Rasha Alzaitoun Shahoud

After 10 long, relentless years… I did it. I’m graduating.!! Woohoo!!

This wasn’t just a degree—it was a battle. A battle against time, exhaustion, doubt, and setbacks that could have broken anyone else! But not me! I juggled diapers and deadlines, work meetings and midnight assignments, school runs and schoolwork, birthday parties, family events, and still showed up for friends whenever I could—sometimes all in one breath. I held my home together, raised my kids, and still found the strength to chase this dream.

And just when I thought I was close—three years into my bachelor’s—my university (The Art Institute of Pittsburgh) shut down. Everything I had worked for vanished overnight. But I refused to let that be the end of my story.

I started over. Brick by brick. Course by course. Sleepless night after sleepless night. And today, I finally stand here with a Master’s Degree in hand—and a heart full of pride for never giving up.