Mariam Gulamhusein '26: Leadership, Curiosity and Global Perspectives

Mariam Gulamhusein is a senior from Dubai, UAE double majoring in Asian & Middle Eastern Studies and Economics. In addition to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, she is also a Climate & Sustainability Green Devil with Duke Athletics, and a member of the Climate Commitment Advisory Council leadership team. Gulamhusein is the chief of staff for Duke Student Government, lead editor of Research Africa Reviews and she studied abroad through the Duke in the Arab World program. In her spare time, she enjoys running, visiting coffee shops and spending time outdoors with friends. 

As commencement approaches, we asked Gulamhusein to reflect on her time at Duke, the experiences that shaped her and the lessons she hopes to carry forward. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and length. 

Is there a part of yourself that you discovered or reclaimed during your time at Duke? 

Before coming to Duke, I would never have described myself as a leader, especially in a public-facing role. That changed during my first year when I decided to join Duke Student Government. Through that experience, I discovered that I enjoyed working with students and administrators to make meaningful changes on campus and later found fulfillment mentoring younger students. 

I also rediscovered my love for the humanities. I originally came to Duke as a Pratt student planning to study biomedical engineering, but after studying abroad the summer after my first year, I reconnected with my interest in history and geopolitics. That experience led me to major in Asian & Middle Eastern Studies. The professors who helped spark that interest again made the humanities one of the most meaningful parts of my Duke experience. 

What advice or message would you give to your first‑year self — or to an incoming first‑year at Duke? 

While people often focus on what you will learn at Duke, some of the most valuable growth comes from what you “unlearn.” At times this happened in the classroom, but just as often it came through conversations with roommates and friends or through extracurricular experiences. 

I would encourage any Duke student to stay open to conversations that challenge their assumptions and push them to reconsider ideas they once held as truths. Few places offer such constant exposure to different perspectives, and the opportunity to rethink your beliefs is incredibly valuable. 

As you prepare to graduate, what are you most grateful for from your time at Duke? 

I’m grateful that my time at Duke allowed me to spend each day working on things I genuinely cared about. I was able to pursue two majors and write two theses that I found intellectually engaging — and through my work in Duke Student Government, I felt I could contribute to changes on campus in meaningful ways. 

As I move into the next chapter, I hope to find a career and goals that feel just as aligned with my passions and values. Using my time at Duke as a compass, I want to similarly be able to wake up every day with as much joy and gratitude as I have in the past four years here.