Miami Abdulal

Grad Stories (2016)

“You can’t be a journalist, you just moved from your country and you don’t speak English fluently.” These are the words Miami Abdulal heard since migrating from Syria.

“Moving from Syria to the United States of America in the aftermath of Civil War between the government and Syrian citizens was the hardest thing for me. Losing relatives and friends in the war was the hardest thing that I had to suffer. Those incidents made me skeptical about everything to the point where I refused to further my education when everyone around me was becoming a doctor or attorney.”

After a long fight with fear, Abdulal decided to pursue her education. Navigating was the hardest part for her because she was uncomfortable with her surroundings. After completing two consecutive semesters at Norco College, Abdulal started getting involved in campus activities. She made friends who encouraged her to be the best and introduced her to campus programs. “My friends told me about the Extended Opportunity Program and how much it helped students. I applied and was accepted. I cried because things were finally working out for me. EOPS and Norco College have helped shape who I am right now.”

Abdulal will be graduating from Norco College with high honors and pursuing her degree in Journalism with an emphasis on Media Studies. She hopes to shed some light on the truth about the Syrian crisis.

“Graduating from Norco College with high honors and transferring to a prestigious four-year institution was never something I pictured myself doing. It would not be possible if it wasn’t for the assistance I received from Norco College and EOPS.”

In March 2019, Miami started working at ABC7 Eyewitness News as a News Assistant.

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