Syrian-born Refugee Chases Her Dream of Becoming a Doctor in Chicago

Hanin Alawad was born in Syria but spent most of her life in Egypt.

In 2011, Alawad fled with her family from Daraa, one of the first cities where the Syrian conflict erupted. Protests had already reached their neighborhood, and her parents decided they couldn’t wait any longer. Before the borders closed, they booked flights and moved to Egypt.

For Alawad, resettling in the U.S. last September marked another turning point. She arrived in Chicago determined to chase her dreams of becoming a doctor.

“I graduated from high school and got into the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) to study biology,” she said. “I spent my first year in America studying hard and achieving what I deserved.”

Borderless spoke with Hanin,18, about her immigrant journey, challenges growing up and her search for a better life in the U.S.

Growing up in Egypt

I was just five years old when my family fled Syria.

I have seven siblings, many of whom had their education interrupted by war.

After leaving Syria, we lived in a beautiful neighborhood in Cairo, with low—and mid-rise apartments surrounded by gardens and trees. The architecture reminds me of Chicago in many ways.

Egypt became home. Egyptians were kind and hospitable and treated Syrian refugees like locals in schools, hospitals and everywhere else. That doesn’t happen to most refugees in other countries.

I spent those early years immersed in my studies. I attended a private Islamic school with a rigorous curriculum: chemistry, math, biology, Qur’an, Arabic and English. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., I took seven 35-minute classes every day. Since these classes covered so much quickly, I also took private courses, mainly math and science, until 7 p.m.

My mother worked tirelessly, selling homemade food and household goods to pay for extra lessons.

She sacrificed so much so we could study. She is my role model because she always believed in me, even when others didn’t.

I wasn’t just a student who waited for teachers to teach me. I am always determined to go beyond because I want to be successful. I want to have an impact and let the world know that refugees can be successful.

I studied English independently, watching YouTube videos, writing words repeatedly and listening to pronunciations on Google Translate. I doubled down on my studies when I found out we were coming to the U.S. because I didn’t want to arrive and start from scratch.

Leaving Egypt for the U.S. wasn’t easy. I didn’t want to leave my friends and teachers behind. They were my entire world —my second family.

Adjusting to life in the U.S.

In September 2024, my family and I arrived in Chicago through the International Organization for Migration (IOM). RefugeeOne, a resettlement organization, helped us adjust by providing housing, furniture, legal support, mental health support and English classes.

My gratitude for RefugeeOne runs deep. They’ve been amazing. Anytime we need something, we call and they help. My English teacher, Jenny, and my case manager have been like family. Jenny is very kind. She helped me with my school application, answered questions and provided resources.

Still, the culture shock was real.

My first day in English class was hard. I thought I’d learn English with American students, but I was placed in second-language classes with other newcomers who didn’t speak English.

In addition, many people doubted me, saying, “You won’t graduate this year. You don’t know the language. You’ll stay two more years in high school.”

But I refused, I had already studied so much. I pushed myself by taking multiple courses to meet the graduation requirements. I was determined to get my diploma in one and a half semesters.

After arriving in Chicago, I graduated nine months later in June 2025.

Building a new life

Before graduating high school, I applied to multiple colleges, including DePaul, North Park and UIC. I initially received offer letters from North Park and DePaul.

Then, in February, I received and felt the weight of the acceptance letter from UIC.

My mom and I both cried. It was more than a letter — it was a turning point. People told me I couldn’t do it, and my response was: “Well, everything is possible.”

I want to become a doctor by fulfilling my late grandmother’s wish before she passed away. She told me, “Never give up. You’re going to be a doctor.”

That stayed with me.

I am excited that my classes at UIC have started. Although my major at the university is still undeclared, I want to study biology. This will be my first step toward medical school.

Even though I was born in Syria, I miss Egypt deeply. I feel like I’m an Egyptian at heart. I miss my friends, school, food and familiarity. But I know I have a future here, and my focus is clear: becoming a doctor.

When I graduate, I don’t just want to help Syrians, but I want to help everyone.

I want to keep my mother and grandmother proud.

This story was produced using Borderless Magazine’s collaborative as-told-to method. To learn how we make stories like these, check out our as-told-to visual explainer.

Fatema Hosseini is a  Roy W. Howard Investigative Reporting fellow covering immigrant communities for Borderless Magazine. Send her an email at [email protected].