This month, Ghufran Hussain received her bachelor’s degree in biology.
NEWARK, NJ — Ghufran Hussain, the second of five children, was born just months before the start of the Iraq War. Her family fled the violence to Jordan, then came to the United States in 2010 and settled in North Bergen.
Armed with a bachelor’s degree in biology, she spoke earlier this month at her commencement ceremony at Rutgers University-Newark. Hussain now plans to enroll in medical assistant programs.
“As the child of immigrants, you always feel like you have to reach high. A lot of us go into business, law, or medicine because we want to give our parents the best possible life,” said Hussain, who also minored in chemistry. “My mother and I always said I could be anything I wanted, but studying medicine feels like a small way to thank them for everything they sacrificed on their journey. Plus, I genuinely love learning how the body works and how to make it function better.”
Her journalism studies offered a creative outlet and a potential lifelong hobby—a sharp departure from the biology and chemistry track.
“I do enjoy writing, storytelling, and conducting interviews, though I picture myself as a writer much later in life,” Hussain said. “I could see myself exploring that artistic side as a personal pursuit down the road.”
Beyond her coursework, Hussain was deeply involved in campus life at Rutgers-Newark. She tutored fellow students in English, worked as a student employee in the Office of Student Life and Leadership, and previously served as president of NJPIRG. She also volunteered as an EMT in the local community and gave her time at the JBJ Soul Kitchen on campus.
During Hussain’s first year, when the pandemic kept the campus community off grounds, she spent time seeking out volunteer opportunities and discovered the NJPIRG Renewable Energy Act—a petition advocating for cleaner energy and environmental sustainability across the state.
“After spending time working with them, I fell in love with civic engagement and wanted to find even more ways to improve the community around me,” Hussain said.
Hussain pursued better health outcomes for Newark residents by, among other efforts, organizing competitions among her NJPIRG peers and fellow Rutgers-Newark students to collect the most plastic waste off campus. She also champions eco-friendly initiatives and encourages participation in Rutgers-Newark’s town Engagement Day, an event where students volunteer with local organizations to benefit the city. Hussain believes she’s made a tangible impact: under her leadership, Rutgers-Newark won the NJ PIRG Ballot Bowl—a voter registration drive—for two consecutive years, placing first both times.
“It breaks my heart to see community members struggling with homelessness and hunger, but I’m truly inspired by the fact that my peers and I can directly help those in need,” Hussain said. “At first, I did it just for fun, but looking back, I see how much these opportunities have opened doors I didn’t even know existed.”
While waiting to hear back from physician assistant programs—including Rutgers—Hussain plans to continue volunteering in the community and gaining clinical experience.
Reflecting on her family’s journey, Hussain credits them for bringing her to this point.
“I know the struggles my family went through to give us kids a better life, so I try my best to give back to the community. When we arrived, there was a village waiting to help us, and I want to make sure that anyone else who decides to build a new life here finds a welcoming village, too.”
