Sabria Islam

As a student in the Bard High Early College program, an initiative that allows 12th-graders to graduate with not only a high school Regents diploma but an associate’s degree, Sabria Islam focused on liberal arts, perhaps a natural choice given Bard’s goal of educating well-rounded, global-minded people. Still, she maintained a keen interest in science and technology and sought ways to keep a foot in both those worlds.

Integrated Design and Media presented a solution.

Now a member of the Class of 2026, she says, “My core classes introduced me to so many prospects, from audio and visual design to web development to photography and film, and my group projects allowed me to use everything I learned in creative ways. It really is the best of both worlds.”

Islam brings a unique perspective to everything she does at NYU Tandon. For one thing, she commutes from her home in Queens. “I feel that with so many students coming from all around the globe, I represent a native New Yorker to them, and I’m happy to share everything I know about the city.”

At the same time, she feels a responsibility to make sure everyone knows they are heard and welcome here, no matter where they are from. “My parents came to the U.S. from Bangladesh, so I can relate to those who are new here, and I can tell them with certainty that there’s a place for them at Tandon and NYU.”

Islam believes that IDM is a particularly good fit for those, like her, from traditional families, who may one day be expected to be a source of support for their parents. “I can be creative, but I also have practical tools and skills now,” she says. “I have the back-up plan worked out.”