Zahida was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, where she learned to love getting to know people of different cultures. Her interest in people and cultures led her to major in anthropology and Africana studies at Ithaca College, where she earned her bachelor's degree.

Her undergraduate career was marked by several highlights, such as winning Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year as a freshman on the varsity softball team. She was also active in mentoring and participated in Sister 2 Sister, African Latino Society, African Students Association, and the Inside Look admissions program for prospective students of color.

But perhaps the most formative event of Zahida's college career was her experience studying abroad in Ghana. She has since travelled to Ghana four times to conduct research on African American and Ghanaian relations, and she went on to earn a master's degree in African history, with a minor in African American studies, from Northwestern University.

Before coming to Kenyon, Zahida worked for a Madison, Wisconsin, college access program that helped students of color in their quest to gain admission to the colleges of their choice. Zahida enjoys international travel and hopes to make it to Brazil for Carnival or World Cup 2014. She also enjoys music with good beats (e.g., hip hop, salsa, dance hall, reggae, among others), eating great food, and walking scenic routes. She recently married her college sweetheart in her hometown of Seattle, and she's currently working on her tennis swing.

Regions

Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio (Kenyon Academic Partnership schools), Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Wisconsin