British exchange student Ayomide Rahman is a current intern as a senate aide at the Georgia Senate after only six months of being in the United States. Doing her senior year abroad here, she is one of only 35 students in the entire state to be accepted to her position.
Rahman’s career goal, as of now, is to help underprivileged people in any way she can. By having insights on both U.K, and U.S. law systems, Rahman would have a broader range of legal knowledge to accomplish this goal.
Rahman is in pursuit of her undergraduate law degree from De Montfort University in Leicester in the U.K. When the opportunity arose to study abroad here in Georgia, she took the chance to educate herself on how the American government operates.
Upon coming to GCSU, the full-time paid Georgia Legislative Internship Program is what moved Rahman from Milledgeville to Atlanta for the spring semester. As a senate aide, she will assist State Senators Kim Jackson, Sonya Halpern and Josh McLaurin.
To earn this internship a student must apply, pass an interview with House and Senate staff and interview for a specific job in the Georgia Senate. Rahman’s placement allows her to perform jobs such as assisting with compiling folders and communicating with constituents.
The reason for Rahman’s pursuit of law comes from her ethnicity. Her family’s environment sparked her passion for taking advantage of important opportunities.
“The thing that inspired me the most was coming from an immigrant background,” Rahman said. “Knowing that people of my parents’ generation or before that do not have the opportunity to be fully conscious about laws makes them more vulnerable targets.”
When Rahman first came to GCSU, staff from the International Education Center supported her journey. One staff member in particular helped her with the necessary steps to becoming a student in the United States.
“She did a lot of the work on her own; she worked with her department, I believe, in political science as well as her advisor,” said Jason Wynn, Assistant Director for International Student & Scholar Services. “She came to me largely for regulatory support to make sure that she could legally do this while she was here.”
Wynn encouraged Rahman’s involvement in the International Club and assisted her in pursuing the internship. International students here at GCSU have the opportunity to develop in their careers with the perk of staff support
“I think the most rewarding part of working with international students is getting to know them personally, helping them grow and watching them achieve things after leaving Georgia College,” Wynn said.
Other international students have witnessed Rahman’s success in real time. They admire her for being able to stand out among others.
“I was really surprised because it is not everyday that international students get incredible opportunities like this,” said senior Nhu “Anna” Nguyen, Co-President of the International Club. “I really admire her for all of the hard work she put in to be able to stand out and get this internship.”
Rahman’s dedication is showing returns through her enjoyment of her position. As she continues the internship, she reflects on the importance of her work.
“It is beautiful to hear constituents calling in about their concerns and knowing that their voices are being heard and taken care of,” Rahman said.
Rahman plans to continue pursuing law when she finishes this internship. Although she is unsure what the future holds, she is determined to make a positive difference.
