Working Mom Moumena Is Using Her Health Science Knowledge to Solve Problems

“As a working mom and a student, every hour of my day is dedicated to endless tasks. Sometimes it is so stressful to handle everything, but I never give up hope,” says Moumena when asked about her extremely busy schedule.

Moumena is a mother to five children–all in different age groups from eleven to early adulthood. She’s also a part-time wellness liaison and a cultural broker at the Nationalities Service Center, a professional Arabic interpreter, and a very active Health Science student at University of the People.
How does Moumena manage to accomplish so much every day? “I carefully plan my entire week in advance and stay on track with my daily to-do list,” she says.

Even though Moumena and her family have stable lives in the USA now, not too long ago she and her family faced challenging circumstances. In 2012, the conflict in Syria escalated in Moumena’s province. She and her family were forced to flee into Egypt to save their lives. It’s there that they were offered a resettlement chance by the UN.

“When we fled to Egypt from Syria, my husband and I had to look for jobs to support our family. The rents were staggering and it was difficult to make ends meet. When we finally reached the USA, we were expected to quickly understand the complex processes in place here. Only displaced families know the challenges that accompany the idea of settling in a foreign country,” Moumena says.

“The obstacles we have faced have helped us to emerge stronger and more resilient,” she says, eyes shining with determination.

Moumena is interested in learning and discovering new things every day. “Knowledge helps me solve problems at all levels, including those I encounter in my family, work, and community,” she says.

Moumena discovered UoPeople by chance when one of her friends shared the website. “I felt so excited to do my own research about the university and their Bachelor’s degree in Health Science. I was thrilled to know that UoPeople offered scholarships. I applied and was excited to be accepted,” she says. Moumena began earning her degree at UoPeople in 2020, and graduated in August 2022.

Why did Moumena decide to study at UoPeople? “I chose UoPeople because it provides high-quality tuition-free education. I loved studying here because it has allowed me to work on my own schedule. The diverse peer group here has enabled me to learn so much and collaborate with students from all over the world. This has been a truly amazing experience!” she says with a smile.

She feels that her Bachelor’s degree in Health Science will pave the way for her to become a successful Physician Assistant. Her professional goal is to get a job at University of Pennsylvania’s cardiology department.

“I would like to combat cardiovascular diseases in marginalized and underprivileged communities. I want to eliminate barriers to health care services and make them more accessible. I plan to advocate for equity and equality in the healthcare field,” she says when speaking of her future aspirations.

Apart from dreaming big, Moumena is deeply passionate about empowering and helping family and friends be successful. She enjoys reading adventurous stories, swimming, going for long walks, cooking delicious Syrian dishes, and learning new things every day. Moumena is an ardent believer in the power of education to transform lives. She is proof that anyone can accomplish their dreams of education with persistence and dedication.