Sumaya Shoaib tries to lend a helping hand to those in need whenever she can.
When Shoaib was two and-a-half years old, her parents moved from Pakistan to Toronto, Canada, where she grew up. Shoaib said that her parents wanted a better education and a brighter future for her and her brother.
After marrying, Shoaib moved to Bellerose, the home of her husband, a year and a half ago. Although she was homesick at first, she said she has now come to love living in Queens and considers it her home. The homesick feelings began to lessen as Shoaib grew more active and connected to her community.
Shoaib is now in her third semester of study at Queensborough Community College (QCC), where she currently is majoring in business administration. She said that she is interested in possibly going into marketing or human resources.
During her first semester, Shoaib interned at the New York Public Interest Research Group. She was the team leader of the hunger and homeless issue.
“We did a lot of events just to help out the homeless,” she said. She continued, “I find it’s a big issue and I think there [are] so many things we all can do to help.”
While interning, she coordinated a food/clothing drive, among other events. Shoaib also participated in an event where she and others walked around Manhattan to hand out sandwiches and information about shelters.
“I find time here and there just to help out the needy,” Shoaib said. “I try my best. I try to get as involved as I can.”
On campus, Shoaib now serves as the vice president of the Muslim Students’ Association. She said that the organization’s goals are to help the needy and the Muslim community, while also creating awareness about Islam.
In addition, Shoaib has been active in her local mosque.
Shoaib said that just being able to help those in need has been the most rewarding part of her involvement.
“I hold it [helping others] very close to my heart,” said Shoaib, who wants to continue giving back by getting involved with other organizations in the future. “It’s one of my priorities.”
One of Shoaib’s proudest accomplishments has been earning good grades last semester. She said that she has never been really good at school.
“I tried my best and I got a lot of help from . . . the tutoring center [at QCC] and I managed to put my GPA at 3.6,” she said. “It teaches you [that] you put in your effort and you get something back from it. Hard work does pay off.”
After graduating from QCC, Shoaib is planning to continue her education by studying business administration at another college, such as St. John’s University or New York University. She said that she hopes to find a job where she would be able to help others.
Shoaib has several other goals, but she said she leaves herself open to new opportunities that she can take advantage of when they come around.
