Suhaila Hashimi: From Kabul to College Hill, continuing her education against the odds

Suhaila Hashimi assumed her mom was exaggerating when she shared stories about life in Afghanistan under Taliban control in the 1990s. 

“We thought she was making things up, maybe because she wanted to scare us into not going out so much,” said Hashimi, who grew up in Kabul with her seven older siblings. “But once we saw it with our own eyes, we were like, ‘We’re so sorry, mom. You were right, and it’s very scary.’” 

Hashimi is one of 15 young students — most of whom had studied together at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh — who were admitted to Brown University in 2021, when the Taliban regained control of Kabul.

At Saturday’s Midyear Completion Celebration, the senior will share the story of continuing her education amid displacement, uncertainty and grief in remarks urging her peers to persevere. 

“For the first two years here, it was like I was running, but I didn’t know where I was going,” said Hashimi, who will earn a dual degree in business economics and data science. “I kept myself so busy because I wanted to skip away from everything. I couldn’t even talk; when I wanted to start speaking, I would just burst into tears.” 

With more time on campus, Hashimi found her voice.

“These have been the best years of my life, and Brown really is my home away from home,” she said. “In such a short period of time, I learned so much, I grew up, and I’m more responsible. I am the youngest of the family, and I was always the one getting help, but now I’m the one who is helping others.”

At Brown, Hashimi explored her interests, questioned preconceived notions and designed her education on her own terms, she said, embracing the intellectual independence afforded by Brown’s Open Curriculum.

“I changed my concentrations so many times,” she said with a laugh. 

Initially, Hashimi studied philosophy. Throughout her childhood, Hashimi and her family would sit around the dinner table drinking tea, sharing meals and discussing politics and philosophy. She had dreams of becoming involved in government and having a hand in shaping Kabul’s identity and policies. At Brown, she thought she would pick up where she left off, but she realized it wasn’t the ideal fit, she said. She then studied computer science and public health before settling, happily, in business economics and data science. 

True to her curiosity, her learning didn’t stop there. She served as a teaching assistant for a Persian language course, and last fall, participated in the Brown in Washington program, where she helped conduct federal policy research. 

“Little-girl me never thought she would go to the White House or talk with so many politicians about the future, but Brown made it possible,” she said. 

Beyond her academic experiences, a network of support from faculty, staff and fellow students defined her time on College Hill, she said. In the summer after her junior year, Hashimi learned that her father had died. He was back home, where she couldn’t return. She couldn’t hold his hand or say goodbye, but she could talk to her adviser, Teaching Professor of Economics Rachel Friedberg. 

“She was there for me,” Hashimi said. “I never thought I would disclose something like that to a professor, but that’s how the bonding starts. She hugged me, we cried together, and she gave me new hope.” 

That moment taught her that perseverance is rarely a solitary act; it’s something shaped by the people willing to stand beside you, Hashimi said. 

“Brown has so many people who are happy to give back and help — all you need to do is ask,” she said. “If you continue, if you never give up, you’ll have a stronger vision of yourself. You’ll become someone who will look back and say, ‘Oh, that was nothing — I can accomplish so much more.’” 

Carrying those lessons with her, Hashimi hopes to honor her father’s legacy by applying to graduate school in the future. 

“It was my father’s dream for me to continue my higher education,” Hashimi said. “He always told each of his daughters that education is the only thing that no one can take away from you. So I’m keeping that up.” 

Vanya Noel: Balancing science, storytelling and service 

When senior Vanya Noel reflects on her educational journey at Brown, she pictures footsteps — the incremental choices that moved her forward — and footnotes, the small but significant moments that shaped her path. 

“Even as we write these grand stories of who we can become, it’s the relationships we’ve accumulated along the way that really give us the full context of who we are,” Noel said. 

It’s that idea at the center of the remarks she will deliver at the Midyear Completion Celebration, as she culminates her dual degree in neuroscience and literary arts. A native of Miramar, Florida, Noel arrived at Brown in 2022 with what she characterized as tightly wound ambition. 

“I was so pent up a lot of the time — just this high-achieving high school student who felt the need to do absolutely everything,” she said. “Through Brown, I’ve accepted that you can’t do everything, but you can focus your energy to make small differences in ways that matter.” 

Since childhood, Noel had wanted to become a doctor and was convinced she would follow a straightforward pre-med track at Brown, focused on neuroscience. But an opening in her first-semester schedule landed her in a fiction-writing class that, followed by a creative nonfiction course the next semester, revived a spark Noel hadn’t felt since participating in her high school’s spoken-word poetry club. 

“That really ramped up my interest in creating literature,” she said. “Once I expressed interest in adding a literary arts concentration, my professors really encouraged me.” 

Before long, Noel’s transcript reflected what she called “a joyful mix” that allowed her to analyze the human brain from several different angles. 

“I wanted to study neuroscience and literary arts because I wanted to understand people and what’s important to them,” she said. “I’ve gotten a real understanding of that, from the basic biological level to what captivates us emotionally.” 

Her desire to investigate that intersection inspired her to co-design a Group Independent Study Project, “The Literary Brain,” which examined how readers and writers interact at the neurological level — why certain narrative choices enthrall and how storytelling helps humans interpret the world. 

“Ultimately, it’s stories that connect us,” Noel said. 

As an aspiring physician, Noel said that storytelling informs how she thinks about the medical field, where connection can make all the difference between trust and fear. 

“Black Americans oftentimes distrust the medical system because of the historic mistreatment of them within that system, and I’ve definitely recognized the need for having people that look like you and can advocate for you in that setting,” Noel said. “I’ve been so lucky to be surrounded by people in the Brown community who feel the same way.” 

Beyond the classroom, Noel found community at Brown through the Black Student Union, Harambee House — where she’s lived for five semesters — and the programs that welcomed her as a first-year student. After participating in the New Scientist-Catalyst and Third World Transition Program pre-orientation experiences, she returned as a mentor, hoping to be the reassuring presence she said was so impactful to her as an 18-year-old who had just moved 1,000 miles away from home. 

Working with Brown Science Prep, a student organization that convenes local high schoolers on campus each weekend for interactive science lessons, also helped solidify her dedication to service. 

“What I’ve really emphasized during my time at Brown is the ability to mentor people and put myself in spaces where people feel comfortable coming to me with their questions and concerns,” she said. “When I first came to Brown, that was something I struggled with. Growing into myself has been a major trajectory for me.” 

Noel said her time at Brown also clarified what kind of work feels most fulfilling, leading her to carve out time after graduation to be fully present with the communities she hopes to serve as a physician. She made the decision to finish her degree requirements ahead of schedule to study for the Medical College Admission Test. Until then, she expects to spend her time exploring volunteer options and has submitted an application to join the Peace Corps. 

As Noel prepares to write her future, she’ll carry her experiences on College Hill. 

“What defines Brown is the people and the community you get,” Noel said. “They are the details that give the story its shape.”