Two International Students Benefit From Omni International Student Scholarship

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OMNI Endowed International Student Scholars Narmine Ben Aissa, left, and Mehreen Jamal.

Two University of Arkansas students were named Omni Endowed International Student Scholars for 2020-21.

Mehreen Jamal, a doctoral candidate in history, received the Omni Center for Peace, Justice, and Ecology Endowed Scholarship for War and Climate Refugees, and Narmine Ben Aissa, an undergraduate student in computer science and mathematics, received the OMNI Endowed International Student Scholarship.

"The University of Arkansas has long welcomed international students. Because of wars, warming, religious conflict, poverty, local dangers, and other causes, the need for financial support is increasing. Students displaced from their homes and countries and seeking asylum are especially in need of assistance. The University of Arkansas provides the culture of peace essential to graduate students and to students fleeing harm," said Dick Bennett, professor emeritus of English, and founder of the OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology.

Ben Aissa, a student from Tunis, Tunisia, said the award allowed her to pursue academic and professional success during a pandemic.

"Shifting from in-person to online events and initiative has been the theme of this year, and I am now one of the authors of a paper that explains the impact of COVID-19 and online education on engineering education," Ben Aissa said.

She participated in International Culture Team, the McMillon Innovation Studio, and is active in GritFest (an inclusive mountain biking initiative for women) and the Northwest Arkansas Tech Summit. After graduation, Ben Aissa plans to pursue a master's degree in data analytics from the university.

Jamal, a student from Karachi, Pakistan, said the award will allow her to "focus more on my dissertation, research, and leadership activities and ease my financial burden in the times of the global pandemic."

Jamal is finishing her dissertation on the cultural and gender history of South Asia with research broadly highlighting the lives and contributions of underrepresented populations.

Jamal is an advocate for women's rights, engaging with the local community and by writing opinion pieces in the newspapers.

"One of my essays about gender representation in South Asian and American media has been accepted in a Pakistani renowned English newspaper, Dawn," she said. Jamal also founded a registered student organization, the Pakistani Students Association, to introduce Pakistani culture to the Fayetteville community.

After graduation, Jamal plans to pursue a career at a higher education institution because of her passion for mentoring and supporting students.

Gifts may be donated to the OMNI International Student Scholarship endowments through the university's online giving website or by contacting Julie Olsen, director of development for the Graduate School and International Education, at jkolsen@uark.edu.