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like Kholood — who are good global citizens, empathetic and knowledgeable about other religions.” From her first day on campus, Qumei was interested in engaging fellow students about different religious and cultural traditions. She tutored other students in Arabic. As part of the Honors Program, she loved the intensive seminars on Islam and philosophy, but was frustrated that they weren’t available to the wider Seton Hall community. So she launched the Honors Program Student Association, which sponsored evening events in which any student could come have pizza and listen to a professor give a talk on everything from food ethics to Western perceptions of Islam. What’s most intriguing about Qumei, her professors say, is that she manages to pair a passion for service with an equally strong drive for intellectual debate and scholarship. In controversial classes about religion and politics, “she would not shy away from dealing with very sophisticated and thorny controversial issues,” says Issam Aburaya, associate professor of religious studies. “She is very assertive, and has the skills of a leader, but yet she is also very polite.” Qumei says that through her studies, she has learned that service and scholarship aren’t so different. “I see it in my professors — it's service through education.” As she continues her intellectual journey, Qumei stays grounded by her diverse family. After she was accepted into Harvard Divinity School, she called both of her grandmothers — one in Jordan, the other in the Philippines — to tell them the good news. Neither one knew what Harvard was. “They had never heard of it, but they knew it must’ve been a big deal,” Qumei says, laughing. “They're just happy I’m getting an education.” ■ Virginia Hughes is a science writer and blogger based in New York City. She can be reached at virginia.hughes@gmail.com.
Scholarship & Service: Kholood Qumei will continue her quest to bring about a more culturally enlightened world by pursuing a master’s degree at Harvard Divinity School this year. (inset) Qumei demonstrated an early commitment to education by traveling to Ghana to build a kindergarten classroom.
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