Ayisha first walked through the doors of CCC back in 2007 as a shy and sweet 5th grader who loved learning and had big dreams of becoming president of the United States. Today, Ayisha is a graduate of La Salle University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Ayisha is no longer the quiet girl she was in 5th grade, though her passion for learning and determination to reach her goals remains strong and focused.
The summer before her junior year at St. Joseph’s High School, Ayisha participated in the Junior State of America Summer Enrichment program at Georgetown University where she partook in classes, college tours, trips to Capitol Hill and debates on policy. This experience strengthened her desire to learn more about politics. In college, as she navigated through the challenges of being far from home and on her own, Ayisha challenged herself to become involved not only on campus but also in her community. Her freshman year she interned for the campaign of her professor, Mary Ellen Balchunis, who was running for Congress in the 7th congressional district of Pennsylvania. While Dr. Balchunis did not win, Ayisha says she learned so much about what it takes to successfully run a campaign.
By her junior year of college, Ayisha had made the decision to study abroad in Spain for a semester where she feels that she “grew spiritually” and really understood what it meant to be independent and prioritize the things that matter most to her. Now, as a recent graduate, Ayisha reflects on how the exposure to different forms of thought and being away from home were major factors in helping her become who she is today. “College taught me that I love education and I feel that it’s one of the most important things you can invest in. No one can take your education away from you.”
Ayisha has started to study for the GRE as she hopes to apply to graduate school the following year. She is currently seeking an internship at the United Nations. In ten years, she hopes to move to Washington, D.C to lobby for a nonprofit or examine voting trends in the United States.