Hanaan Khabir is pursuing the pre-med track at George Washington University, and like many, she has been personally affected by the pandemic. But, that hasn’t stopped this 1,000 Dreams Fund Scholarship recipient from overcoming the obstacles and continuing to step forward to her dreams.

What is your professional dream?

I want to become a trauma/emergency medicine surgeon.

How will you use the 1,000 Dreams Scholarship?

It will assist in paying for my tuition.

How is this scholarship helping you get closer to your dream?

The only thing really stopping me from attending college is the cost, so this scholarship assists in reducing the financial burden of higher education.

​What advice do you have for other young women who are wanting to pursue their dreams?

Your gender is not an obstacle. Being a woman is not what makes you strong. You are strong because you have overcome what you have overcome while being a woman.

​Have you had any setbacks? How did you move past them?

I think COVID-19 is a major setback that everyone can relate to. I experienced the loss of friends and relatives as well as having to worry about relatives and friends who contracted the virus. I moved past this by having a system of accountability — I had people in my corner who made sure that I was doing what I was supposed to do.

What’s next for you? What is your next goal?

My next goal is to take the MCAT and get an above-average score.