Ali Muhammad Radhi Ghulam

I am a 24-year-old studying business administration at the American University In Baghdad. I previously studied engineering, but my experience in engineering wasn’t ideal until I found my true passion in life. In the past two years, I’ve reached a crossroads in my life. I tried to explore more options and fields in other universities to find an environment and community that would better support my success and learning.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t acquire many essential life and professional skills in my previous university. I tried to self-develop in areas like design, programming, and business management, as they were significant interests in my life. Initially, I assisted students in explaining their university subjects through an electronic platform I designed and programmed—a website and application. This project helped me develop my path in entrepreneurship, growing my passion for this field.

I faced a dilemma when considering studying business administration at an Iraqi university due to a negative previous experience. However, when I heard about AUIB, I wasn’t initially confident in my decision. But as I explored the AUIB’s website, visited the campus, and learned about the available colleges and programs, I was amazed by the excellence and perfection I hadn’t witnessed before in Iraq. At that point, I decided to study at AUIB, and after about a year and a half, I am literally a different person.

The AUIB helped me change my career path from engineering to business administration, finding the passion I was looking for. The environment and atmosphere facilitated my learning and made my life more stable, both psychologically and personally. The university provided psychological guidance and consultations that helped me overcome many obstacles, and learning life skills enabled me to access greater opportunities.

In the past year, I achieved several accomplishments that I am proud of. I participated in the Startup Weekend competition, competing with 20 Iraqi projects and winning second place. This success motivated me to participate more and get to know the field better. I also won second place in a project management competition held last year in Erbil, competing with 10 projects from different Iraqi provinces.

Additionally, I established a company specializing in website and application development in Baghdad last year, and I am currently entering an investment round with an investor for the first time in my life. Many things are happening rapidly, but through the unique experience at the university, I learned that enjoying the moments is more important than the goal itself.