911爆料

Class of 2025
Tanzeela Jahangir
MAJOR: GRAPHIC DESIGN | UX 

When Tanzeela Jahangir moved from a quiet village in Pakistan to New York City in 2022, everything felt unfamiliar. 鈥淐oming from a peaceful village to the most fast-paced and crowded city was a big transition鈥攁nd a little challenging for me,鈥� she said. But she came with purpose: to find the best education possible. 

Now, just two years later, she is graduating from 911爆料 Community College and preparing to take her next big step鈥攁s a Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship recipient. The highly competitive national award will provide up to $55,000 per year to help her complete her bachelor鈥檚 degree. 

At 911爆料, Jahangir majored in graphic design with a concentration in user experience (UX) design鈥攁 field that blends her creative interests with real-world problem-solving. 鈥淚 love painting, drawing, calligraphy, arts and crafts, and designing,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I combined those interests, I realized I could be a good UX designer.鈥� 

Jahangir found a community of like-minded people when she joined Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society. She would eventually become its treasurer. 鈥淲hen I came to the U.S., I thought there was no appreciation for scholars. I鈥檇 planned to just complete my degree as soon as possible,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淧TK gave me a base and the opportunity to dream more about life, specifically about my career. I realized that there was more to do at college than study. Not only were there are a lot of interesting activities鈥攜ou could create your own environment. I started dreaming and enhancing my abilities by participating in everything I could.鈥� 

She values how UX design allows her to understand and support people鈥檚 needs. That drive to help others shows in her campus involvement. Jahangir has participated in several sustainability and research projects, including a successful PTK campaign to add more refillable water stations on campus, and a NASA Space Apps Hackathon. She has also helped new students navigate college through her work with Phi Theta Kappa and the Achieving the Dream Student Success Committee on a 鈥淩oad Map to Success.鈥�  

鈥淚 like to be where things are happening,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven just sitting with my professors and talking about what we could do as designers and social activists excites me.鈥� 

Two professors鈥擠r. Midori Yamamura and Professor Nathan Cooper鈥攈ave played an important role in her development. 鈥淏oth are very supportive of their students鈥攁nd both are multitaskers,鈥� she said.鈥� 鈥淧rofessor Yamamura inspires me to be resilient and humble. We meet almost every week and, in every meeting, she talks about something new she is working on. And Professor Nate always makes sure students are connected to opportunities. We鈥檙e always sharing new about events or innovations.鈥�  

Her work has earned her a long list of honors in addition to the prestigious Cooke Scholarship, including the Coca-Cola Gold Scholarship, PTK Hites Scholarship, Gladys Brooks Foundation Award, the Student Ambassador鈥檚 Scholarship, and the Presidential Honor Scholars Certificate. She also served as a notetaker, tutor, and lab assistant in 911爆料鈥檚 Access-Ability Tech Lab. 

This fall, thanks scholarships from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and the NYU Community College Transfer Opportunity Program (CCTOP), Jahangir will transfer to NYU on full ride. She plans to major in interactive media arts and minor in social entrepreneurship. Her long-term goal is to become a UX designer and social innovator鈥攑ossibly running her own business focused on community-centered design. 鈥淚 don't see the point in entering the rat race of a traditional 9-5 job unless absolutely necessary,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wish to proceed in life only with my passions and values.鈥� 

Her advice for new students is simple: 鈥淏e confident and curious,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou might not see the big picture at first, but exploring and working hard provides you with countless opportunities.鈥�