Name: Niaz Ahamed

Email: niazz@uw.edu

Graduation Quarter: Spring 2023

Greetings everyone! My name is Niaz. I am an international student from the tropical island of Jamaica! I came to the US in 2019 and studied at Pierce College for an Associate’s Degree of Science. I began my journey at UW in Winter 2022, where I transferred into the computer science program. My major aligns closely with what I have always been passionate about – computers and software. I hope to be able to design software and tech that can solve issues in our community. 

I have had the privilege to live in several interesting places throughout my life: Botswana, Ukraine, and India. Although I was born in Jamaica, my culture and influences are a mosaic of those countries. As you would imagine, finding home in vastly different environments can be quite a thrilling yet arduous journey. It is why I take great pride in being an OGA Fellow, where I plan to use my past experiences to help students (especially those who are completely unfamiliar to this land) find and build community here at UW Tacoma.

When I am not nerding out on tech, I enjoy practicing martial arts; most recently, I’ve been learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It’s exhausting but entirely worth it! I also watch anime (my favorite is Steins;Gate) so your recommendations are welcome. My other hobbies include salsa dancing and playing pool. I first learnt to play pool in Ukraine but rarely found opportunities to play after I had left. One fun thing about UWT is that I have discovered at least four pool tables on campus. It’s almost too convenient!

If you would like to get to know me better, feel free to come by our office at GWP and I’ll be happy to share my experiences and tell you about the newest anime I’m watching. I know we are going to have some great, engaging events this year and I am excited to meet you all!