Editor’s note: This is part of a series of profiles for spring 2019 commencement.

Isaiah Sampson has had his sights set on a career in dentistry since he was a teenager. And while many students change their direction over the years, Sampson has held his focus and made calculated decisions to achieve his goals. Isaiah Sampson will graduate with his bachelor's degree in microbiology and a minor in music this May. Download Full Image

The graduating senior, who will receive his bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the School of Life Sciences along with a minor in music this May, credits meditation for allowing him to stay on track.

“I’ve generally been focused but it hasn’t been as laser-like until I started meditating and that really gave a true grasp of the power your mind actually has,” he said. “Freshman year I wasn’t able to go to the Ignite Camp so I went to Spark and Scot Schoenborn held a breakout session about meditation. That was my first semester, freshman year and I’ve loved it ever since.” 

Meditation, combined with an “almost militaristic schedule” of alarms, has allowed Sampson to stay on top of the many university initiatives he’s involved in, including assisting with orientation, mentoring students and fellow mentors, working as a TA, conducting research in the social insect research group and volunteering at Ryan House through Hospice of the Valley, just to name a few.

“Your energy, how you set your mind and how you think is really important in what you’ll be able to achieve,” Sampson said. “If you set your mind and your preparations, your results are going to be a lot different than if you coast through things.”

Outside of the opportunities and resources found within Arizona State University and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Sampson said he found an environment that welcomed and supported diversity.

“If you feel as if empathy is something missing from the world, you should go to ASU because not only is the mission to include, the diversity is something that runs through this place seamlessly,” he said. “You encounter people from all types of backgrounds, you grow in the empathy you have and the understanding of other people's cultures. It is really a place where you grow a love for people because there are so many different relationships you create, and with these, you are able to understand the struggles of many different demographics. This is crucial in trying to create a world of cohesion.”

Sampson answered some questions about his time at ASU and shared what he has planned next.

Q: What was your “aha” moment, when you realized you wanted to study the field you majored in? 

A: I first got interested in the dental field when I was about 14 and then seriously put together the steps to accomplish that at 16. It was based on experiences my mom had with her dental health, and when I was younger, my sister got her tooth knocked out. Seeing how dental health affects people, that created a clear image that that was what I wanted to do. Since I knew there was a lot of science behind it, I figured I should study something that is interesting and applies to the field I’m going in.

Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you, that changed your perspective?

A: Since ASU is so diverse you encounter a bunch of people from different backgrounds. … Seeing how we can connect with people and how that grows empathy and grows how we see the world was a thing I hadn’t really encountered. ASU is as diverse as it gets.

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: I came to ASU as an out-of-state student. What drew me to this school was that there were so many majors and it seemed as if the resources were endless. After I came to this institution, this idea was confirmed as I was able to see the many places to get involved and resources available. I was able to be an orientation leader, a TA for general biology, have a position in a research lab, be a facilitator — among other mentoring positions.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?

A: Christian Wright, he was my professor for BIO 281. He really solidified the idea of being cognizant of what you’re doing, being metacognitive in what you’re learning and — from a teaching aspect since I was interested in that — he taught me about self-evaluation and using the data you get from the results of students to better yourself as an educator. That made me grow great respect for him since he was always self-reflective with every exam, getting the results back, seeing what he could have done better, seeing what he could have communicated better and seeing how to test students better. It was really inspiring especially considering that in the future, I do want to go into academia. It was really cool to see a professor that cares so much about the students to such a high degree.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?

A: It’s dependent on what you want to go into, but as a broad statement, take what you’re getting involved in seriously and strategically. So if you’re set on one thing, make sure you are doing things that are contributing to a narrative that will be applicable to the field you’re going into.

Q: Is there an achievement or contribution that you are most proud of?

A: The achievement I am most proud of is being able to serve as the undergraduate representative on the School of Life Sciences Advisory Committee. This was something I was very happy about, not only because I was selected by faculty, but because it gave me a chance to actually give input into what this school should do based on student experiences. Being able to be in those meetings, and being unafraid to voice my opinions and share ideas among faculty, the dean of natural sciences (Nancy Gonzales) and other leadership within The College was a great opportunity. It felt incredible to actually see them take my input into consideration and to see the final product of what we came up with. Being able to identify what I contributed in the final write up of the process felt insane as these are things that will actually come to fruition. I am glad that the students are able to get a voice that is listened to rather than just heard.

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?

A: The biology learning resource center. There was always a seat available and the people that worked there were always so nice, and we’d have great discussions about many things. It became a hub for students to connect. Now that I work there as a tutor, it’s cool to see how that translates on both sides.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: I’m enrolled in UCLA School of Dentistry so that’s where I’ll be going starting in September.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: Inner city and urban education systems, specifically in underprivileged communities. Being able to increase the education and the engagement of underrepresented groups within STEM and being able to increase resources with those groups to try and help out the transition and increase the underrepresented groups in STEM specifically. I’m a black male in STEM and I’m usually the only one in the class that looks like me and I think that’s definitely something that should be helped out.

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of profiles for spring 2019 commencement.

Spanish Professor Cynthia Tompkins knew there was something special about Rachel Hill when Hill brought her newborn son, just 4 days old, to class so that she could present the summary of her final paper. Rachel Hill, shown here with her family, was recently named a Dean's Medalist for the School of International Letters and Cultures. Photo courtesy of Rachel Hill Download Full Image

Hill earned an A+ in that class, Latin American Film, and has gone on to receive several other honors, such as receiving the Quino Martinez Scholarship and being named a CLAS Leader. Most recently, she was named a Dean’s Medalist for Arizona State University's School of International Letters and Cultures, an award Tompkins nominated her for.

“Rachel is a born leader who is adamant about social justice,” Tompkins wrote in her nomination. “She has the stamina and the talent to do well in the academic career of her choice.”

After that class, Hill consistently brought her infant son with her to campus, something she regards as her best memory of her time at ASU and something she said she was lucky to be able to do. Hill is a nontraditional student and mother of three children: a 7-year-old, a 4-year-old, and that baby Sun Devil who accompanied her to class, who is now 2.

Hill said receiving the Dean’s Medal “felt pretty surreal.”

“I have my school life, but I’m also a mom and a wife,” Hill said. “My kids are not impressed by my academic achievements yet, so it was validating to know that the support system I have and everyone who has helped me along the way saw my success, and that was represented in getting the medal.”

Hill is enrolled in the 4+1 program for Spanish, focusing on literature and culture. She will graduate in May with her bachelor’s degree and complete her master’s degree next spring. After that she hopes to do local or international outreach with underserved populations. A dream would be to move to Argentina and raise her children there to give them a unique experience, but big plans like that will depend on her husband, who is currently attending community college and plans to transfer to ASU.

Hill’s sister recently graduated from ASU, and her mother and grandfather taught here, so the foundation is in place for a Sun Devil family. She said it’s “highly possible” her own kids could attend ASU someday, though that’s many years in the future still.

“I’m looking forward to finishing my master’s degree and I’m so grateful to have been a student at ASU,” Hill said. “ASU has been in my life even before I was born, so it was just really special to finish my education there.”

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of profiles for spring 2019 commencement.

Although he is a theater major in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, senior Fargo Tbakhi found a home at the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication. Fargo Tbakhi working on a puppet for a performance at the Empty Space. Download Full Image

Tbakhi first learned about the school and its performance studies program from friends his freshman year who encouraged him to take a class with Jennifer Linde, artistic director of the Empty Space Theater. The decision, Tbakhi said, “basically altered the course of the rest of my college career.”  

From then on he took every possible class he could in performance studies without changing to a communication major.

Tbakhi, a national merit scholar and student at Barrett, The Honors College, recently completed his honors thesis, working with Linde, who says his contributions to the critical, aesthetic and intellectual climate at ASU are “extraordinary.” 

Tbakhi’s creative thesis project, a solo performance titled "My Father, My Martyr, and Me: Postcolonial Instructions for Loving the Palestinian Body," was performed for two nights at the Empty Space Theater at ASU’s Media and Performing Arts Building on the Tempe campus.

Tbakhi, a Palestinian, says his performance examined how Palestinians are discursively and literally criminalized, and the impacts of that criminality on Palestinian lives and futures.

“The goal was to engage the audience in the work of unlearning whatever it is that is stopping them from critically, generously loving me, or other people that are like me. Not just Palestinians, but the other, many bodies that also get criminalized.” 

Tbakhi received the Award for Sustained Innovation in Creative Activity 
from Associate Professor Amira de la Garza.

Tbakhi also served as producer and host of "The Encyclopedia Show Arizona," where he oversaw the show’s transition to a student-run performance and produced seven shows over two years.

"The Encyclopedia Show" is a multigenre, age-integrated presentation of creative performances on a central theme taken from an actual encyclopedia. Participating artists perform poems, monologues, songs, rants and more. The show brings together students from different schools and majors, community members and local and national artists to perform sequences that are tied into a larger story related to each show's particular theme. 

Tbakhi was also a member of ASU’s Forensics Team — also housed in the Hugh Downs School — where his accolades include two-time national finalist, national semifinalist and champion at numerous invitational tournaments across the country. He also serves as a middle school forensics coach at Phoenix Country Day School, helping lead the team to three consecutive team national championships.

Last year, Tbakhi was the recipient of two Hugh Downs School awards, including the Robert and Sue Karatz Endowed Forensics Scholarship and the Award for Sustained Innovation in Creative Scholarship. Two years ago, he received the Kristin Bervig Valentine Scholarship in Performance Studies, earning recognition for his excellent academic work as well as his public performances at the Empty Space. 

Fargo Tbakhi (far left) along with fellow ASU students Jacob Valov, Jaime Faulkner and Kelly McKeever. All were recognized for their research and writing in communication studies at the Western States Communication Associations annual conference in Seattle.

Tbakhi also had the chance to present a research paper, “Torture Porn: Investigating Arab Identity through Staged Autoethnographic Performance,” that was accepted at the 2019 Western States Communication Association Undergraduate Scholars Research Conference in Seattle, Washington.

Tbakhi’s plan after graduation is to take a year off from school to work and apply to poetry and performance residencies. His ultimate goal, however, is to be accepted to graduate school for performance studies. 

College students, professionals and high school students came together to learn, network and tackle community problems at the third annual SPARK conference in March. The yearly event is coordinated by students within the Arizona State University School of Community Resources and Development with assistance from the Arizona Parks and Recreation Association and the Arizona State Therapeutic Recreation Association.

This year’s event theme, “It Takes a Village,” offered attendees a chance to learn how different professions have successfully worked together to build stronger communities and to apply their knowledge through case studies. Parks and recreation professionals and students participate in an activity-based workshop. Download Full Image

Eric Legg, assistant professor in the school, a unit of Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, said the event provides an opportunity for students to interact with professionals and see how what they learn in school can be applied outside the classroom walls. “One of our major goals is to give students a chance to network and be mentored by professionals,” he said.

The one-day event began with a networking breakfast, followed by a choice of team-building activities or a professional panel. Attendees then came together for the opening session, where the keynote speaker, John Sefton, community services director for the city of Peoria, talked about the importance of passion in pursuing one’s career.

Ryanne Mueller, the Parks and Recreation Student Association president, noted that, “John’s engagement with the audience set the tone for the whole day. He lit up the room and visibly sparked passion within the students and professionals.” Following his address, event organizers honored Sefton with the SPARK award for his ongoing inspiration and support of students.

Following the keynote, attendees participated in their choice of various 20-minute educational sessions. Each session highlighted how individuals from different professional backgrounds such as tourism, nonprofit management and communications work together to build stronger communities.

After a networking lunch, attendees broke out for the culminating activity: case studies based on actual situations faced by cities and towns across Arizona. Students were provided with two options for the case studies and in each they applied their learning alongside professionals in the field. In one session, students competed against each other to see who could come up with the best solution. Staff from the city of Phoenix helped facilitate and judge this competition based on a rubric that included how well the solution incorporated different professional approaches. Students who wanted a more collaborative environment could choose a second session where multiple groups worked together on the same problem to develop the ideal solution.

“The case studies were definitely the best part of the day," said Wilber Valencia, a community sport management major. "It was fun to work together to come up with solutions to these problems.”

Over 100 students and professionals attended this year’s event, including students from a local high school.