After moving to Lowell from Morocco, Wafa Khalai enrolled at Middlesex Community College as a Public Health student in late 2023. While moving to the United States and figuring out what to study, she worked as a housing counselor, which influenced her interest in medicine. Her goal is to use the opportunities and education she gained at MCC to make a positive impact on people’s lives.
“When I decided to return to college and discussed it with my family, MCC was the first school to be recommended,” Kalai said. “My peers also shared their positive experiences there, which strengthened my decision to enroll. So far, I’ve loved my experience at MCC.”
She graduated from Morocco with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration in 2014 and a Master’s in Supply Chain Management in 2016. Before returning to school, she worked in the oil and petroleum industry for several years managing the gas supply chain.
As a residential counselor, Karai worked with people in the mental health field. Hearing their stories inspired her to learn more about medicine and help patients even more. Returning to school allowed her to start a new career with the help of MCC resources.
“MCC gave me the opportunity to be part of a larger community where I could learn, grow, and pursue my goals,” Kalai said. “Everyone has a place on campus, and through that I was able to meet people from my country and who shared similar ideas and goals.”
During her first year at MCC, Karai began working at the Academic Centers for Enrichment (ACE) on the recommendation of psychology professor Jennifer Pisaric. With Pisaric’s advice, support and encouragement, Karai became more confident in her abilities. Working at the center gave her more opportunities to meet students and improved her time management skills.
“I’m grateful to be a part of ACE,” she said. “It’s fun to feel like I can help students and make someone’s learning journey a little better. To me, MCC is a school of life. This college has its own way of helping you learn about yourself and believe in your dreams.”
During her first semester, Kalai struggled to write her essays. As she learned English and connected with her professors at MCC, she overcame academic challenges, improved her writing skills, and began to enjoy studying psychology more.
Now, Kalai helps other students with their struggles as a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) tutor and Blackboard ambassador, and helps welcome and mentor students at the center on MCC’s Lowell campus.
Being involved in the MCC community has helped Karai build relationships with students and receive mentorship from MCC employees, making her feel more comfortable at college. In addition to ACE, she has also used the campus library to learn how to prepare for tests and stay focused on her homework.
Employees such as ACE Director Kristin Bell, Academic Advisor Julian Johnson and Public Health Informatics and Technology Program Coordinator Cori Preble-Bockeler have been supportive of Kalai’s journey, and their response and support have made her college experience more fulfilling.
“The faculty and staff at MCC are amazing,” she said. “You can feel that they truly care about our success and our journey, and you can see that they are committed to helping us. My experience at MCC has shown me that there are no obstacles when it comes to growing up in this country.”