Student Profile: Mahah Mirza ’10

International student touts Bryant’s student-centered atmosphere as one of the deciding factors to enroll.

Mahah Mirza ’10 (Dhaka, Bangladesh) is most comfortable learning in a small school where the emphasis is on the students. She learned this way as a student in Bangladesh and was looking for a similar atmosphere when she was applying to college – and Bryant fit the bill.

“At Bryant, I am part of the community and not another face in the crowd,” she says.

The close-knit nature of the campus makes it easy to meet people and leave your stamp,” she says. “The fact that everything I do has some significance in the Bryant community was a key motivating factor in coming here.”

Mirza quickly immersed herself in campus life by joining the Accounting Association, the International Student Organization, the Multicultural Student Union, the Alliance for Women’s Awareness, and the Arts and Culture Club. She is also a resident assistant.

She even presented as part of the Intercultural Center’s Global Community Hour series, where international students teach the campus community about their home countries.

Mirza was also one of the student organizers of the first “What is Diversity?” contest at Bryant, which was sponsored by the Diversity Council. “It is important to discuss diversity as a community and understand that what diversity means to each of us will differ from person to person,” she says.

The contest also served to start an important dialogue on campus. “Hopefully, all members of the community had the opportunity to see beyond their own opinions and learn to appreciate the effort Bryant is making to create a diverse campus,” she says.

One of her favorite aspects of Bryant is the open-door policy of all of its professors. Before coming to Bryant, economics was a subject she dreaded – until she took a class with Ramesh Mohan, assistant professor of economics.

“Economics is now one of my favorite courses,” says Mirza, a double concentrator in accounting and economics. “I find it exciting when I relate concepts in my economics classes to real-life situations.”

She also enjoyed classes she took in math, English and cultural studies, and psychology. “The education system here is very different from the one I was used to,” says Mirza. “The classes here are not only educational, they are also fun and interactive. Don’t be afraid to speak up in class and build relationships with your professors.”

It is also important to be active in the campus community beyond the classroom, she says. “Take part in campus activities and make the most of your opportunities … you won’t regret it.”

Mirza emphasizes Bryant’s mission to help each student develop as well-rounded person. “At Bryant we not only enhance our knowledge, we build our character and become members of a respected community,” she says.