Colin Powell School
Understand the System in Order to Change It: Hassan Fayyaz on His Journey from Pakistan to Economics Major at CCNY
Growing up in Pakistan, Hassan Fayyaz became keenly aware of socio-economic inequality and the immense value of education as a way to pursue one’s dreams. After his family moved to the US, he observed the nuances of inequality both between and within the industrialized countries and the countries of the Global South. After exploring biology and computer engineering as possible majors, Fayyaz took a course in microeconomics that spoke to his interest in the origins of inequality. As a student of Economics, he aims to understand our capitalist system in order to change it and bring about equality. Fayyaz is an achiever who has sought and benefitted from numerous mentoring, internship, and scholarship opportunities available at CCNY, and he urges future students to apply for such programs early on in their college journeys.
Tell us your story. What is your background?
For me, life began when I entered this world crying at my uncle's hospital. I grew up in Gujranwala, a small town in Pakistan. My dad was a landlord, and my mother a teacher. I remember my childhood as a golden period of my life far from the edge, having nothing to worry about.
My parents wanted the best life for me, so they put me in a private school named Beaconhouse School System. This school is one of the most expensive in Pakistan since it is one of the oldest international standard schools. However, as I was living in a country struggling with the literacy rate, attending a private school was a huge privilege for me, and I will be forever thankful to my parents for this. I give the credit for everything I am today to my parents and my teachers, who taught me to believe in my dreams and be confident to pursue them no matter what.
Life is a thrilling roller coaster ride and very unpredictable. Because of their passion for pursuing their dreams and living a better life, my family decided to move to America. Living in a third-world country can be very different than most people imagine. My father knew Pakistan would not provide us with the opportunities we wanted in life. America has one of the best systems for higher education, so he chose America. Life in America is a world apart from Pakistan. I love how diverse it is and how I can interact with people from all walks of life. I have made amazing friends, experienced different cultures, and tried new foods. After having great support from my teachers at Valley Stream North High School, I was able to get into The City College of New York.
What brought you to City College?
CCNY became a dream college after my elder brother Ahsan Fayyaz got into the Grove School of Engineering. After his admission to this school, I became curious and started my research to find out what this college offers. After visiting the college campus as a high school senior, I decided to apply. I always dreamed of attending college in Manhattan. CCNY appealed to me the most because of its prestige, beautiful historical campus, history of being the oldest CUNY school, and reasonable tuition fee. To get into this school, I worked hard and received more than 15 certificates, a 4.0 GPA, and a gold medal in economics. I am grateful to attend CCNY, and even If I could go back in time, I would still make the same decision to attend CCNY.
Why did you choose to study Economics?
I was born in a country where I saw people struggling financially. In Pakistan, for most of the population, life is about survival. Though there are some exceptionally well-off people, that is not the case for everyone. When I arrived in the US, it was different than I expected, different than the Hollywood movies and TV shows. I saw income inequality here, too. The gap is huge in the United States, if we look at the statistics. The country's economic condition does offer some hardworking individuals the opportunity to achieve their dreams and reach their goals, but not everyone has that privilege in life. I realized that in this financial marathon of life, the race is unfair, and not everyone gets the same opportunities regardless of their hard work as some have inherited wealth and others haven't.
My motivation behind pursuing economics was to learn and understand how the economic system works in a capitalist society, with the hope and goal to invent a system that brings income equality. Even if that does not seem ideal because many would argue that it would take away the incentive to work hard, we at least must provide everyone the fundamental right to live and experience this world by providing them with the necessities of life. Life is a one-time opportunity, and I believe it should not just be about survival; it should be an opportunity to experience, learn, grow, love, and build beautiful memories throughout the journey. There are many other reasons why I am pursuing economics, but this reason stood out to me the most. The subject also offers excellent opportunities to learn how to manage your finances and teach you essential skills that can help you get some of the most exciting jobs.
Tell us about the process of choosing your career path. How did you find help and guidance along the way? How has the Colin Powell School helped you on your career path?
Even though I liked Economics in high school, I thought I wanted to be a doctor. Coming to college in my first year, I pursued biology as a major and was not satisfied with my decision and started researching other career opportunities. Then, my brother Ahsan who is pursuing Computer Science at the Grove School of Engineering, motivated me to try programming in 2019. My experience with programming was excellent, and I learned invaluable skills. I wrote a beginner guide on Python and made a Tic Tac Toe game from scratch using Python, Anaconda Navigator, and Jupyter Notebook. I loved what I did and decided to apply to Grove School of Engineering.
What changed my mind was Professor Ernesto Garcia's microeconomics class. I realized that I liked economics more than any other subject. I reached out to the Chair of the Economics & Business department, Professor Matthew Nagler, and asked him about the possibilities and career options for economics majors. He briefly explained everything, and I decided to pursue Economics as a major. Huge credit goes to Professor Matthew Nagler, as he was kind and helpful. Before meeting him, I was unsure about my career goals, but with his help in providing me with knowledge, my path became crystal clear.
Although it was a rough journey, I am glad I made the right decision and chose a career path that I like. Throughout my journey as a student, I have gained internship and work experience at more than ten companies, including companies like Citibank, UPS, Henry Schein, Catholic Health, and many more. In addition, I also did some volunteer activities, which include tutoring, mentoring, producing short films, and participating in JP Morgan's Mentoring Program.
Currently, I am an Adjunct Lecturer at CCNY, an incoming summer analyst at JP Morgan Chase, and the President of the CCNY's Sports Marketing Club, Beaver Nation Network.
I also met some of the kindest, most knowledgeable, and helpful faculty members and created lifelong friendships. I will never forget my time at CCNY and the knowledge I have gained over the years. In simple words, my most significant achievement is that this school has made me tough and unbeatable not only academically but in practical life. It has made me believe in myself and supported me in all possible ways to help me reach my goals. In addition, CCNY's Economics and Business department has some of the best faculty members.
I have received two scholarship awards (David Berks Fellowship Award & Lawrence C. Kastin Scholarship). Outside of school, the knowledge learned and the projects completed at CCNY have helped me get some of the finest opportunities in the industry. I have worked with Executive Directors, Business Partners, Consultants, Analysts, Professors, Bankers, and many more talented professionals.
This school has helped me create all these possibilities, and these experiences have shaped my current self.
Do you have any advice for current or future students?
My advice to first-year college students would be to discover the campus resources and meet people from all backgrounds. Then, take the first year to explore all the opportunities within the school, build your resume, and secure an internship in your desired field because this will put you on the right track to achieve your career goals and provide you with an exciting and memorable experience. Do projects in your field of interest to build your resume. That will help you get internships, which will lead to jobs. Also, meet new people and learn from your professors. Make your network strong because there is more to college than just attending class and getting high grades. Learning from people from all backgrounds is a huge privilege that City College offers, and we must not miss this opportunity!