An international student at Methodist University is proving you can do almost anything you set your mind to – including being a guest speaker at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
An international student at Methodist University is proving you can do almost anything you set your mind to – including being a guest speaker at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Even more remarkable is she would do it in a language (English) she barely knew a few years ago. “(For some time) I only knew how to say, ‘Hi, my name is…’ and honestly, I probably couldn’t say that very well,” said MU senior Ladiba Said Nafe.
Although Said Nafe claims Western Sahara as her home country, she’s actually never been there. Her people have been living in Algerian refugee camps for nearly half a century due to political conflicts.
Growing up in the refugee camps, Said Nafe eventually earned a scholarship the United World College’s International Baccalaureate program in Norway – a two-year educational program primarily for teenage international students. Not only did Said Nafe need to pass her classes, she also had to spend a lot of time learning English so she could attend a college or university in the United States.
“When I passed the program, I decided to apply to Methodist University,” she said. “Not only did MU offer great scholarships for international students, but I heard a lot of good things about the University from other international students.”
That’s no surprise, as MU currently has students from across the U.S. and representing more than 50 countries. Now, Said Nafe is on track to graduate in May with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. But in the midst of a demanding program like Nursing, Said Nafe is finding ways to prove herself outside of the classroom.
In October, Said Nafe was asked to speak to the UN about the ongoing conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front over the Western Sahara territory.
“I was invited by Western Sahara’s representative in the UN,” Said Nafe said. “He happens to know that I’m studying at Methodist University and knows I’m very passionate about the case back home. I had to make a quick decision on whether to speak, and I’m glad I did.”
Said Nafe’s emotional plea to remove Western Sahara from the United Nations’ list of non-self-governing territories was heard by hundreds of officials inside the UN Headquarters.
“I simply asked UN officials to call the people at the refugee camps to know about our situation,” said Saide Nafe. “But afterwards, the chair of the UN meeting said he was impressed with my strong words and the passion I brought forward.”
Methodist University’s staff and faculty within the Nursing program also have glowing remarks about Said Nafe.
“I’ve had the pleasure of having Ladiba in a few of my classes over the past year,” said Dr. Cheryl Bearringer, associate professor of Nursing. “She’s highly self-motivated, conscientious and displays compassion for her peers and others, including those in the clinical setting as a student nurse. She’s well-liked by all and she has an infectious, but well-developed, sense of humor.”
After graduating in May, Said Nafe plans to gain experience as a nurse. But eventually, she hopes to give back to her people back home.
“There’s a lot of pride for my family and for my people because they have always supported me,” Said Nafe said. “Not many people from Western Sahara get the opportunity to come to the United States to study and get an education, so I want to eventually give back to my people back home.”
To learn about Methodist University’s Global Education Office, visit here. You can also receive more information about our Nursing program on our website.