Difference Makers
UM-Dearborn Difference Makers are at the forefront of their fields. They’re improving the lives of others and making an impact on campus and in our local communities.
Zina Karana believes everyone she comes in contact with should feel important or special in some way, a philosophy that drives her to make a difference in the lives of others.
Her gift for infusing enthusiasm into learning has helped her flourish as a supplemental instruction leader on campus, which combines her passions for chemistry and helping others. Zina incorporated alternative communication methods, like creating a Facebook fan page for the course, as an innovative way to reach out to her fellow students. “I look forward to my sessions every week and love the satisfaction of watching students finally understand what they have been working so hard on,” she says.
Her involvement in this kind of academic assistance program in addition to her heavy course load and excellent academic performance is commendable. A recipient of the Supplemental Instruction Leader Award, Zina received a first-place honor in the annual CASL Writing Awards for her research paper on genetic engineering and enhancement.
Zina’s appetite for helping others blossomed her into a consummate volunteer. She served as secretary for the Chaldean American Student Association before becoming vice president of the organization, which participates in campus projects like Mother Teresa Service Day as well as raising money for the Adopt-A-Refugee program and scholarship funds for future college students.
Zina plans to become a physician and teach at a medical school one day. “I hope that whatever I do, I can continue to make a difference,” she says.
IN MY OWN WORDS
"My favorite part about being a UM-Dearborn student was the community atmosphere on campus. Because class sizes are smaller, you have professors who really care about you and who you continue to have meaningful relationships with, even when you are no longer their student. In addition, it is very easy to get to know a lot of people on campus and you make a lot of really great friends. There are many different opportunities to make an impact on campus, whether on an academic or social level."
