Qorsho Hassan, an undergraduate majoring in sociology, has been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach English to high school students in Malaysia beginning December 2012. She will be graduating June 2012.

Ms. Hassan’s journey began in New Orleans, Louisiana where her parents migrated from Somalia in the late 1980s. She was raised in Atlanta, Georgia and is one of the first in her family to go to college. She is an OSU Morrill Scholar recipient.

Ms. Hassan’s major is Sociology with an emphasis on tolerance and religion as well as racial and class stratification. In this past year, she has been the recipient of seven study abroad scholarships, including the Gilman International Scholarship. She took part in a study abroad program situated in Warsaw, Poland which allowed her the opportunity to engage first-hand in studying post-communist European countries from a comparative perspective. She conducted research on how European societies promote social inclusion and tolerance among Muslims and stimulate cultural understanding among all Europeans.

In addition to her studies, Ms. Hassan volunteers at the Somali Women and Children Alliance, the Homeless Families Foundation, and the OSU Kids Corps (Americorps). She plans to attend graduate school and ultimatley, to start an NGO with its mission to help Somali youth pursue education.