Sara I

Major: Molecular and Cell Biology

Hometown: Bethel, Connecticut

Mother's Home Country:  Germany 

Father's Home Country: Bangladesh 

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"When I was younger, I used to go to Sunday school with my grandparents to learn about Islam. They used to dress me in saris or take me to the mosque and they always cooked traditional Bangladeshi food. We do not fast for Ramadan, but we do celebrate Eid, the end of Ramadan, with my grandparents. My mom cooks German food at home and we celebrate all the Catholic holidays. We go to Germany a lot so that’s how I connect with my mom’s side.

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I was raised to care about school and get good grades. I would come home from school and sit at the dining table and start my homework right away. Only once it was done was I allowed to play. This has now become an intrinsic desire to learn and do well, but it started with my parents. They really want us to have a good life without any struggling, so they have definitely encouraged us to pursue careers that are stable and likely to make money. My dad’s parents are a whole other story; they want all of us to be doctors, lawyers, or engineers.

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I really love being a second-generation American because to me it means having a culture that is distinct from everyone around me. I’m a really unusual mix and that makes me unique. Not to mention, it allows me to travel to visit relatives, so you could say it has really given me the travel bug."

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