Adil Ahmed graduated from Mercer University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a Bachelor of Science in chemical commerce.
What are your plans after graduation?
I am pursuing a gap year working in clinics and hospitals until I hear back from medical school.
Who was your favorite professor and why?
Dr. Sahar Hasim, assistant professor of biology. She is a brilliant-minded and exceptional professor who not only cares for her students understanding of the material but their ability to apply it on a broader level. No matter when you learned the information, she had a way of tying it all together. At Mercer, I primarily went to her for advising and simply to chat about life. She was my professor, my college mom and, first and foremost, my most respected friend. I had four classes with her and though they were rigorous, Dr. Hasim made it seem worthwhile. I honestly learned a lot from her, and that’s why she will be my favorite professor at Mercer.
What is one of your favorite Mercer memories?
The cultural events I was a part of, like selling an Indian/Pakistani sweet called jalebis as a fundraiser, make up my favorite Mercer memories. The Pakistani Student Association’s Spring 2022 mock menhdi, similar to a mock wedding event, with varieties of colors; Pakistani/Indian food, like samosas, gulab jamun and mango lassi; lots of group dancing and cultural dancing, was just absolutely fun! There were also the Muslim Student Association Ramadan iftar potluck I hosted on the Lofts rooftop for the past three years. It was a time to bring Muslim students together in the blessed month of Ramadan. Overall, I can say my time with the multicultural organizations here at Mercer was very memorable.
What was your favorite class and why?
My favorite class was my introduction to Arabic class taught by Dr. Eimad Houry, professor of political science. As soon as I got to Mercer, I wanted to join an Arabic class, but unfortunately Mercer didn’t offer it at the time. The fall of my senior year, I found a special topics course in Arabic, and I enrolled. The class was everything I expected. We learned how to read, write and speak the language. We learned about the Arab culture, and we performed skits in Arabic, which was absolutely fun. Then we finished the semester with an Arabic potluck feast where each of us bought or made a dish or snack from a country we individually researched.
How do you plan on changing the world?
God willing, one day I would make myself capable enough to serve and make an impact on deprived populations and provide accessible medical care to them. Underdeveloped regions like those in the Middle East and places in the United States.
What advice do you have for incoming students?
Whenever you feel overwhelmed or stressed, “take a walk,” as my physics professor Dr. Chamaree de Silva would say. Also one piece of advice from Dr. Hasim I will always remember is, “Don’t blindly follow your superiors, as they can make mistakes. Respect them even if you disagree, but use your own mind to make choices.”
How did Mercer prepare you for your future?
I have met a wide variety and range of students here, all with different aspirations. The professors also ranged in different degrees and helped me grow as a student and a person. They have helped me learn about stress management after giving me lots of stress too, haha, but the rigorous academia has made me appreciate knowledge even more. Hopefully in the future I can continue learning and building up the foundation I received at Mercer.
What makes Mercer special to you?
Mercer is a small campus and a small world. As an underclassman, I befriended seniors and juniors who eventually graduated. Toward the end of my senior year I became friends with underclassmen, and it was like a cycle. The kindness those upperclassman gave to me when I was a freshman or sophomore was reciprocated when I made these underclassmen smile and gave them advice about succeeding here. The cycle of friendship that Mercer has with upperclassmen and underclassmen is unique. There is no distinction between the two. We are all Mercer Bears. Overall, Mercer University has given me a chance of success in the future, and to that I say, “Go Bears!”
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