Born in Bangladesh and raised in Brooklyn from the age of 9, Mujibur Shaad ’26 navigated language and cultural barriers early on. He came into Brooklyn College through the Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK program, which provides academic, financial, and counseling support to low-income students who don’t meet traditional academic standards.
The psychology major has taken full advantage of the academic and experiential opportunities available to him. Through The Tow Mentoring and Research Program, which pairs students with faculty mentors to conduct scholarship, Shaad worked in a biochemistry lab studying the link between bone health and diabetes.
Through Global Medical Brigades, he volunteered in rural clinics in Panama and Belize. He later interned in Morocco through a study-abroad internship, observing surgeries and shadowing physicians. He most recently spent a summer in Kenya through Columbia University’s ICAP Next Generation Internship, an initiative funded by The Tow Foundation that provides students with opportunities in global public health. In addition to the internship, he worked alongside a doctor building a new hospital—something he dreams of doing in his native Bangladesh.
Shaad’s engagement extends far beyond the classroom. He has served as president of the Philosophy Society, competed internationally with the Speech and Debate Team, and played on the Brooklyn College tennis team, helping lead them to two City University of New York Athletic Conference finals. These experiences strengthened his leadership skills while reinforcing a sense of belonging and purpose.
“Brooklyn College has so many opportunities,” Shaad says. “If you reach out, the people and resources here can truly change your life.”
He is on track to graduate in spring 2026 and is applying to medical school, carrying forward the impact of an education designed to open doors and transform lives.
