Mazna Al-Marzooqi came to the United States in June of 2007 from Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia. She is a graduate student working toward her master’s degree in public health. Al-Marzooqi has already attained her bachelor’s degree in Saudi Arabia, and she said she hopes to return there to teach as a professor of public health at a university. Al-Marzooqi is wearing a hijab, the headscarf traditionally worn by Muslim women.

“Sometimes other students stare, they don’t ask . maybe they are afraid,” said Al-Marzooqi, who wears the hijab as a part of her religion. “It is hard to live here with my hijab and practice my religion. This is the part that is hard for me.”