Amin Bagheri is a current UI student majoring in history and philosophy.  Amin’s parents are also alumni of Iowa.  Jamshid Bagheri (father) received his MA in aesthetic dentistry and Afsaneh Ghavamnasiri (mother) studied linguistics.  Mr. Bagheri was awarded best dentist in Mashhad, Iran and Mrs. Ghavamnasiri takes time to care for at least one orphan in her hometown.

Finding one’s own career path, separate from the path set up by family, is in many cases a Western phenomenon.  However, some do find their own path thanks to the support they receive from understanding parents.

“Maybe this is less common among American students,” wrote Amin, “but in most foreign countries children blindly abide [to] what their parents want them to do (in this case their education).”

Regardless, Amin felt in his heart that a degree in the natural sciences was not in his future.  With much reflection Amin felt his parents would not understand.

“My parents grew up in far worse situations than me regarding their educational lives, their guardians had been far more strict than them to me,” Amin recalled.

Maybe it was the Iowa legacy effect, but contrary to what Amin thought, his parents completely understood the desires of their son.  For this reason, Amin was grateful.  He is now able to pursue his own career path.  Amin describes his previous success was thanks to the push from his parents early in his education.  But his current success is thanks to their loving, open-minded support.  Support that Amin describes as being discussed among his parents’ peers back in Iran.