Jumana's academic journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology at VU Amsterdam. After completing her bachelor's, she pursued and successfully completed two Master's degrees at VU: Business Administration and Work and Organisational Psychology. “Before I started my studies, I imagined psychology as a therapist with a notebook, listening to a client lying on a couch talking about their problems,” she says. However, a taster day revealed the field to be much broader. “Social psychology piqued my interest because it focuses on group dynamics, exclusion, and how people behave in different social contexts, such as in the workplace.”
She chose to extend her bachelor’s by a year to explore other disciplines. “I was curious about my roots in West Asia and realised I knew very little about the region's history. That was unfortunate because, as Marcus Garvey, a pioneer in the fight for civil rights for Black people in the US, said: ‘A people without knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.’ Thanks to extracurricular courses like ‘The Middle East in Modern History,’ which I took at VU, I was able to place historical events in a broader context,” Jumana explains. “This helped me understand how ‘the East and the West’ are interconnected. For instance, we can’t comprehend the situation in Southwest Asia without considering Western colonial powers. The genocide in Palestine, for example, cannot be understood without acknowledging the legacy of colonialism and the influence of Western powers in the region.”
Jumana shares that her time at VU changed her profoundly. “I grew up in a village with little diversity. I found the diversity at VU truly enriching.” As a first-generation student, she didn’t know what to expect. “At university, I discovered new sides of myself. I had always thought of myself as shy, but I really blossomed here, and the social aspects of studying were incredibly enriching for me.”
Contribute to society
In addition to her studies, Jumana was highly active in extracurricular activities. She joined IFMSA, a socially oriented student organisation. “I used to think student associations were mostly about parties, but I wanted to contribute to society,” she says.
At IFMSA, Jumana found the engagement she was looking for. During the pandemic, she organised a buddy project connecting Dutch students with asylum seekers to help them with language skills and reduce feelings of loneliness. She also facilitated evenings of online dialogue on topics like loneliness and the history of Dutch slavery. Additionally, she organised interfaith events where Christians, Jews, Muslims, and atheists engaged in discussions based on thought-provoking questions. Fundraising evenings were held to support charities, such as Médecins Sans Frontières for the crisis in Yemen.
Besides her studies and volunteer work, Jumana worked as a student assistant at VU Amsterdam. For instance, she worked for the ‘Better Prepared’ programme, which prepares high school students for the transition to university. Her role included visiting schools to provide guidance on subject selection in the third year of secondary school. “I also helped to ease students’ stress, as this decision can feel overwhelming.”
Sustainability
During the pandemic, Jumana’s interest in sustainability grew. She became aware of the links between climate change, human rights, and economic inequality. Jumana shares, “That’s why I started buying fewer clothes, and when I did, I chose second-hand. I also began eating more plant-based and seasonal foods.” She is now actively involved with the foundation Groene Moslims (Green Muslims), an organisation focused on the relationship between Islam and sustainability. “I believe we should treat the earth as though it’s a mosque, handling it with care,” she explains. “Many people view climate change action as elitist, partly because Western approaches to sustainability are often exclusionary. Choices promoted by wealthy groups, such as electric cars and solar panels, are expensive, and the materials for these ‘sustainable choices’ are often extracted from countries exploited by the West.”
Currently, Jumana works as a case manager at a reception centre for asylum seekers. In this role, she supports residents with their asylum procedures, helps them integrate, and offers guidance in difficult situations, such as preparing for a return to their home countries. She also acts as a behavioural expert, advising colleagues on handling complex situations, including suicide prevention.
What advice would Jumana give to students who, like her, want to engage in social impact alongside their studies? “I would highly recommend it. You develop skills in areas beyond your studies, such as leadership, communication, and the ability to view societal problems from multiple perspectives,” says Jumana. “Stepping out of your comfort zone can feel daunting, but those are the moments when you grow. Your student years pass quickly, and these experiences are incredibly valuable and enriching.”
ECHO award
Every year ECHO, Center for Diversity Policy, invites colleges and universities to nominate socially active students who make a difference in the field of Diversity & Inclusion for the ECHO Award 2024. The ECHO Award calls attention to the specific experiences that students with a non-Western background carry with them and the way they manage to turn these experiences into a constructive contribution to society.
Students who are eligible for an ECHO Award are students with a non-western background who are actively engaged in society and stand out because of innovation in thinking and acting, organizational ability, social impact and their role as ‘critical friend’.
