{"id":4940,"date":"2026-02-11T12:28:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T17:28:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/?p=4940"},"modified":"2026-04-13T14:44:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T18:44:23","slug":"a-journey-from-afghanistan-to-temple-rome-hadisa-zahirzais-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/owltopia\/2026\/02\/11\/a-journey-from-afghanistan-to-temple-rome-hadisa-zahirzais-story\/","title":{"rendered":"A Journey from Afghanistan to Temple Rome: Hadisa Zahirzai\u2019s Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Temple\u2019s Rome Entry Year (TREY) Program<\/a> offers students the unique opportunity to begin their undergraduate education globally at the campus, choosing from more than 50 degree programs, before continuing their remaining three years at Temple\u2019s Main Campus in Philadelphia or its Japan campuses in Tokyo and Kyoto.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Hadisa Zahirzai, a first-year undergraduate majoring in international business, TREY made a Temple education possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zahirzai\u2019s road to Temple Rome was long. She initially planned to study computer science in her home country of Afghanistan. However, when the Taliban regained control of her country in 2021 and implemented a ban on women attending private and public universities, she had to pivot.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy father always encouraged me to pursue education, despite growing up in a tribe where a woman\u2019s education was not supported,\u201d she added. \u201cI told myself that I should not give up; this is not the end of my story.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In December 2024, Zahirzai planned to travel to Doha, Qatar, for a refugee interview that would grant her travel documents for U.S. residency. But an executive order the following month suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, creating another setback to attending a university.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faced with another obstacle, she began exploring alternative pathways to pursue her education. She first learned about Temple Rome while exploring universities that could support international students. The university\u2019s global staff guided her toward an achievable pathway to the university\u2019s Rome campus despite her travel restrictions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs someone coming from Afghanistan, access to higher education has not always been guaranteed. When I first learned about Temple Rome, I immediately felt a sense of community. Temple\u2019s staff offered a global entry pathway to college that changed everything for me.”<\/p>– Hadisa Zahirzai <\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom the application process to arriving on campus, the staff made me feel supported and welcomed,\u201d she added. \u201cThey even helped me in the process of getting me an interview so I could get an Italian visa, which would not have been possible without their support.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once on Rome\u2019s campus, Zahirzai was amazed by the academic environment. With classes located at Via di San Sebastianello 16, adjacent to the Spanish Steps in Rome\u2019s historic city center, her studies are placed in the heart of European history. The program offers students the opportunity to participate in class excursions around Rome, Italy and Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy interest in studying international business comes from my love of traveling and meeting people from new cultures, which I am really grateful that Temple Rome allows us the opportunity to experience,\u201d said Zahirzai, who has also thrived there academically and made Temple\u2019s Dean’s List. \u201cI hope my story shows that if Afghan girls are given the opportunity, they too can make most of it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The campus is also in close proximity for students to experience historic landmarks such as the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhenever I look at the tallest buildings, I am just wondering how people were able to build such structures,\u201d she said. \u201cI could not believe the height of the Colosseum and seeing the Pantheon in person. There are also so many churches with beautiful architecture and decorations. What makes the campus especially exciting is that there are still many places I have yet to explore.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What also drew Zahirzai to the Temple Rome campus experience is the diverse student body and how professors use real-life business examples to make classroom learning practical and engaging, saying that the smaller classes allow for more meaningful interaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn one of the classes, we have been given real-life tasks to evaluate and analyze, like different laws and things related to business,\u201d she said. \u201cHaving the smaller classes makes it easier to be engaged with professors to ask questions and have open discussions like sharing my story and hearing the cultural experiences from other international students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added that she also enjoys some of the elective courses that Temple Rome offers, including the painting and yoga classes. Throughout each semester or summer, students can also engage actively with members of the local community through several events, including cooking classes, gallery openings, lectures with experts in various fields and more.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zahirzai\u2019s ultimate career goal is to further her work in women\u2019s empowerment and education. She hopes to build an international organization that connects women entrepreneurs, particularly those from her home country, Afghanistan, to succeed in global markets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have seen many talented Afghan women design jewelry, embroidery and other crafts, but the male in the family is the only one profiting off the items they make,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, I have a vision to connect Afghan women with international markets where they can sell their products for themselves and become more self-dependent.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEducation is a powerful form of freedom and when everything is taken away from us, it can give us a voice,\u201d she added. \u201cI learned even a single step is worth the risk to go and study abroad because it\u2019s not only about studying but about finding who you are.\u201d    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More students will soon have an opportunity to follow in Zahirzai\u2019s footsteps, only this time, they can stay in Rome even longer. Beginning this fall, Temple Rome will partner with five of Temple\u2019s schools and colleges to offer a total of 18 different four-year undergraduate degree programs that can entirely be completed at the international campus.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article originally appeared on Temple Now<\/a><\/em>
Written by Brent Baum<\/a><\/em>
Photo courtesy of Hadisa Zahirzai<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Temple\u2019s Rome Entry Year (TREY) Program offers students the unique opportunity to begin their undergraduate education globally at the campus, choosing from more than 50 degree…<\/p>\n

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