Shadeed Khan arrived in Springfield, Missouri in 2015 after a lot of research. He needed a university with high quality, accessible faculty, opportunities for scholarships and graduate assistantships, and affordable tuition. He applied for his top 5 graduate programs throughout the U.S. with hopes of his first choice coming through. Missouri State happened to be that first choice and luckily were also the first to respond to his application. He knew when he received his I-20 that it was meant to be. 

An outstanding student, employee, and leader

Shadeed surrounds himself with people from different cultures. He currently works in the Office of International Services as a graduate assistant. In addition, Shadeed was president of SASA (South Asian Students Association). Now he serves as an advisor to SASA and the Nepalese Students Association. He has been involved with the Association of International Students by attending their events and helping manage their annual banquet & show. He has also helped with the planning of the Asian Heritage Month through Multicultural Programs and works closely with Multicultural Resource Center staff on those events.

Hard work pays off

His leadership skills and hard work with the Office of International Services and other university organizations don’t go unnoticed. Shadeed was awarded the STAR (Student Talent and Recognition) Outstanding Graduate Student Award in 2017. 

Promoting diversity by example

Shadeed takes it upon himself to meet new people and introduce old friends to new acquaintances. He knows the best way to spread the word about the inclusion of different people and cultures is to open a conversation with people who are different from him. Shadeed always enjoys meeting people and telling them about himself, where he comes from, what he does, what his traditions are, and most importantly, what type of foods he likes to cook and eat with friends. He encourages other international students to do the same. His goal is for other international students to not be intimidated to share their backgrounds and culture. 

Future plans

Shadeed comes from a family of highly educated individuals and he hopes to follow that path as well. He’d like to pursue a Ph.D., and one day teach International Relations at the university level.

Free time passions 

You’ve probably seen Shadeed pumping iron at Foster Recreation Center. He also makes time for pick-up and intramural soccer games with friends. His friends and coworkers are particularly excited about his culinary talents and often benefit from his time in the kitchen. He also follows his own advice and makes time for social functions with individuals from many different cultures.

Advice for a future #internationalbear

“When at Missouri State, don’t hesitate to take advantage of all that they have to offer their students, whether it be scholarships, an on-campus job, sporting events, the gym, the library, or the offer of professors to meet with them during the semester to talk about their classes.”