On May 20 at 9 a.m. in New York City, Arafeh will graduate from Columbia University School of General Studies summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with her second bachelor’s degree as a part of the Dual BA Program Between Columbia University and Sciences Po.
Prior to attending Columbia University, Arafeh was the valedictorian at the Lycée Français de Jérusalem and was awarded a full scholarship to attend Sciences Po in France. For her first two years of college she studied on the Menton campus that focuses on the Middle East region.
“At Menton, I was one of two Palestinian students on a small campus where I knew all of my classmates, yet was intellectually challenged and exposed to an internationally-diverse student body. Because the campus was focused on the Middle East, I was able to bring my perspective to my classmates, some of whom had never visited the region. I enjoyed sharing my culture with my fellow students,” Arafeh said.
After two years at Sciences Po, the Dual BA Program was presented as an option for what would have been a required third year abroad. It also presented an opportunity for Arafeh to earn a second Bachelor of Arts with a major in economics.
“Coming to Columbia, a large, research university, I became much more independent, and I took advantage of being in one of the largest cities in the world,” Arafeh said.
Having excelled at Columbia, Arafeh gained admission to Cambridge University where she will continue her studies in pursuit of a master’s degree in development studies. She plans to enroll in a doctoral program shortly after.
“My long-term plan is to take all of these global experiences and return to Palestine to work for the Ministry of National Economy. I want to find ways to help build a better Palestinian government,” Arafeh said.
