Christina Shaheen Moosa

University of Memphis
Ph.D. Candidate
TCC Alumnus

Christina Shaheen Moosa graduated from Great Bridge High in Chesapeake with honors, but with no real financial hope of going to college – or so she thought. No one in her family had gone to college and she just assumed she wouldn’t either. But, thanks to her parents and advice from a TCC theatre professor, she looked into financial aid options at TCC.

She found the help she needed and enrolled in an associate-degree program. She quickly realized through the encouragement and support of TCC faculty and staff that not only could she get an associate degree, but, if she applied herself, she could go on for a bachelor’s degree. “I thought, WOW! From here I really can go anywhere,” says Christina.

As she became immersed in college life and
extra-curricular activities at TCC, she found that working the Welcome Desk, “changed my life.” She discovered a passion for helping others who like her, were unsure about seeking higher education – to apply and successfully assimilate into college life.

She went on to receive a full scholarship to Sweet Briar College in Virginia where she completed her baccalaureate, then won a fellowship to pursue a master’s in philosophy at the University of Memphis. Next fall, she will apply to PhD programs in philosophy. She plans to become a professor and, eventually, an academic dean.

“It all started with Student Government at TCC; getting involved in college opened my eyes to possibilities I never knew were there for me.”

back to the top