Aminah Muhammad is not one to turn down a challenge.

As a nontraditional student and mother of six, Muhammad already has a lot on her plate. Yet, this did not deter her from taking an internship abroad in Senegal, West Africa, and establishing two new student organizations on campus—all while excelling academically.

Muhammad is majoring in behavioral sciences with a minor in public health. She took a public health internship for eight weeks in Senegal and was tasked with incentivizing a children’s public health and education program. This program was geared primarily toward health and hygiene education, but also educated youth on the importance of mental health.

“This is no small feat for a nontraditional student parent to arrange, but Aminah was driven by her desire to make a difference in the lives of children lacking access to basic healthcare and health education,” said SOAR Director Ellen Judge-Gonzalez. In the end, the program reached more than 1,200 children.

Closer to home, Muhammad was busy creating opportunities on campus. She participates in multiple student organizations, including serving as vice president of the Child Life Student Association and treasurer of the Association of Non-Traditional Students. She founded the Behavioral Sciences Student Association and is a charter member of Theta Phi Sorority, a chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

“I feel fortunate in having played a pivotal role in establishing this sorority on campus,” said Muhammad. “I feel honored to be a member of Zeta Phi Beta and more blessed to continue the legacy of my grandmother's 77 years and counting of active membership in the sorority.”

Muhammad hopes to create a legacy of her own in her future career. She is grateful for the SOAR program, which she credits for helping support her academically. After graduating, she plans to pursue a graduate degree in social work, with the goal of becoming a child and family social worker in an urban setting. She has a strong desire to work with students struggling with learning disabilities, a group that is often misunderstood. Ultimately, she hopes to “be the resource for them that I never had.”