Zaynab Badmus
Zaynab Badmus switched her major from nursing to geosciences after discovering her passion for sustainability. After graduating this spring, she will follow that passion to law school in Chicago as a student of environmental law.
Interview by Zohra Basmadjian
Tell me about yourself and how you got to Georgia State.
I am a third-year student but I am graduating early, in the spring, with a bachelor’s degree in geosciences and a certificate in water science.
I graduated early from Riverwood International Charter School in Sandy Springs, Ga., in the spring of 2022, and I chose Georgia State largely because of its affordability and proximity to home.
I started off as a nursing major, but then I took a geology class that introduced me to the Department of Geosciences here, and I fell in love with it, so I switched my major.
What about geosciences drew you to the field?
I want to be an environmental lawyer. It fits my many interests in nature. I love hiking and spending time outdoors, and I’ve always been big on community service. Environmentalism combines those two things.
What organizations are you involved with on campus?
I am the president of the Student Environmental Team (S.E.T.). We are a club that gardens at the rooftop garden on top of Center Parc Stadium. We donate our produce to the Panther’s Pantry, which serves students who are going through food insecurity.
I’m also on the executive board for Seedlings, which is an organization that promotes sustainable thinking and ways students can adapt while on and off campus. To do this, we host clothing swaps and recycling drives.
What do you like the most about being part of those organizations?
The skills they have given me. These organizations have helped me develop leadership and time-management skills because I have to run a lot of things at once. They also allow me to meet cool people who collaborate with the clubs, and help me get involved with projects in Atlanta and on campus.
Who motivates you the most?
My sister. She’s a medical student at Emory, and I’ve watched her work hard to get where she is. Her hard work makes me feel like I could achieve the same things as her, but in different ways.
What are some of your hobbies?
I love knitting and sewing. My mom got me a new sewing machine over the summer, and I made my Halloween costume with it. I’ve also been knitting a bunch of things such as camisoles, sweaters and shirts.
What do you want to do after graduation?
I’m heading to law school in Chicago this fall. It’s the only city I could see myself living in outside of Atlanta. I’m planning to enter environmental law, or I might do finance law.
