Like the Saudi women consigned to second-class status, I was raised in a Muslim family in the same conservative and strict gender segregation. My dad was the breadwinner in the family, providing for nine children and my mother was illiterate. Our culture forbids women from getting higher education. When my sisters and I turned seventeen, we were “pushed” into the workforce to help support the family and my brothers were allowed to attend higher education. This disadvantage in my formative years has lead me towards pursuing education because I am fully aware that receiving a high quality education will influence one’s thoughts and affect one’s job and life.
I sacrificed the enjoyment of my teenage years by attending night school to gain technical competency in book-keeping, secretarial skills, and desktop publishing. I did this to prepare myself for a better paying job. However, I was not able to move beyond my supervisory position without a university degree. I had reached the top of the pay scale when an opportunity opened for me to further my studies in the United States. That was eight years ago, a dream I could not have imagined possible. At that point in time I was looking towards venturing into the healthcare field.
I wanted to study naturopathic medicine at Bastyr University. I had to give up that dream when my husband died unexpectedly. Financially, it was impossible, since I had to support myself and my nine year old son in a country where I had no connections. I moved back into the workforce, doing what I did best – being a secretary, this time as a senior secretary in the nursing program at TCC.
I achieved a 3.7 GPA while also working 40 hours a week, managing a household with international students, and raising my son. Despite a full plate, I was able to give back to the community by volunteering. I volunteered at TCC as chaperon and driver for the international students on hiking trips, local places of interests, and trips to British Columbia. I worked with the elderly in a similar role for the Metro Parks, Tacoma. I was in the TCC Service Club when I was a full-time student. I have gone on overseas mission trips with the church to the orphanage in Indonesia, and Gleanings for the Hungry in California, just to name a few. In addition I have experience in the healthcare field volunteering at TLH in the nursing care facility and the retirement home.
I was preparing to apply for Health Informatics, Health Information Management at UW-Seattle when I learned about the Healthcare Leadership program at UW-Tacoma. This was the type of program I have been searching for. I love building relationships and making a difference in people’s lives. My 18 years experience working with top management in a multinational Japanese corporation and the human resource division helped me to develop interpersonal communication skills and the ability to build and manage effective, collaborative relationships with diverse employees. My six years experience in the nursing program at TCC has given me a better understanding and insight into nursing and the healthcare field.
I am confident that I will learn more in my course of studies in healthcare leadership. My competency in organizing and prioritizing, managing multiple assignments with competing priorities and deadlines will help me complete this program. Completing this program will fulfill my deepest desire to work at the management level in the healthcare field that offers diverse opportunities to collaborate with physicians, nurses, lawyers, administrators, executives, and patients.
I am looking forward to achieving my dream of a university degree and breaking the cultural barrier in my family.