Al-Haj Abdallah R Abdallah Muslim Scholarship

My name is Maha Dotani, and I am a freshman at the Metropolitan State University of Denver. I am a first-generation student in my family; my family immigrated from Pakistan and had me a few years later. Since then, they have worked so hard to give me a good life and ensure that I will have a promising future. Unfortunately, college is a financial burden that makes it difficult to see my future as anything but blurry. This scholarship will help me relieve that burden so I can pursue the education my parents worked so hard for me to have, so I can pursue my dream career as a forensic psychologist and make my parents proud. I am following my bachelor's in psychology because psychology has always been my passion. Ever since I was in middle school, I've been fascinated by the human mind. Learning why we do the things we do and what drives people to their actions is something I want to spend the rest of my career doing. Some of my strengths are that I am very passionate and dedicated to every aspect of my life. If I put my mind to something, I will accomplish it. That also is one of my weaknesses. Sometimes, I become too stubborn and headstrong, which can take a toll on me. Sometimes, stepping back and breathing is okay, and I have to learn how to do that. My favorite book is The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. It's a fantastic murder mystery, which I've read over five times by now. I enjoy things that engage my interests and make me think for an answer. I love any mystery or crime book, but this is my favorite. It has the perfect amount of detail, dialogue, and characters that make you second guess whether they are capable of what they seem…. As a Muslim, my most outstanding achievement is reading the Quran. I know it doesn't sound like the biggest deal, but I have struggled with my religion and genuinely accepted it. I always felt as if I didn't belong in Islam or that I wasn't good enough. As I grow older, I am finally building my connection with God and Islam. It's made me truly happier, and every day, I love to learn more and more about my religion. Reading the Quran has been so enlightening, and it's a step towards me regaining my identity as a Muslim. I'm proud of my progress, and it's one of the best things to have happened to me.

My major is Exercise Science. I am obtaining this degree at Rutgers University -New Brunswick May 2022. God willing, I will start my physical therapy Doctorate program in July 2022. I am passionate about taking care of you body and strengthening muscles to support people’s bones and prevent pain. I work as a physical therapy aide and it has confirmed my passion for the field. Especially because I workout six days a week, I truly enjoy exercising and teaching others about it. My Grandmother inspired me to pursue this career because when she came to America from Palestine, she did not have many options. She was a big believer in education and hard work. Again, it is important to me to seek higher education because I truly want to make a difference. Not many women are in the STEM field. An even narrower percentage of those few women are Palestinian Muslims. My grandparents were broke when they moved her and depended on the community to help them grow. Now, thankfully, we have know to educate kids as much as you can so one day the can survive by themselves. I cannot wait to become a physical therapist, getting my Doctorate degree, and make my grandparents proud. With my doctorate in physical therapy, I plan to become a physical therapist and help people through movement and strengthening. In my religious community, I volunteer for Islamic Relief. I have been meal packing and box packaging for this amazing organization since 2017. I try and volunteer at mosques whenever I can but I defined should go over there more, especially because of COVID. For my Palestinian community, I try to make a difference by have conversations. Anyone can post an instagram story, but true progress happens at the “dinner table.” I try and talk to people who do not know how it is overseas. Also, how media makes Palestinians seem like the bad guys. Being a Palestinian Muslim means everything to me. I am very proud and prideful to be a Palestinian American. My grandparents were refugees in Puerto Rico for two years when word was going around that Israel is being supported by America and are sending weapons, before moving to the United States and becoming citizens. So many people try and erase Palestine and it’s history. But I know that with education and the right discussions we can stop that from happening. Whether that be from protests or marches, or just talking to an ignorant person at work, we can educate the world. Growing up, I used to be scared to tell people I’m Palestinian because they would automatically call me “anti-semitic.” But as I entered high school, I realized that’s what the Israeli Government wants. They want me to just say I am American and leave it at that. They do not want the world to know what is really going on overseas. The Israeli government is ethnically cleansing Palestine and claims anyone who speaks against them is racist. It is truly disgusting and makes me sick to my stomach. What is the solution to this? The solution is to make ourselves known. So many do not know the truth because they have never spoke to a Palestinian, only referring to them as what they see in bias media outlets. We can make ourselves known by working and organizing events. Supporting Palestinian artists, students, entrepreneurs, etc.! Giving Palestinians a Platform to use their voice and make a difference. Once again, I am so proud to be Palestinian and Muslim. My culture is beautiful:food, dances,gatherings, decorating, holidays, community and family.