In a remarkable testament to perseverance and dedication, Rana Alarawi and Rayyan Bukhari, a married couple from Saudi Arabia, have achieved a significant milestone by each graduating with a Ph.D. in Occupation and Rehabilitation Science from Colorado State University’s Department of Occupational Therapy.
Both Alarawi and Bukhari admit their journeys to earning their Ph.D.s from CSU had challenges including raising their two young children, but with support from each other, careful planning, and the ability to adapt and overcome, they both achieved their goals.
Loving and learning together
Alarawi and Bukhari met while working in Saudi Arabia. The two hit it off quickly and soon moved to the U. S. to continue their education together. After completing their master’s degrees in Georgia, the couple packed up and headed west to attend CSU where they have spent the last five years in the Ph.D. program.
From the COVID pandemic to personal health matters, along with parenting their children thousands of miles from their nearest family, the couple leaned on each other to stay successful while earning their degrees.
The couple’s second son was born while they were at CSU, and with two young children there isn’t much time for quiet study hours. Alarawi and Bukhari had to work together to find a system for their family. This ultimately led to the couple agreeing to take on more duties if their partner had a deadline or was extra busy.
“When I was facing approaching deadlines, Rana took on additional roles as both mom and dad, handling tasks like preparing school lunches and drop-offs/pick-ups, as well as managing household chores and meal preparation,” said Bukhari. Alarawi similarly leaned on Bukhari to manage family responsibilities when her research, data analysis, or writing were priorities.
Once the deadline was met or things calmed down, they would jump right back into their normal routine.
Navigating the curriculum
Both Alarawi and Bukhari chose CSU over other OT programs because of the faculty and the national recognition the department has – ranked seventh in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for OT programs.
For Alarawi, this meant the opportunity to be mentored by Anita Bundy, a world-renowned OT whose research had fascinated her for years. Bundy’s expertise is in the understanding of play and risky play and Alarawi was inspired to advance the knowledge in this area and contribute to this important field.
Mentorship stood out to Bukhari as well, citing James Graham as a major influence during his time at CSU. Not only was Graham always available to answer questions, no matter how trivial, but he was also an example of balance for Bukhari.
“My academic experiences have been a mix of pleasant moments and challenging times,” said Bukhari, whose research focuses on evaluating the impacts of social determinants in acute care traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. “Despite my facing overwhelming obstacles at times, my supervisor, Dr. James Graham, made them seem insignificant by providing unwavering support, guidance, and feedback. Dr. Graham taught me that life is not solely about education, research, and Ph.D.-related duties. I learned the importance of taking pauses, recharging, and returning in a more effective manner.”
Bundy also brought the personal aspect to her mentoring of Alarawi, being sure to begin each meeting with a genuine conversation to check in on how Alarawi and the kids were doing and showing true interest in her mentee outside of the academic world.
“With Dr. Bundy, I felt heard, valued, and my achievements were celebrated,” noted Alarawi. “She treated me as a colleague rather than a student, which I greatly appreciated. Her mentorship has played a pivotal role in shaping me as a researcher and scholar, and I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to learn directly from her.”
Hard work paid off
Alarawi and Bukhari defended their dissertations only weeks apart.
And for both, their contributions to the field began before they defended. The emerging power couple has traveled to present their research at conferences across the nation, earning travel grants and research awards along the way. Both Alarawi and Bukhari have seen their work published in numerous journals while also reviewing articles for journals as well.
In addition to the specialized knowledge and research skills acquired while at CSU, Alarawi’s experience as an international student instilled a deep sense of resilience, a fresh understanding of the world, and an appreciation of different cultures.
“Looking back on the past five years, I realize that this journey has been nothing short of transformative,” Alarawi said. “Along the way, I have learned valuable lessons in research, science, teaching, and many other skills in between. This journey, with its twists and turns, has not only shaped me as a scholar but has profoundly influenced who I am as a person.”
After commencement, both Alarawi and Bukhari will go back to Saudi Arabia to spread their knowledge in positions at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences where they will teach and conduct research in the Department of Occupational Therapy. As they take the next steps on their journey, the experience of earning their Ph.D.s together will endure.
“Rana and I have been on this graduate school journey together for almost ten years, supporting each other every step of the way,” Bukhari said. “Despite the hardships and challenges, I have never regretted pursuing our dream. This experience has reinforced the belief that nothing is impossible when you have a caring and supportive family by your side,”
The Department of Occupational Therapy is a part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
