Reeana Tazeem, Update from Harvard

Letter from Harvard

Supported by a Global Grant Scholarship funded by District 5360, Reeana Tazreean is currently doing her Masters of Science in Bioethics; sponsored by the Rotary Club of Red Deer East, she is being hosted by the Rotary Club of Ipswich-Rowley (District 7930). She writes to tell us about her studies and other activities.

Happy Spring! A lot has been going on recently, and Harvard has kept me busy. This semester, I am taking Foundations, Health Law and Policy, International Humanitarian Response, French, and Capstone Seminar. In Foundations, we discuss different philosophical schools of thought. My Health Law and Policy class has been super interesting, and I have drawn many comparisons between the American and Canadian legal systems. International Humanitarian Response is my all-time favourite class in my entire academic career. We discuss how different UN agencies, NGOs, and local governments intersect in crises. This class makes me want to pursue a career as a humanitarian. In May, I will be participating in a humanitarian crisis field simulation and will be gaining many valuable skills. Watch the video linked here (https://hhi.harvard.edu/humanitarian-response-intensive-course) if you are interested in learning more! I started to learn French because I might be moving to Paris (more on that later). Lastly, my capstone is 'The Role of Telemedicine, Innovation, and Ethics in Advancing Global Reproductive Health Equity for Youth: A Design Thinking Approach.' We will be presenting our capstone work in May, and I am super excited to share what I have been working on this year!

This semester, I got the chance to participate in Harvard's 37th annual Ghungroo. The show is run by 390 Harvard students and celebrates South Asian culture. I danced in Indian Semi-classical, Bangla Urban, and Hindi Cinema Pop. The show has poetry, dancing, singing, music, acting, and visual art. The theme of the show this year was 'Rooted.' What defines a home? Is it the soil on which we are born and raised? Or is it rather the roots that weave within?

January Term is optional in my program, so I spent much of the month travelling. I spent some time in Calgary, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. I got the chance to attend several networking events and shadow one of my mentors at IDEO, a design consulting firm in SF. In March, I got to watch Swan Lake performed by the Boston Ballet at the Citizens Opera House. It was an incredible experience!

I cannot believe that graduation is right around the corner. My time here has flown by so quickly. This summer, I will be involved in the Harvard College Union Society Summer Program, mentoring students from across the globe. In regard to next steps after that, I might be moving to Paris to pursue an internship at UNESCO or to New York City for an internship at the UN. If you know any Rotarians in Paris or NYC, please connect me! I can't wait for all the adventures that lie ahead.

Till next time, with love,

Reeana