ASU literature grad embraces living ‘within the gray spaces’


April 29, 2018

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of profiles for spring 2018 commencement

Arizona State University undergraduate Dimiana “Dimi” Wassef knows where she’s going. Specifically, the English literature major knows she’ll be graduating with her bachelor’s degree this spring and that she has been accepted into graduate school at Durham University in England. Graduating ASU student Dimi Wassef / Courtesy photo "After graduation, I will be packing my bags and heading to Durham University to pursue a master’s in English literary studies at the U.K.’s number one school for English," said ASU English literature major Dimi Wassef. Download Full Image

Things weren’t always this clear-cut for Wassef. The Middletown, New Jersey, native began at a community college, studying biology. She struggled.

“I felt pressured to be someone I wasn't and pressured to pursue a path in the science field and become someone I never truly wanted to be,” Wassef said.

She switched her major to English where she says it was like “the classes were meant for me.”

“I am and always have been different. My interests have always been very particular to myself and my identity, not to many others.”

After earning her Associate of Arts degree at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, Arizona, Wassef transferred to ASU where her love for literature — specifically medieval and Renaissance texts — flowered. She participated in an ASU Study Abroad program in Harlaxton, U.K., where she was able to explore both literary and natural spaces: “In this program, we read the works of English classic novelists and poets and explored the landscapes associated with those authors and their works.”

The trip also stirred a latent self-confidence in Wassef, one that had just needed awakening.

“I traveled to Scotland and Switzerland independently while I was there,” she said. “Wherever I went, I looked for nature. I wanted to be one with nature and discover more about myself through the literature and the landscapes I was experiencing.”

Wassef answered some more questions about her ASU experience where she shared her love for helping other transfer students, her passion for ending animal abuse, and a tiny bit about her dystopian science fiction novel-in-progress.

Question: What was your “aha” moment, when you realized you wanted to study in your field? 

Answer: I always knew that I was the kind of person who so passionately lived within the gray spaces of life. Thankfully, during my second semester of my freshman year of college, I changed my major from biology to English literature after establishing that I was no longer going to pursue any path but my own. From that point forward, I began embracing myself and who I was as a person and have found myself in the perfect position to plant seeds in those gray spaces I’ve so passionately lived within my entire life. My mom is and always has been the biggest supporter of my dreams, so after many conversations together, I was encouraged and inspired to begin doing what I love most and study the subject that lights up my soul. I instantly felt like I had found my place in the world.

Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you, that changed your perspective?

A: I acquired the understanding of how important it is to take advantage of every opportunity around you, and that the journey is your own and you deserve to give yourself the very best. I believe in the power of positive and limitless thinking, and I believe Arizona State is a faithful supporter of that.

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: I chose Arizona State University because of their phenomenal English department. I knew I wanted to stay in the state, but what really brought me to ASU was the prestige of the English department and the opportunities that the Phoenix metropolitan area had to offer. [Professor] James Blasingame in the Department of English is someone I wanted to mention specifically, as he is an incredible professor and creative mentor who I was honored to work with in my undergraduate studies. If it weren’t for him, I don’t know if my novel would be where it is today.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?

A: As a Transfer Student Ambassador at Arizona State University, I work with students on a regular basis by helping them achieve their educational goals and overcome the challenges associated with those goals. The piece of advice I most often give is to keep pushing no matter what may try to get in your way. Never give up on yourself or your dreams because you are so much more capable than you realize. Shoot for the moon! I promise you it is worth it.

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?

A: Even though I was a Tempe student, my favorite spot to go was Fletcher Library at ASU West. I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the library, not to mention the comfortable booths and beautiful interior that made studying more of a luxury than a task. I would play classical music or nature soundtracks to settle in and get to work, either on schoolwork or my novel. I was able to think more clearly there, and as a writer and a student, that is something that I definitely appreciated. The Starbucks inside the library was always a wonderful addition to my studies, too.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: After graduation, I will be packing my bags and heading to Durham University to pursue a master’s in English literary studies at the U.K.’s number one school for English. I hope to continue paving my path academically and creatively as I embark on the journey of a lifetime. One day, I hope to teach medieval literature at the university level and publish fantasy novels and scholarly works.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: Something that affects me on an incredibly deep level is animal abuse. I would give every last penny of that money to help put a stop to animal abuse. After removing the animals from their abusive environments and providing them with all the necessary treatment to recover, I would open up no-kill shelters all around the world that would help provide the best and most loving homes for these animals. So many sweet and loving souls live their lives in pain and turmoil. I would do anything in my power to stop that.

Kristen LaRue-Sandler

Manager, marketing + communications, Department of English

480-965-7611

Biology and society graduate earns PhD, heads to Stanford Law School


April 29, 2018

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of profiles for spring 2018 commencement

Alexis Abboud knew from a young age that she wanted to study law. What she didn’t know was that her path to law school would take her through a series of unexpected personal discoveries. Alexis Abboud, PhD in biology and society Alexis Abboud, an Arizona native, is graduating with her doctorate in biology and society from the ASU School of Life Sciences. Download Full Image

An eighth-grade science class sparked her interest in biology. Soon after, she thought becoming a geneticist or a neonatal surgeon would be exciting. But when she remembered she doesn’t do well with blood, she thought being a bioethicist would be a good career. She even studied it during her undergraduate degree at ASU but decided she did not like the lack of finality associated with ethics.

She finally turned her focus back to law and found a great blend of policy and science in the School of Life Sciences. Abboud, a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, is graduating with her doctorate in biology and society.

Question: What was your “aha” moment, when you realized you wanted to pursue a career in your field?

Answer: I’m not sure I had one “aha” moment. Or, really what I would call my field. I suppose it makes the most sense to call it science policy and law with a strong leaning toward history. I have always really enjoyed crafting arguments. Not in the clichéd “lawyers all like to argue everything to death at the dinner table” way, but more in the actual pieces of a rhetorical argument that need to come together for it to work — what evidence is needed, how to phrase things appropriately, laying all the stepping stones that lead to the argument’s conclusion.

Science policy brought me back to law while keeping me involved in biology and science. I suppose my realization about my career path was really a series of realizations that continued to refine my path or redirect it slightly, as I experienced things I did and did not like about what I studied. 

Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you, that changed your perspective?

A: I’m not sure this is something I could have only learned at ASU, but I do feel like I’ve learned that not everyone is looking out for your best interests. I’ve had really great experiences with very supportive people at ASU, and I’ve had the opposite. I think I came in perhaps wanting to believe the best of everyone, and I’ve learned that that’s not always realistic. It’s a bit sad because it’s made me a lot more cautious, but I think probably better in the long run?

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: A big part of why I chose ASU was because it was in Arizona and going to school here meant I could stay close to my family. I’m very close to my sisters and my parents, and staying at ASU meant I could continue to be in their lives and they could continue to be in mine. That really kept me grounded throughout college.

I also chose ASU because it was one of the few schools that allowed me to count all my AP tests toward college credits. I came in with a full two years of credit, which seriously cut down on the time it took me to earn my undergraduate degree. As someone pursuing not one but two graduate degrees (PhD and a JD), that saved two years really made a difference for when I will finish school. 

It was also affordable. I will finish my undergraduate and PhD with no student debt. That gave me a lot more freedom in choosing where to pursue my terminating degree and will hopefully put me in a better place financially when I finish my JD.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school? 

A: College can feel really isolating, especially at a big school like ASU. I often found myself experiencing emotions and thoughts that I never had before, like worrying that people would think I was a fraud. I think the tendency is to think that you’re the only one going through those emotions, or worrying about those things. But you’re not. And taking the time to talk to someone else on campus — a friend, an adviser, even that random person you sit next to in genetics — can help reinforce that you’re not the only one and make things feel less huge in your own mind.

When I first started graduate school, I think one of the things that made it better was talking to other graduate students and realizing that most of us are worried that we’re not smart enough, or articulate enough, or deserving of a PhD.

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?

A: I like Starbucks in the MU if I’m working on my computer and just want to be somewhere with some activity. I feel very college-y when I’m there. If I’m meeting with someone, I tend to meet at the tables outside Hayden Library. It’s a bit quieter.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: I start Stanford Law School in the fall. I plan to get my JD and go into biotech intellectual property law, with the caveat that I’ve never done that before and it could be a terrible fit. But I definitely want to practice law. I’ve wanted to be a lawyer for far longer than I’ve wanted to be a PhD.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: The problem that I feel most passionate about is education, especially of young girls and women. I was lucky enough to go to a series of good schools when I was younger, and being pushed academically and surrounded by other people engaged in learning shaped my life. It’s part of why I am where I am. I don’t think the U.S. spends enough money on education, especially K-6 education. I would use the money to sponsor academically rigorous schools in lower-income areas, ensuring that the students had access to great teachers and learning opportunities, but also to good meals, and before- and after-school care where needed.

Q: Are there any particular people, professors, advisors or friends who really supported you on your journey — and what did they do to help?

A: Scot Schoenborn in the SOLS advising office was so supportive during my undergraduate and as I shifted into the graduate program. I met him at orientation when I came to sign up for classes. I had no idea what I was doing. I had come in with two years’ worth of credit and so none of the classes, documents, talks applied to me. Scot stayed with me well after everyone else left to work through what classes I should be taking and how to get everything organized. It was my first interaction with someone at ASU, and it was amazing. I really count Scot as one of my biggest supporters at ASU.

My mom and my sister (Carolina Abboud) are the two people who I rely on most in the world, and without them, my time at ASU would have gone very differently. My mom spent more hours than I can count talking to me about what I was doing in my classes, how my relationships with other people were, what I wanted to change about my life. I always knew I could talk to her about anything, good or bad, and it relieved a lot of stress. She also made sure that I never lost touch with the things that really matter to me — my family, my own mental and physical health, my long-term plans — and not get caught up in the little dramas and distractions. My sister did much the same while also keeping me laughing through even the really hard moments.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would go back and change?

A: When I started grad school, I was pretty focused on classwork and figuring out grad school. And while I think it was important to do that for the first semester, I wish I would have broken out of my SOLS shell a bit more after that first semester. I’d like to have been more involved on campus more broadly, in things like GPSA. I really only took part in those groups in the last year, and they have been some of my best experiences at ASU. It would have been nice to be a part of them for longer. 

Q: What did ASU provide to you that you think you could not have found anywhere else?

A: ASU is a massive school. The number of people you come in to contact with, who you have to work with, is so much higher than any other college I’ve visited. I think going to ASU ensured that I will never be worried about going into a big place and making a place for myself.

I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of different people — different expertise, different personalities, different worldviews — and figure out how to manage those relationships. I’ve had to set myself apart as an individual from a very large student body. I’ve had to speak in front of crowds, teaching large classes, direct large crowds. It makes me feel a lot more confident going forward in navigating the world.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add?

A: I’ve really loved my time here at ASU. I’ve meant some amazing people, I’ve really grown as a person, and I’m sad to be leaving. After an undergrad and grad degree here, it feels almost wrong to go to another school. But I know that ASU and everyone I’ve worked with here have set me up for success going forward, and I’m so grateful for that. Forks up forever.

Sandra Leander

Assistant Director of Media Relations, ASU Knowledge Enterprise

480-727-3396