When she was 13 years old, Ghadeer Jaffar moved with her mother from the country of Jordan to St. Louis, Missouri. Ghadeer came to take advantage of a high school scholarship, while her mother planned to start a business.
“My mom is very well-educated, with a Master’s degree in Computer Science,” said Ghadeer. “But, when we came to the U.S., she turned her attention to providing for me.”
It wasn’t just the two of them for long, though. A few years after they moved to the U.S., Ghadeer played the matchmaker between her mom and her now-stepdad.
“They were best friends even before we moved here, and I encouraged my mom to marry him so she would have a companion in life,” said Ghadeer. “I consider him my dad because he raised me as his own. He decided to forego having his own kids so that he could focus on giving me the love I missed out on earlier in life.”
The family moved to Central Florida in 2018, and Ghadeer chose UCF mainly so that she could stay close to them. She graduated on December 15th with an Interdisciplinary Studies degree, with a concentration in Health Sciences and a minor in Psychology. She sees her newly-earned degree not just as an important personal accomplishment but as the key to returning their love and honoring their sacrifices.
“I’m an only child, so it’s my responsibility to look after them,” said Ghadeer. “I’ve done everything possible to make a brighter future for myself so I can do that.”
Medicine was a natural fit for Ghadeer, who has a background as a certified nursing assistant. And it doesn’t hurt that her mother encouraged her to pursue a medical career. But her main reason for focusing her IDS major on Health Sciences runs deeper than that.
In addition to attending classes, Ghadeer has been caring for her father, who is suffering from advanced heart disease, full-time. His health struggles added extra urgency and importance to her choice to pursue a career in medicine.
“I was a medical assistant, so I give him injections and do other things to help him at home,” explained Ghadeer. “I also shadow the doctors who have been caring for my dad so that I can better understand his needs and condition.”
Eventually, Ghadeer hopes to go back to school to earn a doctorate in Psychology and then open a clinic focused on helping women and children.
“In my culture, if you need a psychologist, that means there’s something wrong with you,” said Ghadeer. “Women and children in a lot of cultures and communities don’t feel comfortable talking about mental health issues, so I want to help them overcome that stigma.”
For now, though, Ghadeer is content to stay close to home and continue helping her parents.
“You only get that time with family once, and you never know when it might end,” she added. “So, I want to enjoy it as much as I can.”