Campus: UNC
Hometown: McAllen, TX
High School: The Science Academy of South Texas

If I were asked to define myself, it wouldn’t be one of those one-word definitions, but rather one those long, multi-faceted definitions with a first, second, and third component.

So here it is: the definition of Samia Daghestani.

1. I love all things STEM. I attended a rigorous engineering magnet high school and for my senior capstone course I worked in a team to develop a solution for the issue of blood-borne disease transmission through accidental needlestick injections. I founded a Technology Student Association Chapter at my high school and competed at state and national levels. Last summer, I spent my time in laboratories at Rice University and at the University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley conducting research in bioengineering and chemoprevention.
2. I have a keen attraction to the medical field and ultimately hope to become a Doctor. I have shadowed several physicians and watching a surgeon use a balloon catheter to free his patient’s thigh of a blood clot or an oncologist tell his patient that she is in remission and will live a long, healthy life is exciting and satisfying.
3. I am proud to call myself a Syrian-American: born in the United States but aware of my Syrian heritage. Since the beginning of the revolution, I have provided as much relief and awareness as I can, organizing container shipments, hosting prayer vigils, or simply educating people about the issue. I like to think of myself as an activist for human rights. And although I am specifically drawn to the crisis in Syria, all matters from all around the world pertaining to human dignity call my attention.

While I’m not claiming to be a linguist, it’s fair to say that the meanings of words evolve and adjust with time. These next four years as a Robertson Scholar will help me grow and develop my definition of myself as I meet new people and get to know their definitions, learn new things, and hone my leadership skills and potential.

What drew you to the Robertson Program? There isn’t anything about the program that drew me away… that’s exactly what drew me to the Robertson. It gives you the opportunity to surround yourself with like-minded individuals, in that each scholar is a leader with an aspiration to impact our world. On that same token, each scholar is so different- debaters, scientists, civil rights activists. All of us, however, are selected in the hope that we will make a difference with the guidance of the RSLP.