SHABNAM

Leader

Shabnam served as the Student Member of the Board for the Prince George’s County Board of Education. As the student member, she represented over 124,000 students on the Board of Education. She visited over 17+schools and organized student advocacy and aid events. During her term, she created a countywide website and blog for students (www.1.pgcps.org/pgrasg/), established a Superintendent Student advisory Council, helped eliminate the $50 athletic fee for students, worked to promote anti-bullying technology “text-a-tip,” promoted Maryland Leadership Workshops and helped finance trips to the Maryland Student Councils Conference for a number of young student leaders.

Shabnam also served as the Vice President of Academic Affairs for the University of Maryland Student Government Association.  As Vice President, she chaired the committee on Academic Affairs among the student body. She promoted a working relationship between the SGA and University Senate on academic policies. She served as a member in the University Libraries Council & Senate Educational Affairs Committee. She also chaired the Provost Student Advisory Council and provided the Provost with student perspectives on major issues of academic policy. During her term she partnered with the University Libraries to gain student support in order to fund the “Top 100 Textbook Reserve Program.” Doing so promoted her mission of textbook access affordability on campus. She also worked with her council to establish the first ever financial wellness week on campus.

Shabnam served as a Trip Leader for the Maryland Adventure Program whilst an undergrad at the University of Maryland. She led a variety outdoor recreation trips for undergraduate and graduate students. As a trip leader she executed student-powered adventure experiences that promoted personal growth, transformative learning, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship. She led a number of trips focused on diversity & inclusion and planned and facilitated dialogue in the outdoors as well. She led a weeklong ALLIED: Diversity & Leadership Spring Break Backpacking Trip last year and an Interfaith Exploration trip as well.

The Maryland Leadership Education & Development Program focuses on engaging students to become positive social change agents in their communities. Serving as a facilitator for this program has allowed Shabnam to organize and facilitate multi-day conferences such as the Maryland Leadership Conference (the oldest student run leadership conference in the country), the MOSAIC Diversity & Leadership Retreat, the Maryland Leadership Summit, and the Terrapin Leadership Institute. These programs empower and equip students to be the best leaders they can be. Being a part of this organization and has given her the tools and understanding to be a leader for social change.

The LeaderShape Institute is a six-day leadership retreat. In 2015, Shabnam attended this institute. She worked with over 60 undergraduate students in order to create and implement visions for social change. She engaged in thought provoking activities to better understand leadership in the context of vision, mission, community, and ethics.