National College Decision Day: Why I Said Yes to Korbel on May 1

By: Sama Abdulameer, BA International Studies, ‘28

At seventeen, it can be a little difficult to decide where you will be spending the next four years of your life, let alone your entire career path. I grew up around Aurora, Colorado, and went to a small charter high school. College was advertised as an “I made it” moment, a reflection of your hard work and success. I romanticized the idea of a big state school or a prestigious East Coast university far away from home. For me, I was trying to fit into a pre-determined mold of what the “college experience” should be rather than finding my own path. In reality, I came to learn that the “dream” I was sold didn’t necessarily align with my priorities.

I came into DU with little prior knowledge of Korbel or its programs; all I knew was that I was interested in International Affairs and in pursuing a legal career. After touring, my family and I had dinner at Tatsu Izakaya on University, one of our favorite sushi spots in Denver. After picturing what my daily life would look like at DU and discussing my goals and options, it seemed like DU was the top choice. However, I was still hesitant to commit. In comparison to all my friends, it felt like the safe option to commit to a college only 10 minutes from my high school.

At the time, I was interning at the Capitol and spent a significant amount of my time with the legislative aides. The majority of them were a bit older and had already completed undergrad, so I thought I might benefit from their advice. I remember a distinct conversation with an aide who had graduated from Korbel. She seemed to understand my concerns and shared that she had a similar thought process. She shared that if she were in my position again, she would still choose Korbel. One of my close friends, Aya, who was studying at Korbel, also shared her positive experiences, which was enough of a push for me. So, on May 1st 2024, I submitted my signed commitment to DU.

During the fall quarter of freshman year, I remember receiving an email from Professor George DeMartino inviting me to his office hours. This came as a surprise to me because I remember being told that college professors won’t bother learning your name, let alone actually take the time to reach out to you. This ended up being a pivotal conversation. I shared how I was feeling lost, and how it felt like everyone was able to articulate their understanding of the material much better than I could. He shared such a valuable piece of advice that I’ve held onto: the classroom isn’t about performing; you’re either learning or you’re performing, and you have to let go of the notion that your responses have to be perfect to participate, because you learn by practicing articulating your thoughts and participating in discussions. He shared that everyone was in the same boat, whether I could see it or not, and that he had full faith in my capabilities. That ended up being one of my favorite classes and the reason why I chose to specialize in Global Economic Affairs.

College has been far different than the version I had imagined in my junior year of high school. However, in hindsight, I can’t really imagine it any other way. During difficult times at college, Korbel has always been a safe space. Korbel has pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow into the person I am today. Every time I register for an international studies course, I’m confident that the professor will be the best of the best. Without the care and consideration of the faculty at Korbel, I certainly wouldn’t have had the same opportunities or learning experiences. I guess it turns out that the “safe” option was actually the option that pushed me the most.