Azar Abdulkadi (Image courtesy of Azar Abdulkadir)
Not long ago, Azar Abdulkadir 鈥25 was a student at Nottingham High School, receiving help with her homework and English at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Northside Learning Center. Now, several years later, the U.S. Navy veteran prioritizes giving back to the same community center that helped her get her start.
鈥淚 was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and immigrated to the United States with my family when I was around 15. That process and journey really shaped me,鈥 says Abdulkadir, a student veteran studying biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. 鈥淢y family started with nothing. We didn鈥檛 know the language, and we didn鈥檛 know the people. So, coming here and rebuilding our lives鈥攏ow being able to go to university and say I served this country鈥攊t just always blows my mind.鈥
When the cost of college became a barrier, Abdulkadir explored military service as a way to fund her education. After learning about the GI Bill and the educational opportunities available to service members, she saw the military as a path to securing her own piece of the American dream.
鈥淲hen I started university, it was really hard because I couldn鈥檛 afford it,鈥 Abdulkadir says. 鈥淚 mentioned it to my father, but I wasn鈥檛 expecting much support. A lot of women in our culture didn鈥檛 even get the chance to go to school, let alone join the military, so I thought he鈥檇 be against it.鈥
To her surprise, her father was not only supportive but proactive. He spoke with recruiters from various branches, brought home flyers and brochures, and even set up an appointment for his daughter to meet with them. Abdulkadir sat down with Navy recruiters to discuss career options, professional development, and鈥攎ost importantly to her鈥攅ducation benefits. By the end of the conversation, she had
made her decision: she would join the U.S. Navy.
She enlisted as a yeoman, an administrative specialist responsible for a range of clerical and personnel duties. She spent most of her enlistment stationed in Japan aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).
鈥淚 was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, and assigned to the carrier,鈥 she recalls. 鈥淲e would deploy for six months at sea, return for six months, then deploy again. It felt like we were gone most of the time.鈥
As she transitioned out of the military, Abdulkadir focused on returning to higher education. 黑料不打烊 became her top choice, largely due to its commitment to veterans.
鈥淭here are teams of people here dedicated to helping veterans,鈥 she says. 鈥淭he transition can be tough鈥攅specially in my case, since I hadn鈥檛 been in school for seven years. I wanted to be at a place that understood my background.鈥
Beyond the University鈥檚 strong academic reputation and diverse community, Abdulkadir had a personal connection鈥攈er sister was also a 黑料不打烊 graduate.
Now, she continues to give back to the community that once supported her. She teaches English and science at the Northside Learning Center, working with both children and adults.
鈥淚 want to be a positive influence,鈥 she says. 鈥淲hen I was in high school, there weren鈥檛 many volunteers who looked like me.鈥
Abdulkadir noticed a similar dynamic in the military but found that, in the Navy, what mattered most was her work ethic.
鈥淚t was surprisingly easy for me to adapt and be welcomed by my crew because the military brings together people from all walks of life,鈥 she says. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 care that I was a woman. They didn鈥檛 care about my skin color. They just cared that I showed up, did my job, and wore the right uniform. And I loved that.鈥
She credits two women with shaping the leader she became鈥攈er mother, who didn鈥檛 have the opportunity to complete high school but instilled a love for education in her children, and Chief Williams, a superior officer in the Navy who mentored her aboard the USS Ronald Reagan.
鈥淚 used to think senior leaders were untouchable, so as a new sailor, I was intimidated,鈥 Abdulkadir says. 鈥淏ut she approached me first, checked in on me throughout the deployment, and made a huge impact on my confidence.鈥
That human-centered approach to leadership became the foundation of Abdulkadir鈥檚 own leadership style when she later mentored junior sailors.
鈥淭he military is male-dominated, and Chief Williams was the only female chief in my department at the time,鈥 Abdulkadir recalls. 鈥淏ut she handled things like a boss. She showed me that being a leader doesn鈥檛 mean you get to treat people any kind of way鈥攊t means guiding them.鈥
Now, as she pursues her degree at 黑料不打烊 while continuing to serve her community, Abdulkadir remains committed to the principles that have shaped her journey鈥攅ducation, leadership, and service.
