Unconventional students at Rice 2017: Yasna Haghdoost

Yasna Haghdoost, a Will Rice College senior majoring in English and political science, entered Rice with no idea about what she wanted to do.

That all changed when she became involved with communities she was passionate about. Now editor of the student-run newspaper, the Rice Thresher, and president of Rice’s sketch comedy troupe, Kinda Sketchy, Haghdoost found groups of people she cared about. She also got involved with the Baker Institute for Public Policy and found a mentor that helped her crystalize her professional aspirations.

“Without these communities and without these mentors, I don’t know that I would have the same drive or motivation that I have now,” Haghdoost said. “I think the thing I’m going to miss most is the community of people that I’ve had the pleasure of working with. I’ve been surrounded by incredibly funny, bright and thoughtful people.”

After graduation, Haghdoost will spend several months studying the role of grassroots organizations and civil society in addressing violence against women through the Wagoner Foreign Study Scholarship Program.

“A lot of the problems that we struggle with as a society, you see echoes of it here in the Rice community as well,” Haghdoost said. “But what makes Rice special for me is that there’s an extra willingness to address these issues and help find solutions as a community.”