths in Baltimore by nearly 40%. But that did not happen alone – it took teamwork.
I would like to begin by thanking the teachers, administrators, and all the staff who are here and have been here, day in and day out, throughout the year. Students: every parent, family member, friend’s parent, teacher, administrator and staff member has been here for YOU. It may not always feel as though they are, but they want you to succeed. Please, don’t ever forget that, because the real world is not always as kind.
It is the teachers, who were both supportive and difficult, that I still remember today. Bryn Mawr was not always easy in Ms. Gray’s Spanish class, but it was useful when I was living in Paraguay for two years. I remember re-writing every paper I got a “B” on for Ms. Massey’s eighth grade English class, because she allowed us the privilege of doing so. Bryn Mawr created an extremely safe environment in which to fail, try again and fail better. Through this process, Bryn Mawr made me more resilient – and that is the school’s purpose, stated in its mission:
“A Bryn Mawr education is grounded in the expectation that young women will be resilient in the face of complexity, ambiguity, and change; will become responsible and confident participants in the world; and, will lead considered and consequential lives.”
I know you’ve heard these words countless times, but I hope that with time you internalize them. I did not pay much attention to them while I was here, but I have consistently thought about this mission since leaving. First is the concept of resilience, which teachers and staff build through numerous experiences both inside and outside the classroom. This concept now permeates the work that I do.
Currently, I am a doctoral student studying public health at Harvard. My aim is to engage multiple facets of public health, including epidemiology, economics, financial management, political analysis, innovation and programmatic development. For me, the purpose of doing this is to build and sustain more resilient health systems. In doing so, I hope I can support governments – locally, nationally and globally – to better serve their residents.
My journey to this point was an unexpected one, and I hope it continues to change and evolve. I had expected to graduate high school, graduate college, graduate medical school, complete my residency, and then start a living – you know, “adulting.” That is not what happened. This is not to say these paths in life are ones to avoid, but rather, that it is critical to choose paths that feed your soul. I have a great example of that in my mother; she loves working with young children at Little School, setting them on a path of success and ensuring that from an early age they have the support and tools they need to become whomever they wish to be.
Looking back, I don’t quite understand why I thought so narrowly about possibilities, because the life I have had the privilege of living has been far more adventurous, exciting and fun. I’ve volunteered in the Peace Corps, worked on outbreaks and surveillance, done policy work in increasing public health capacity and led a coalition right here in Baltimore. It has been a blast.
Bryn Mawr was one of the first places that helped me begin to expand my understanding of what was possible. Classrooms and common areas provided me a place to discuss ideas around gender, race, religion, socio-economic backgrounds and sexual orientation that many of my college and graduate school peers have not had a chance to. This capacity to speak about challenging topics may have changed over generations as the collective “wokeness” of society increases. But for me, Bryn Mawr was the first foray into looking outside my own lens as an immigrant Muslim woman and critically analyzing myself, my community and society at large. This skill is one I use in the work I do in public health every day.
My first piece of advice for you is to build teamwork skills, early, because they will make up most of the work you will do, whether or not you are in a role of authority. Leadership is important, but it is critical to learn to follow well. Being a formal authority will not always allow you to lead. Following well may be the best way to truly lead in the face of complexity, ambiguity and change.
Teamwork will also help as you confront problems that cannot be resolved through simple solutions. They will require multidisciplinary stakeholders, engagement with non-traditional actors and iterative processes that are challenging and frustrating. Some of the most effective work that I have had a chance to participate in was right here in Baltimore with the B’more for Healthy Babies initiative, which aimed to reduce infant mortality. It was founded upon the premise that all of Baltimore’s babies can be born at healthy weight, full term, and ready to thrive in healthy families. My supervisors brought together a team of people across disciplines that succeeded in decreasing infant deaths in Baltimore by nearly 40%. But that did not happen alone – it took teamwork.
Above: Sadiya Muqueeth '02 at Alumnae Weekend 2017 with her mother, Little School teacher Farzana Muqueeth.
Bryn Mawr was one of the first places that helped me begin to expand my understanding of what was possible. Classrooms and common areas provided me a place to discuss ideas around gender, race, religion, socio-economic backgrounds and sexual orientation that many of my college and graduate school peers have not had a chance to...Bryn Mawr was the first foray into looking outside my own lens as an immigrant Muslim woman and critically analyzing myself, my community and society at large. This skill is one I use in the work I do in public health every day.
Working on this team showed me what each person can bring – in getting things done, thinking outside the box and bringing energy when others are struggling. It was the team that was our asset. Our collective impact was built through coalitions of community members and organizations, researchers, public officials and private sector contributors who came together to enable change. Though social media is important, the slacktivism of simply “liking” something is not effective. You have to do something and engage with other people.
B’more for Healthy Babies required an attentive eye to the group and knowing who was engaged or not engaged and why. As you continue to grow and evolve, make sure to maintain a keen awareness of group dynamics, remembering that everyone has something important to contribute. You have the capacity to ensure that their contribution is meaningful to that person as well as to the greater purpose. It takes time and learning about people to accomplish anything. I learned this in the Peace Corps. It wasn’t until people knew me – after I’d had many cups of maté with them – that they began to trust me and trust that I was there to support their ventures in improving health.
As a Bryn Mawr student, you may be in a hurry to accomplish things. Don’t worry – everything will get done. But doing them well – with engagement, trust and accountability – is key. Trust is not easy to gain back once lost. There have been numerous public health initiatives that have not done the legwork required to understand context before diving in. To address systemic problems, we must understand context.
The community service I did at Bryn Mawr exposed me to systemic problems that were occurring as a first step towards understanding history, contexts, politics and economics. In college I began to piece together how these systems interact; I continue to do so. Understanding system dynamics is critical to success.
I started off in college as a pre-med neuroscience major, but I gave myself the space to take a class on epidemics and pandemics. I was amazed by how diseases spread. The class was divided into two parts: the virology and biology as well as the social and political issues. I realized I liked one part far more than the other. I also realized that I wanted to do this every day – enjoy what I work on – so I changed my major to public health. Seniors: you have that option. Do not forget that. That is also a part of living a considered life: being self-aware and responsive to that awareness.
I hope you also find your way to a consequential life, in whatever way you choose to define that. Always remember that one friend from Bryn Mawr who will keep you grounded, that friend you can eat greasy take-out food with and watch four movies in a row. No matter where you go in life, you will need that friend. And no matter what you aim to accomplish, it is your families, teachers, and friends that will be there for you, often without you knowing the impact they are having on you until much later. So, choose what you want to explore, and do it well. And one final bit of advice: wear comfortable shoes.
B’more for Healthy Babies required an attentive eye to the group and knowing who was engaged or not engaged and why. As you continue to grow and evolve, make sure to maintain a keen awareness of group dynamics, remembering that everyone has something important to contribute. You have the capacity to ensure that their contribution is meaningful to that person as well as to the greater purpose. It takes time and learning about people to accomplish anything. I learned this in the Peace Corps. It wasn’t until people knew me – after I’d had many cups of maté with them – that they began to trust me and trust that I was there to support their ventures in improving health.
As a Bryn Mawr student, you may be in a hurry to accomplish things. Don’t worry – everything will get done. But doing them well – with engagement, trust and accountability – is key. Trust is not easy to gain back once lost. There have been numerous public health initiatives that have not done the legwork required to understand context before diving in. To address systemic problems, we must understand context.
The community service I did at Bryn Mawr exposed me to systemic problems that were occurring as a first step towards understanding history, contexts, politics and economics. In college I began to piece together how these systems interact; I continue to do so. Understanding system dynamics is critical to success.
I started off in college as a pre-med neuroscience major, but I gave myself the space to take a class on epidemics and pandemics. I was amazed by how diseases spread. The class was divided into two parts: the virology and biology as well as the social and political issues. I realized I liked one part far more than the other. I also realized that I wanted to do this every day – enjoy what I work on – so I changed my major to public health. Seniors: you have that option. Do not forget that. That is also a part of living a considered life: being self-aware and responsive to that awareness.
I hope you also find your way to a consequential life, in whatever way you choose to define that. Always remember that one friend from Bryn Mawr who will keep you grounded, that friend you can eat greasy take-out food with and watch four movies in a row. No matter where you go in life, you will need that friend. And no matter what you aim to accomplish, it is your families, teachers, and friends that will be there for you, often without you knowing the impact they are having on you until much later. So, choose what you want to explore, and do it well. And one final bit of advice: wear comfortable shoes.
Located in Baltimore, Maryland, The Bryn Mawr School is a private all-girls pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school with a coed preschool for ages 2 months through 5 years. Bryn Mawr provides students with exceptional educational opportunities on a beautiful 26-acre campus within the city limits. Inquisitive girls, excellent teaching, strong student-teacher relationships and a clear mission sustain our vibrant school community where girls always come first.