student profile
a bright light Shahodat Hamraeva, Class of 2012
By dr. lylas rommel
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hahodat Hamraeva heard about Ave Maria University when she was in Hawaii where she was a recipient of a US State Department Freedom Support Act and Future Leaders Exchange Program/Scholarship. Originally from Uzbekistan and fluent in Russian as well as English, Shaka is one of many of the bright lights among the current crop of graduating seniors. Looking back on her experience here, she sees her participation in the Harvard National Model United Nations as one of the highpoints. This program, begun in 1955, has offered college students an opportunity to participate in United Nations committees’ activities by roleplaying as delegates, representatives of NonGovernmental Organizations or of various countries. Students prepare for the Harvard Model by studying the countries or the organizations they will represent and then being able to debate, critically analyze issues, write position papers, and otherwise engage in the process of a United Nations model just as real members of the United Nations do. In 2008, Shaka’s first year at the University, the Ave Maria team won Best New Member. “It was an amazing experience. It was cutthroat. It was real world; real UN. You know, it’s one thing to hear about world problems, but another to participate in the process. You see the real issues and have to judge the policies, you have to solve x, y, z problems and rush to
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think things out. I tried to help people and to get policies and people together.” A member of the International Club in 2008, she has served as President since 2009 and has helped to welcome international students to the campus. She has organized various events for the club and has been active in fundraising. “Although student contemplation is a focus here, we want to make the school famous and build its reputation,” she says. She hopes that she has laid a foundation by initiating forums and events that allow for continuing discussion of real world issues. Having shown a strong interest in science and global awareness from high school, Shaka will graduate with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. She was research assistant to Dr. Vladislav Sallai the summer of 2009-2010 and worked on metal-metal bonded compounds. The next year she won the Department of Biology and Chemistry Research Fellowship and worked with department chairman Dr. James Peliska. As a result of these awards, she has gained hands-on experience in laboratory research that will give her an advantage over students in much larger schools because of the intimate nature of Ave Maria. “Working as an assistant gave me practical knowledge: why this formula has to be the way it is or why that procedure has to be that way,” she continued, “I think the department does a very good job with what they have. I’m happy I’m here. The professors have been very help-