LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 18, 2025) — Husna Ahmadi isn’t sure what she will feel walking across the stage of Rupp Arena to receive her University of Kentucky diploma.
“I don’t know what to expect,” she said. “Maybe my whole journey here; the flights, the anxiety, the friends, the memories, all of it may just come rushing back.”
In late 2021, as the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, many students in the country suddenly found themselves in limbo, unsure of whether or how to continue their educations. After a year in another country, still in limbo, UK provided several students, including Husna, with hope.
Accepted into UK for the Spring 2023 semester, Ahmadi hopped on a flight to Lexington, unsure of what awaited her.
“It was a complete whirlwind,” she said. “I had to go right away. It was the longest flight of my life, the whole time wondering what will UK be like, what will Lexington be like. I had no idea what to expect.”
As she arrived in Lexington, staff from UK’s International Center welcomed her and others at the airport and helped them settle in.
“I remember it being dark when we finally landed. So after all of this chaos and the long flight, I just walked into my new life, trying to get my bearings," she said. "I was so thankful to have people from UK there to welcome me and help me get settled in. Here I am in a new city, a new country. I didn’t know anything yet. I didn’t sleep much that first night, even though I was exhausted.”
Arriving just days before the start of the Spring 2023 semester, Ahmadi woke up that first morning on campus, a cold January day, and finally saw UK and Lexington in the daytime.
“It was freezing,” she said. “But I bundled up the best I could and walked to the student center. I couldn’t believe it. It was nothing like what I experienced back in Afghanistan. It felt like it had everything. And I just said to myself, ‘wow, this is my new home.’”
As she started her first semester at UK, Husna found plenty to feel anxious about. Would she do well as a student in a new country? Would she like her classes? Would she fit in and make friends? What she ended up finding was a home away from home.
“It was tough at first,” she said. “Every time I needed something, though, I found support. I found a community. When I first started at UK, it was where I went to school, but I eventually noticed when I would travel outside of Lexington, I would always feel like I was going home when I came back to UK.”
As a student, Ahmadi has excelled. She has been a leader in her program, serving as president of the Society of International Studies. She has also collaborated on research projects related to refugees in higher education.
An international studies major in UK’s College of Arts and Sciences, Ahmadi is passionate about helping people from different backgrounds. She has worked on campus in the Stuckert Career Center and off campus as an interpreter for Kentucky Refugee Ministries. She currently serves as a community relations coordinator for Lexington Human Rights Commission.
“Coming here has changed my life,” she said. “I just want to help others who may be in similar situations as I was.”
She plans to apply for law schools after graduating to study international law. Eventually, she dreams of working for the United Nations, continuing her work of helping others like her.
“Higher education has had a profoundly positive impact on my life,” she said. "It’s empowered me with the knowledge, skills and experiences that have shaped my professional and personal growth. It has instilled in me a lifelong love for learning, a sense of purpose and the confidence to pursue my aspirations. I am immensely grateful for the opportunities I’ve gotten, and I'm committed to utilizing my education to make a positive impact in my community and beyond.”
Now, as she prepares to graduate from the University of Kentucky, Husna feels grateful for the opportunity and for her time at UK.
“This community has become like a family to me,” she said. “I know that no matter where I came from, or where I go in the future, I’ll always be a Wildcat.”
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UK’s December 2025 Commencement ceremonies will take place at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, and livestreamed on YouTube. Visit uknow.uky.edu or commencement.uky.edu on Friday to watch.