It’s no secret that Ithaca is a college town, often representing a distinct chapter in the lives of its student-residents. Breaking from the norm after arriving in Ithaca: Khurshid. In the four years since her arrival as a refugee at Cornell University to study Biology and Society with a double minor in Global Health and Nutrition Sciences, Khurshid has branched out beyond many of her classmates, growing roots that are both literal and figurative.
Take, for instance, the place Khurshid considers to be her favorite in Ithaca: the community garden. There, she cares for vegetables just as she did at home. Khurshid grows tomatoes, onions, and spinach, so she can make her own spin on the traditional Afghan food Bolani, a stuffed flatbread filled with herbs, potatoes, green onions, lentils, and peppers. Khurshid says the experience of tending to a garden reminds her of being in her father’s garden in Afghanistan, bringing a feeling of her former home to her new one.
Khurshid grew up as one of ten children in Afghanistan and Pakistan, alongside five brothers and four sisters. She describes herself as a middle child who loved to explore. Although she has deep roots within her family, she felt herself wanting to grow outward as well, seeking to “leave the country and see the world.” With this motivation, in 2018, Khurshid applied for and received a scholarship to study at the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh, a college that spoke primarily English. It was with classmates from this college that Khurshid fled the Taliban in 2021.
Arriving in Ithaca after a dangerous and unpredictable journey, Khurshid was unfamiliar with American culture and certainly with Ithaca itself. As with any transplant, she experienced shock — in her case, culture shock. Although she joined the Cornell community with classmates from Bangladesh, she was unsure how to make a connection with her Cornell professors and peers. Ultimately, she leaned on Cornell professionals and area volunteers to ease this shock. Khurshid conveys deep gratitude to Ithaca Welcomes Refugees (IWR) for the wide range of assistance its volunteers provided to ease those feelings. A prime example involves healthcare. Khurshid may speak three languages, but the American healthcare system was not one of them. “We don’t have health insurance in Afghanistan. We just go to the doctor without an appointment,” Khurshid explains. Although Khurshid could speak English, many healthcare expressions and terms were new to her. For this reason, she shares sincere gratitude for Ellen Harrison, an IWR volunteer who provided her with rides to and company at doctors’ appointments, bridging language barriers and providing context. Complementing these efforts were those of Wendy Wallitt, another IWR volunteer who connected Khurshid with someone from the Human Services Coalition when the time came for her to renew her health insurance.
IWR also assisted Khurshid with her taxes. Akin to her feelings around health insurance, American taxes felt completely unfamiliar to her. Each year, IWR has connected Khurshid with an accountant to learn how to properly file her taxes, which has increased Khurshid’s comfort in contacting IWR if she needs assistance in any manner. “If I have any problems, I always reach out to IWR.” This approach aligns with the advice that Khurshid offers to other refugees: “Remember that you aren’t alone.” While recognizing the incredible difficulty of leaving your home country in pursuit of a better life, Khurshid highlights the importance of branching out upon arrival. She recommends that other refugees attend gatherings they are invited to, and look within the community they are joining. She also emphasizes the importance of both physical and mental health, pointing to the freedom she feels while riding a bike along Cass Park and the serenity of exploring a new waterfall.
Given these recommendations, her next steps may be unsurprising. After graduating from Cornell in May 2025, Khurshid almost immediately started her Master’s program in Public Health at Cornell. We celebrate Khurshid’s accomplishments to date and are ready to follow her story as it continues to bloom.
Photo credit: Diana Ayubi
