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Shehnaz Haqqani

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Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Martial Arts
  • Research
  • Video Editing and Production
  • Reading
  • Anthropology
  • Arabic
  • Baking
  • Blogging
  • Counseling And Therapy
  • Education
  • Comedy
  • Foreign Languages
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities
  • Self Care
  • Writing

Reading

  • Academic
  • Adult Fiction
  • Anthropology
  • Religion
  • Women's Fiction
  • Cultural
  • Family
  • Novels
  • Young Adult

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

Greetings, visitor! I am a scholar, writer, and emerging mental health counselor committed to advancing equity, healing, and opportunity for disenfranchised communities in the U.S. and eventually abroad. My interests lie at the intersection of education, mental health, faith, and social justice, informed by both professional training and lived experience. I hold a PhD in Islamic Studies and am currently completing a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling along with a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. After more than a decade in higher education, research, and teaching, I'm ready to take my professional training and expertise to new levels - namely, working directly with families navigating trauma, identity conflict, acculturation stress, and systemic barriers to care - while maintaining my academic career. I am particularly passionate about culturally responsive and trauma-informed counseling for adult children of immigrant and refugee parents. I have authored the book Feminism, Tradition and Change in Contemporary Islam: Negotiating Islamic Law and Gender (Oneworld, 2024) and am currently working on my second book. My long-term goal is to practice as a mental health counselor while continuing to write, teach, and mentor—creating accessible resources that empower people to reclaim their voices, strengthen family relationships, and pursue lives of dignity and purpose. I am applying for scholarships to continue pursuing my education in mental health counseling and entrepreneurship and innovation and am excited to explore my options!

Education

Mercer University

Master's degree program

2024 – 2026

Majors:
  • Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
  • Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
  • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other

The University of Texas at Austin

Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

2011 – 2018

Majors:
  • Religion/Religious Studies

Emory University

Bachelor's degree program

2009 – 2011

Majors:
  • Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Mercer University
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Assistant Professor

    Higher Education · Mercer University

    Jan 2018 – Present

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Higher Education
Dream career goals:
Education, mental health counseling, entrepreneurship
Work experience:
8 years
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurship
Shehnaz Haqqani Student Profile | Bold.org