“Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen.”

Growing up in Holland as the daughter of Afghan refugees, MiraCosta College graduate Sahar Rahmani had ambitions of pursuing a career in medicine. At first, Sahar appeared to be on track. She started out working as a dental assistant and later earned certification as a dental hygienist. When it came time to take the next step, Sahar was ready.

But Holland's lottery-based admission system for competitive programs like dentistry, medicine, and law proved to be an insurmountable barrier. With thousands of applicants competing for just 60 spots across the country's major universities each year, Sahar wasn’t one of the lucky few. She tried again in her second year, but still nothing. Then even a third, and no luck.

"I was so sad and disappointed," Sahar recalled after each time she didn’t get selected in the lottery.

During this challenging period, Sahar was forced to explore different career paths and degrees, but she always kept hope alive for her ultimate goal of working in healthcare and science. The turning point came when Sahar's sister, a MiraCosta College alum living in San Diego, suggested a bold alternative.

“Why don't you just come study biotechnology at MiraCosta College,” her sister said.

Making the case further, Sahar’s sister shared, “You won’t believe me right now, but once you come, you will understand what it means when everyone says this is the most supportive environment and group of professors in any college.”

So in January 2022, after a whirlwind week that included her visa interview on January 12 and her arrival in San Diego on January 19, Sahar began classes at MiraCosta just two days after landing in America.

The early days weren’t easy, though. In the Biotechnology Program, Sahar found herself alongside classmates who had years of intensive science experience that she lacked. She still remembers one particular moment after failing an exam during her first semester.

"After three weeks, my sister picked me up after class, and I started tearing up," Sahar recalled. "I told her I think I need to change majors because I just don't know what I'm doing.”

Her sister's tough love response was firm, telling Sahar that she wasn’t going to change anything and that she could do it. That family push helped set the tone for Sahar's entire MiraCosta experience. Despite the challenges, Sahar overcame the poor grade on that first exam and passed the class with a B. In the semesters that followed, Sahar found her footing and now credits much of her success to the support she received from her professors.

“I couldn’t believe that Professor Christina Johnson and my other teachers were so approachable,” shared Sahar. “They took the time to get to know me not just as a student but as a person. I’m so grateful for their help.”

Throughout her journey, just like her sister predicted, Sahar discovered that MiraCosta's supportive environment extended far beyond the classroom. As an international student, Sahar was limited in terms of where she could work but she was allowed to take on a campus job. After reaching out to one of her professors, Sahar was able to get a job working in the biotechnology lab on campus. And it was there that she met one of her best friends. In time, she started to have more and more success in the classroom and always did so with a positive mindset and a never-ending smile.

“I’m so proud of how far I have come, from the many paths that I took to get here and the challenges I overcame along the way,” Sahar said.

This spring, Sahar ticked off a major milestone and did so with her parents on hand to witness it. After countless late nights studying and extra hours spent working with professors, Sahar graduated summa cum laude and walked across the stage to receive her degree from MiraCosta College. It was a proud moment for her parents, who left war-torn Afghanistan when Sahar was a newborn and now could celebrate her accomplishments as a graduate.

Today, Sahar is preparing for the next chapter of life as she is set to start classes at UC Berkeley's Bioprocess Engineering Program in the fall. When asked what she plans to do with her degrees, Sahar is quick to talk about giving back.

“I want to work for a biotech company that stands for something,” explained Sahar. “Whether that is working to cure cancer or in another scientific role, I want to be in a position where I can make a difference.”