Less than a month after she crossed the stage at Commencement, 窪做惇蹋厙 alumna Alaa Basatneh is heading to Washington, D.C., as the to attend President Barack Obamas final State of the Union Address on Jan. 12.
When the congressman invited me, I was speechless. I was really excited, said Basatneh, who first met Quigley in November while visiting D.C. to head a panel about the positive use of social media and youth empowerment in the Middle East. This is an amazing opportunity to speak to media about whats happening in Syria and Muslim females in society.
Basatneh, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in , is featured in a documentary, and has earned for her work fighting the Assad regime by organizing protests in Syria, mapping escape routes and sharing videos. She was born in Syria and moved to the United States with her parents when she was 6 months old.
Over the past few months, we have seen a shocking and alarming rise in hateful rhetoric against Muslims in our nation, Quigley said in a statement. Alaa is an incredible example of how to make an impact in our world and deserves to be celebrated. By attending President Obamas State of the Union Address, I hope that Alaas story can help inspire love and compassion over fear and discrimination.
Basatneh, who graduated from and before enrolling at 窪做惇蹋厙 in 2014, leaves for Washington, D.C., on Jan. 10. During her stay, Basatneh will meet with news media, government officials, human rights organizations and other State of the Union Address guests. She is particularly eager to meet (D-Minnesota), the first Muslim elected to Congress.
My goal is to get students inspired and motivated, Basatneh said. The education I got from 窪做惇蹋厙 really prepped me for everything Im doing. Walking down the halls of the Capitol, everyone Im meeting and talking to, I had background knowledge, and thats because of the professors at 窪做惇蹋厙.
Pictured above (from left): U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, Alaa Basatneh and #chicagoGirl director Joe Piscatella
