WKU News

Ataullah Tahiri, sophomore in The Mahurin Honors College (MHC '25), had the opportunity to complete an internship with the Global Entrepreneurship Organization in Washington, DC through The Washington Center (TWC). Ataullah, from Afghanistan, is double majoring in economics and finance. He participates in Student Government Association as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair after previously serving as a Senator. He is also an Alumni Ambassador for The Mahurin Honors College.
The Washington Center allows students to earn academic credit while completing an internship in Washington, DC. TWC offers students the unique opportunity to gain experience in their career field before graduation. According to TWC, students “build a strong foundation that gives [them] the skills, network, and confidence to navigate the workforce once [they] graduate.” Ataullah worked with MHC Executive Director Dr. Cobane, as well as Dr. Audrey in the political science department to submit an application to TWC.

After his acceptance to TWC, Ataullah further applied to multiple internships of interest facilitated by the TWC network. He heard back from a few internships before accepting his position as a project associate with the Global Entrepreneurship Organization. This position allowed him to help those seeking information about entrepreneurship - a field he wants to pursue one day. While in this position, Ataullah recalls “there were a bunch of Excel sheets, also connecting other people, making groups and Slacks. I think I was controlling more than 400 people for an event.” During this experience, Ataullah was able to “explore around the cities, states around DC and [I] also connected with people.” Through this internship, he was able to take classes with professors who had years of experience in their fields and who encouraged him to prepare for work in his field by completing certifications while completing his major. Additionally, he was able to make professional and peer connections in his field that could lead to other opportunities.

The MHC was able to assist his process through funding and support. He was awarded scholarships through the MHC. MHC Executive Director, Dr. Cobane, WKU's campus liaison for TWC, was able to connect Ataullah with the right people. Ataullah also met weekly with Dr. Cobane for assistance and support during the application phase. Ataullah recalls that the “MHC had a main contribution in my experience,” adding, “I highly recommend to those students who wish to explore, who wish to learn, who wish to have a good experience. Go for it.”

We are so proud of Ataullah’s hard work and are excited to see how he continues to ascend toward excellence with The Mahurin Honors College.