Layan Ibrahim: Finding her true path

Layan Ibrahim came to Radford University from Ashburn, Virginia, knowing she wanted to help people, but her path to graduation contained a major twist along the way.

She initially planned to major in psychology after hearing positive things about the university’s faculty and small class size, but after getting involved with the criminal justice program on campus, Ibrahim realized she had found her true calling in an unexpected place and changed her major to focus on criminal justice.

Now a senior, Ibrahim credits her success at Radford to the community that has helped her along the way, including faculty in both the criminal justice and psychology departments.

“I love faculty support because I am a firm believer that I can’t do things alone,” Ibrahim said. “The support from Dr. [Lori] Elis and from the faculty members alike have been really important to me.”

She attended Radford Advocacy Day in 2023 and 2024, an annual event in which students connect and engage with lawmakers in Richmond, Virginia. She expects to graduate in May 2024.

Ibrahim is still focused on helping those who are underrepresented and plans to attend law school following a gap year, during which she will pursue congressional internships and future advocacy opportunities.