Batoul Chaghlil ’29 is always moving toward the future. In just her first year on campus, Chaghlil, the president of Bryant University’s Muslim Student Association and Arab Student Association, is already establishing herself as a leader on campus — both in the classroom and beyond.
And she’s just getting started.
Chaghlil’s drive is propelled by personal experience and an innate need to look out for others. Born in Syria, she attended a single day of school in her home country before a civil war in her home country forced her family to move to the United States when she was six years old.
That experience, she says, has instilled in her a desire to assist others and develop communities where people can come together and work toward a common goal.
“I want to start conversations, even if it might seem awkward to connect with someone who seems different,” says Chaghlil. “It’s about creating a sense of belonging, respect, and collaboration.
She also draws strength from her family. Inspired by her father, a serial entrepreneur, Chaghlil picked up his love of solving problems and learning through experience. That’s one of the reasons she chose Bryant, Chaghlil says. She wanted an education that would allow her to forge her own destiny.
“I wanted to have a voice, and I wanted to have an impact,” Chaghlil says. “There’s so much opportunity at Bryant. You can create your own path, whether it’s deciding exactly what you want to study or starting your own clubs.”
An introduction to success
Chaghlil notes that one of her very first classes, “Introduction to Business,” helped her find her footing and build a foundation for the future. The course, a requirement for every first-year Bryant student, provides a wide-reaching primer on the basic concepts of business operations as well as the fundamental tools and ideas they’ll use throughout college and their professional careers.
The course culminates in the “Global Pitch” project. Working together in small groups, students select an important problem that affects daily life in another country and are tasked with developing an original, viable business idea that helps address that problem. Putting it all together into a single business plan means considering everything from financing to cultural issues to cost analyses to marketing and multi-year revenue projections.
Chaghlil quickly took charge as the team’s “CEO,” leading the effort and helping the other members find their strengths and how best to contribute to the process. She was also the one who proposed their topic.
Noting that Syria is plagued with electrical grid issues due to its war-damaged infrastructure, Chaghlil’s team came up with a plan to develop a renewable microgrid powered by biomass and other clean energy sources. By linking these microgrids to a central power grid, they argued, it would be possible to efficiently distribute electricity throughout Damascus, Syria’s capital — and establish a first step toward providing electricity for all Syrians.
“This was an important project because it has a deeper meaning to me,” she says. “I put my heart and soul into this project.
Chaghlil, who came to Bryant planning to study major in Accounting, found a new path as a Management major through the course. “The class made me love business and all the aspects that go into it,” she says. “It allows me to combine so many things that are important to me.”
She also found a mentor through the class. Chaghlil quickly connected with the course’s instructor, Lecturer of Management Mark Vozella, and impromptu meetings before class have become regular Tuesday and Friday appointments in Bryant’s Quinlan/Brown Academic Innovation Center, where the two meet to discuss Chaghlil’s studies and her goals, but also to share ideas and information about each other’s religion and culture. Vozella was so inspired by her story that he volunteered to teach Syrian refugees virtually over the summer.
Starting discussions
Chaghlil has made it her mission to help spark discussions around religion and culture throughout campus. In her first semester, she revived the university’s dormant Muslim Student Association and Arab Student Association. The charge of both is to help forge connections between current students and alumni and to promote understanding through educational opportunities and events.
She shares that telling her story and discussing her culture helps her make sense of the disruption that has touched her life and her home country.
“So many of us had to leave Syria and travel all over the world,” Chaghlil reflects. “We take our memories and culture with us, and it is up to us to share them and educate everyone about our homeland.”
Those opportunities to share stories range from cozy club meetings to campus-wide celebrations. It was Chaghlil who lit a candle to commemorate Eid al-Fitr — which marks the end of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the month of Ramadan, celebrated by Muslims around the world — at Bryant’s Festival of Lights, a hallowed tradition that brings the university community together to share holiday customs from around the world.
Besides camaraderie, her groups are also known for their delicious food, including homemade delicacies like hummus and baklava. “Food brings everyone together,” Batoul admits with a laugh. “Fortunately, I love to cook.”
Running both clubs as a first-year student can be a lot to take on, Chaghlil admits, and she’s learning as she goes. “It’s helping me better understand what it means to be a leader, and to prepare for what I want to do in the future,” she says.
All the pieces for a bright future
Chaghlil has found other ways to start conversations as a Bryant Ambassador, where she gives prospective students the “inside story” about life at Bryant — a story she’s learned firsthand.
“One of my favorite things to talk about is that there’s a purpose for everything at Bryant, from the labs to the courses to even the clubs and organizations. They are all there to help you succeed.”
As she acquires new skills and makes new connections, Chaghlil’s plans continue to evolve. But she knows she wants to help others.
“I have so many ideas,” Chaghlil admits. “There are so many opportunities to help in both Syria and the world.”
For now, though, she’s in exactly the right place to prepare for what comes next action: a supportive environment that allows her to learn and grow, surrounded by mentors dedicated to helping her achieve as much as possible.
“Bryant is everything I could have hoped it would be,” Chaghlil says.