[Javid A]Hometown: Kabul, Afghanistan

Major: International Relations

Javid grew up in Afghanistan’s capital, but moved to Pakistan when the nation became war-torn. After working to promote democracy in his home country, he came to Beloit.

How Beloit feels like home—even when you’re far from yours: Everyone is incredibly supportive. It’s like a family. You extend your hand for help and they extend one back. It’s very welcoming, very accommodating.

How Beloit helped Javid see (even more of) the world: Josh Moore, from the Office of International Education, told me about this program in Brussels, Belgium. It was an amazing experience. My program was on international diplomacy and European Union affairs. I worked on a NATO project and with the German Marshall Fund in Brussels. I also attended several conferences, including one organized by the NATO Public Diplomacy division in Berlin the Civil Society Conference in Stockholm.

Why that opportunity was rare: If you go to many universities as an international student and tell them you want to study abroad, they’ll say, “You are abroad. Why would you go somewhere else?” Here, they said, “You should go abroad. It would be good for you.”

How Beloit’s “Liberal Arts in Practice” philosophy walks its talk: Beloit has all these internship opportunities, and I took advantage of them. I interned with the Afghan Embassy in Washington, D.C. Then I worked for Voice of America. Then I worked with the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Both in Washington and in Brussels, I got several international grants from Beloit to support projects and research.

Why those opportunities are invaluable (part I): I got exposed to how public policy institutions work. I have an idea of how policy is made and how things function in Washington, D.C. I matured a lot, and I got to know people in those fields.

Why those opportunities are invaluable (part II): I learned things in my internships that I brought back to school. I would be struggling to come up with a paper topic, and then I would link my work experience to my coursework. It helps, putting things into practice, into your real working life.

Why those opportunities are invaluable (part III): They’re very helpful in the long run, especially since the job market is unstable. I actually got a job offer from the German Marshall Fund. I’ll expect to join them after I graduate.

How he plans to bring his lessons home: I want to work for my country. The opportunity I got to come here and learn in a peaceful environment is not something everyone has in Afghanistan. So, I want to help people in any way possible. I actually don’t know what the future holds. But if Washington needs me, I’ll be there. If London needs me, I’ll be there. If Afghanistan needs me, I’ll be there, definitely.

How Beloit helps you make things happen: You have to have your own vision for yourself; you have to struggle and you have to work for it. But Beloit helps you by providing opportunities. It’s called one of the colleges that change lives, and it does. At least, it did for me.