Samira Ugas
Quick Facts
Age: 20
Major: Diagnostic Ultrasound, 2024
Notable: First-generation
Additional Language: Somali
Transfer Institution: South Seattle College
“Being an Alfie Scholar has taught me the strength in my voice and how to take hold of my talents and challenges. I’ve learned that there is power in listening to others with an open mind. Each person has a story to tell and perspective that should be heard.”
Service & Work:
Patient Testing Assistant, University of Washington
Chemistry and Writing Tutor, South Seattle College
Volunteer, Valley Medical Center
Awards & Honors:
Alfie Scholars, Cohort 7, 2022–2024
Samira’s Story
My parents immigrated to the United States as refugees from Somalia in the 90’s. They didn't have money, didn't speak English, and had ten mouths to feed. As a child, I would count the years until I got to high school, so I could begin to be a help to my parents.
But high school wasn't like what I saw on TV. It was extremely low income, and there were no options for advanced placement or IB, few clubs, and no real expectation for us to succeed. It felt like a concrete wall was placed in the path to my future. When I felt stuck my parents told me that maybe this wall was here to show me something, and that if I were to overcome it, I would be stronger for it.
So, in my sophomore year of high school, I took my education into my own hands and started many clubs and initiatives to help myself and my classmates. My friends were a diverse group of people coming from all over the world, but we all had a common denominator. We had come through many challenges to get to where we were. But even with that common denominator, our differences in homelife, availability of good role models, and support were what ultimately diverged our paths and left me at graduation with half the people I started with.
On my first trip back to Somalia I realized how much privilege I had in the United States. Healthcare, education, and safety were not guaranteed in the home country of my family. There I met my cousin Sofia, who immigrated to Australia as a refugee long before I was born. She worked as a nurse in Mogadishu healing others after leaving Australia. She had the same feeling my parents did, that even though her life may have been hard, it was that difficulty that fueled her passion to help others in the first place. After all, those who experience and overcome struggle are those who are best suited to help others do the same.
As I sat down to decide on my path for the coming years, I realized the benefit of struggle. I want to be an advocate and voice for underrepresented youth, after seeing how easily one's path in life can be obstructed when living in poverty. I learned to love medicine during my days in Somalia when I saw how drastic the difference in medicine is between a first- and third-world country. And most of all I came to love education through my struggle to attain it.
My academic goals are to become an advocate who works to develop new ways to serve underrepresented groups in healthcare. I'm still searching for that “something greater” that I'm continually being prepared for, but there’s no rush. After all, each step I take to better myself and those around me is one step closer to that understanding.
Advice:
My advice to future college students, specifically first generation and transfer students, is to advocate for yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and use the resources available to you. If you don’t know something, ask, especially when it comes to applying to universities and doing prerequisite classes at community colleges. Make sure you understand the steps you need to take, and remember: no question is a bad question. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, but make sure to hold yourself up to high standards. Only you know what you are capable of, so strive to reach your full potential. Higher education can feel stressful, and you may doubt yourself but don’t let those feelings hinder you. Keep trying, even if it’s a little, and you can reach your goals. But most importantly, believe in yourself. You can do it, even if you can’t imagine it now. Take it one day at a time and try again after every set back. You got this!
Goals:
My immediate goal is to work as a Vascular Technologist here in Seattle, specifically with the Somali and low-income communities. My long-term goal is to gain certification in other fields of Sonography, such as Cardiac Sonography and Medical Sonography, and work abroad in countries in need. I will try to improve access to healthcare in minority communities as well as developing countries. Through my work in the healthcare field, I plan to work to create equitable care through advocacy and action. I will serve as a bridge between underrepresented communities and healthcare workers by utilizing my experiences in both areas. I value honesty in my intentions and efforts, dedication and hard work, and purpose-driven endeavors. As I begin my career, I will bring these values to my work life in order to create positive change.
On Civility:
Civility means being respectful and conscious of the feelings and lived experiences of others in order to treat everyone with compassion. It means navigating our diverse society with respect no matter the situation. Embodying civility means one can be assertive in their beliefs without preventing them from conversing with those they disagree with. The desire to understand one another is the foundation of civility. There is an undeniable commonality between all humans despite our vast differences. Time and again, difference is used to justify separation among humans. However, through a lens of civility, differences become not a marker of status or value, but a way to get to know one another. Practicing civility eradicates the arrogance in our identities and shifts the focus to our character inwardly and outwardly. To treat others with respect you must first believe they are worthy of it, and the civil person knows everyone is worthy of respect.
