I AM FPHLP 2022: Abdulrahman Shawish

Abdulrahman Shawish was part of this year’s Michigan FPHLP 2022 cohort.  He is currently a senior at the University of Michigan-Dearborn majoring in Health and Human Services with a concentration in Public Health.  During the FPHLP Summer of 2022, Abdulrahman Shawish interned with the Green Door Initiative.  

Through Michigan FPHLP, Abdulrahman wanted to learn more about public health and how to further his knowledge in this field.  He also wanted to build a network of connections within the field that would support him in navigating through it.  

In his field placement at the Green Door Initiative, he worked closely with the Community Resiliency Center which focused on the education and awareness of climate change in Detroit.  He helped create educational material and assisted with the Mold Training Program.

Abdulrahman’s major highlight was the people that he got to know and the relationships he was able to make.  He was being supported and pushed to be his best self and he realized how that motivated him more to continue with the program and excel in ways he didn't know he was capable of.

The biggest challenge Abdulrahman faced was his struggle at the beginning of the program where he thought he would not be able to complete the program.  But he soon learned that by being open-minded and learning to trust himself, things will clear out, and to rely on others for help and support.

Since leaving Michigan FPHLP, Abdulrahman still has one more semester to finish.  He plans to graduate in December and hopefully look for a job within the community.   He has applied for several part-time opportunities and he was promised that other opportunities await him after completing his BS.  He also plans to look for jobs outside of his home town and possibly overseas.  He hopes that he will be able to continue to develop his knowledge and skills in Public Health and teach others of the great impacts that they can make in the field.

Abdulrahman, at first, did not think that he would make it through the program.  He thought it would be difficult for him to enroll and that it would be very challenging.  However, he learned that we all have something to offer and that it wouldn’t hurt to apply.  If given another chance to apply to FPHLP, he would not hesitate to take it.  He had so much fun discovering Ann Arbor, getting to know the other FPHLP participants and making lifelong friends.  The lessons that we learned about ourselves, the field, and our personal and professional lives that we received from a wide range of outstanding speakers and guests will always have an impact on him.