Chasing Dreams: Afghan Teens Embraced New Possibilities at SBU Pre-College Summer Program

Fatima Rajaye (left) and Tabby Hooram. Photo by Sabrina Liguori.

Tabby Hooram watched in awe as she emptied a syringe of green tea into a petri dish full of cancer cells.

"Oh, it was like magic!" She said, her eyes lighting up as she described the cells dying under treatment.

For a teenager who escaped Afghanistan's Taliban regime just four years ago, experimenting in a lab at Stony Brook University felt surreal. It was her first step toward the career in medicine she'd always dreamed of.

"What really inspired me was my family and neighbors in Afghanistan," she said. "They gave me the nickname 'doctor,' which was really motivational. I was just a kid, but they believed in me so much."

When the Taliban seized control of her country and immediately banned girls from attending secondary school and university, Tabby's world turned upside down. She attempted to flee to Pakistan with her mother and sister, but they didn't have the resources to remain there together. After a heart-wrenching goodbye, her mother had to return to Afghanistan. Tabby hasn't seen her since.

The next two years brought more hardship, but also hope. In Pakistan, Tabby met Fatima Rajaye, a fellow patrol leader for the now-dissolved Afghanistan Scout Association - part of the global Scouting movement.

"It was too dangerous for us to stay in Afghanistan," said Fatima, who had narrowly evaded a forced marriage at the hands of the Taliban. "So our scout leaders helped us find a safe house in Pakistan while we went through the process of getting our U.S. visas."

After more than a year of uncertainty and countless applications for educational opportunities in the States, they finally found a path to freedom. Both Tabby and Fatima received full scholarships to attend Emerson Waldorf School in North Carolina, and they found a supportive host family to foster them. They were grateful, hopeful, and determined to give back.

Fatima joined Troop 39 of Scouting America and is now on track to become the nation's first-ever Eagle Scout from Afghanistan. Tabby founded her own nonprofit called Afghan Scouts Durham (ASD), which currently serves 30 displaced Afghan girls living in the U.S. With assistance from Fatima and other volunteers, Tabby helps them apply for asylum, practice for interviews, access healthcare, and more.

"We're really passionate, and we never give up," Tabby said. "The whole reason we came to America was to continue our education. It was an inspiring journey, and I really wanted to show the world what's happening in Afghanistan and what it's like for Afghan girls who come here."

Visa restrictions prevent Tabby and Fatima from working or earning an income while attending high school in the United States. This makes programs like Stony Brook's Pre-College Summer (PCS) - with its fees and travel costs - difficult to access.

PCS offered something that both girls craved: experience with college-level coursework in a university setting. When their host father saw a LinkedIn post promoting Stony Brook's discount for Afghan girls, Tabby and Fatima rushed to the course catalog.

It read like a menu of possibilities. Tabby considered a variety of courses in medicine and ultimately landed on cancer biology. Fatima, fresh from a legal internship, knew exactly which course she wanted: pre-law. Both girls were able to participate thanks to Stony Brook's financial assistance.

"We believe it's crucial to support girls who came from Afghanistan after the collapse of education for young women there," said Peter Diplock, vice provost for continuing, professional and online education at Stony Brook. "Getting them engaged in Pre-College Summer is the perfect next step, because they have aspirations of going to college here in the United States. Our program prepares them to do so successfully."

Tabby holds up a shirt she tie-dyed during PCS social programming. Photo by Andrew Zhang.

For Tabby, it was a first - living in a residence hall with roommates, eating dining hall food, and exploring a college campus. She was a bit nervous, but mostly excited, and once her week at Stony Brook was coming to an end she didn't want to leave.

"I love the community here," she said. "It's really nice, and the campus is beautiful. I see people being really kind to each other and supporting each other, and that means a lot to me."

She's always had her heart set on neurosurgery, but taking the cancer bio course opened Tabby's eyes to other opportunities in the medical field that she may want to pursue. She discovered that she loves working in a laboratory alongside a team of other scientists.

"Every day, we did a different experiment," she said. "And it was really awesome. Working with the professor was the highlight of my days, and the hands-on experience helped me improve my skills and try new things. I felt like time was flying!"

While Tabby killed cancer cells in the lab, Fatima crafted witness testimonies in the pre-law classroom, which was rearranged to resemble a real courtroom. She gained a wealth of knowledge about the U.S. legal system, learned how to litigate a case from start to finish, and made lasting connections while she was at it.

"We had three mock trials," said pre-law instructor David Scott. "And Fatima took the witness role on her team. She did very well. I was impressed with her confidence and professionalism on the witness stand."

Pre-law participants also had the opportunity to meet Mary Beth Tinker and Cathy Kuhlmeier, plaintiffs in some of the most consequential Supreme Court cases in recent history. Fatima was inspired by their advocacy for students' rights and First Amendment freedom.

"Now that I've attended this program, I'm sure I want to study law and become a lawyer," she said. "I was in this classroom for hours every day of the week, and I was never bored - I enjoyed whatever we did. Now I know what my next step is and where I want to go in the future."

Fatima watches another group's mock trial in the pre-law course at PCS. Photo by Sabrina Liguori.

Fatima's interest in law was originally sparked by the lengthy legal process she went through to claim asylum in the U.S. Helping others do the same through Afghan Scouts Durham made her realize that this work has the power to change people's lives.

"I spoke with Fatima about her experience in the course, and she shared that she found it empowering and that it increased her motivation to be an advocate for those who can't speak for themselves," David said. "She shared that coming from a country where the voices of women and girls are silenced, this experience had a profound impact on her."

No matter which universities Fatima and Tabby end up attending, they're now poised to enter college with the utmost confidence in themselves and their capabilities. PCS didn't just prepare them for this transition, it also broadened their horizons and introduced them to others who share a passion for supporting Afghan refugees.

"When I came to Stony Brook, some people who work here introduced me to their colleagues at Uplifting Afghan Girls," Tabby said. "They asked how they could help me, and I suggested collaborating with Afghan Scouts Durham, because we share the same mission of helping Afghan girls. So we're going to connect more, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity."

As they prepare to draft their college essays and fill out applications, Tabby and Fatima will draw on their experiences in Pre-College Summer to chart their paths ahead. Both girls plan to apply to Stony Brook.

"I want to say thank you to the Pre-College Summer Program for making these opportunities possible for all students who want to experience the program," Fatima said. For her and Tabby, whose futures once hung in the balance as they risked their lives to resume their studies, that week at Stony Brook came with a revelation - their dream careers are well within their reach.

- Sabrina Liguori