Fall — 2008

Faraz Yousefian

Science/Welcome Center

“I have about 11 years of studying ahead of me. But these two years at SMC have just flown by. I’m just having a really good time.”

First comes the transfer to UCLA. Then it’s on to medical school at Stanford, Harvard, or Johns Hopkins. “You should always aim high, and I only want to study at the very best colleges,” says Faraz Yousefian in his second semester at SMC. “I am going to become a cardiologist,” adds Faraz, whose brother was just accepted by Cal State Northridge. And though Faraz’s journey to becoming a doctor will be an arduous one, it will be nothing like the journey that brought him here from Iran.

“I’m Bah’ai, and simply because of my faith, I couldn’t go to any university in Iran. And I had to leave there before I was 18, or I’d be forced to join the army. So I went with my mom to a village in Turkey, where I introduced myself to some UN people as a refugee. Now, I live here with my brothers, and it’s good to have family around.” But Faraz’s ‘family’ has become greatly expanded through his work at SMC’s Welcome Center.

“The Welcome Center has been a great experience for me, because I meet so many new students from all over the world. And it reminds me of when I first came to SMC myself. I went to the Center, and the people there gave me all kinds of help. They showed me the way, and now I get to do that for other people.” Faraz adds, “SMC is really a great place for international students to come to, because we all learn about each other’s cultures, and we respect each other. But though I’m Iranian, most of my friends are American, and I like it this way,” he says, “because I think it’s important to immerse yourself in the culture of whatever country you’re living in. And that’s very easy to do at SMC. Study hard while you’re having fun on campus!”

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