Student Profiles
Pakistani Student Relishes UMass Amherst Experiences
When Sabah Baxamoosa ’07 (social thought and political economy, fondly known as STPEC) attended school in Karachi, Pakistan, she was encouraged to study abroad. “Many people recommended UMass Amherst, so I did some online research. Not many higher learning institutions back home offer liberal arts educations, so I was thrilled to know I could pursue my interests in history, political science and international relations. And I was excited to find that as part of the Five College Consortium, I could take advantage of programs in the four nearby colleges.”
One of Baxamoosa’s first outings on campus was to the STPEC office, where she instantly became part of the close-knit STPEC family. “The interdisciplinary nature of the major has made me more aware, more sensitive, more socially responsible. Besides reading theory and thinking about it, I actually apply theory to real situations.” Baxamoosa points specifically to a 200-hour, for credit, internship required of STPEC majors. “There are so many exciting opportunities to participate in, and everyone affiliated with the program not only makes sure we are on track, but gives encouragement, advice and inspiration.”
Baxamoosa’s time at UMass Amherst, she says, has been “enriching, to say the least.” While her major has many requirements, it also has allowed enough room to choose from an array of other fields. In Baxamoosa’s case she has elected many media and communication studies classes. “My learning has been holistic,” she declares, “and I’ve been amply exposed to diverse academic experiences. I’ve taken classes in large settings with close to 200 individuals and have participated in small discussion-style seminars. There have been project-oriented classes and even graduate-level seminars.”
Her culminating experience, says Baxamoosa, is an honors thesis taken under the direction of Paula Chakravartty, assistant professor of communication, and Vivek Bhandari, a social sciences professor from Hampshire College. “In my independent honors capstone course, I am exploring President Pervez Musharraf’s paradigm of Enlightened Moderation that he has used to legitimize his nonparliamentary takeover of power in Pakistan since 1999,” Baxamoosa explains. “The vision for Enlightened Moderation was articulated in 2004. I argue that this vision is a foreign policy initiative, with inherent implications for the domestic landscape. I believe it tries to redress the rise of radical Islam, but at the same time acknowledges it and has a place for religion implicated in it. I argue that the vision is fraught with contradictions, and I explore how the multiplicity of publics in Pakistan engage with his vision and what that implies for Pakistan as a nation and future democratic processes there.”
Chakravartty notes that Baxamoosa is an exceptional student, “one of the best I’ve worked with in my six years of undergraduate teaching.” Baxamoosa is helping Chakravartty on two separate lines of research as well, sorting and coding newspaper data and identifying and summarizing secondary literature. “This work supplements her own research for her thesis,” notes Chakravartty, “but if I’d had funds to hire an undergraduate research assistant for the year, she could have helped me develop a major grant proposal, in addition to working on ongoing publications. Funds for undergraduate research assistants, in addition to (not instead of) graduate research assistants would be beneficial for both students and faculty. Besides piquing their interest in research and further study, students gain valuable skills and insights that give them competence and confidence in their own abilities.”
Baxamoosa, who has been on the dean’s list every semester since arriving at UMass Amherst, expects to return to Pakistan to invest her skills. With an eye on starting a nonprofit business venture, she is thinking about initiating a program similar to Teach for America. Graduate school lies in her future as well “a few years from now.”
But in the meantime, Baxamoosa is savoring the remainder of her time on campus, including the rich and diverse extracurricular activities. “I have enjoyed unbelievable live performances, exhilarating sports games, movies, presentations by brilliant visiting and guest lecturers like Salman Rushdie and Noam Chomsky, and dedicated student organizations. The many RSOs here allow people to be involved with something they are passionate about. You rise from being an unknown face in the crowd to experiencing a great sense of community and pride. It’s been a terrific experience.”
March 15, 2007
