This article is part of a series focusing on the grads of the Dalhousie Class of 2019. Spring Convocation kicked off May 10 in Truro, with Halifax ceremonies from May 27 to June 1. Read all our profiles here, and for more information visit the Convocation website.
Adjusting to a new place was a bit of a challenge for Industrial Engineering student Sarah Abdoon when she transferred to Dalhousie in 2016, but she soon found connections through her employment with the Dal Libraries.
“I always wanted to go abroad and study; I liked the whole idea of it,” says Sarah, who was born and raised in the United Arab Emirates.
The opportunity to travel to Halifax presented itself because her brother was living here. Having always looked up to her brother, this made the choice to study in Halifax for her post-secondary education an obvious one.
“He moved here 18 years ago so it was just easier for me to come here,” she says.
After Sarah moved to Halifax, she spent her first two years studying engineering at Saint Mary’s University, where she earned her diploma in the subject. She then decided to transfer to Dalhousie to pursue the full bachelor degree, but that meant she had to once again change her environment after having just adjusted to studying at SMU.
“When I moved to Dalhousie University, I wasn’t sure about it,” says Sarah. It was an unfamiliar campus and she found the larger class sizes intimidating.
Enter the Sexton Design & Technology Library
In the summer of 2016, Sarah started job searching so she could work while attending classes. “I just wanted a part-time job. I’m used to working and studying at the same time to support myself. I knew one of the librarians at Saint Mary’s University and I used to chat with her now and then. I remember telling her that I would love to work in the library and asking what steps I could take to work in the Dalhousie Libraries,” says Sarah.
She followed that advice and got a position as a student assistant at the Sexton Design & Technology Library.
“I’m thankful that I got it because I’ve met so many people just by working at the library,” says Sarah, who has now been working at the Sexton Library for the past three years. Since coming to Dalhousie, she has found a sense of belonging in the library, “I feel close to the full-time staff members — it’s such a family vibe."
Whether she was in the classroom, helping a client during her co-op, or working at the Sexton Design & Technology Library, Sarah always looked for the best way and solving problems.
“Industrial Engineering is all about the system and finding the optimal solutions. It can be implemented in any field,” says Sarah. “It’s all about trying to find the best solution for any given problem.”
Sarah is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering on May 29. After graduation she will work for Michelin in Wolfville, N.S.
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