Diploma Parlay

Growing up in Spartanburg, S.C., Zainab Dossaji ’20 dreamed of becoming a lawyer since she was 6 years old. The College helped put that dream into motion.

As an Honors College student majoring in political science and minoring in English, Dossaji took advantage of a multitude of experiential learning opportunities. Through internships with AmeriCorps and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign, Dossaji ingratiated herself in the community. She also ventured well beyond the city to gain a deeper understanding of social injustices. From studying humanitarian action in Cambodia, Vietnam and Jordan to interning with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., Dossaji became a global citizen-scholar.

After graduating, Dossaji spent three years on the public service leadership institute team at the Partnership for Public Service in Washington, D.C., before heading off to the University of Michigan Law School. In addition to her studies, she’s been involved with voting rights law issues and the Innocence Clinic, which helps exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals. The work is emotionally taxing but rewarding as it offers a tangible sense of purpose and potential change.

“I really like to read and write, but that has developed into a passion for the world, politics, social justice and civil rights,” says Dossaji. “These are the things that drive me both personally and professionally.”

The relationships she built with faculty at CofC proved particularly instrumental as she prepared for law school. Among these mentors were Anton Vander Zee, chair of the English department, and Jesslyn Collins-Frohlich, director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards.

“I had such strong connections with professors, even those who don’t work at the College anymore,” says Dossaji. “I knew them on a personal level, and they knew me. All the tools and resources from the College were still accessible to me, and that was incredibly helpful.”

If there’s one piece of advice Dossaji could offer current undergraduates, it’s this: Trust in your path, even if it diverges from your initial plans. Follow your passion and instincts.

“I think I’m better off for leaning into what I wanted to do in the moment,” she says. “Eventually, that will lead you to the right place.”

A passion for horses brought Allyson Pace ’21 to the College. After riding competitively in high school, the Charlotte, N.C., native knew she wanted to continue that in college. The College’s championship equestrian program was a big attraction.

Pace’s love of animals set the stage for her career path. “When I was younger, I thought I would be interested in equine veterinary medicine because I grew up riding horses,” she says.

As an Honors College student, she decided to major in biology so that she could pursue the veterinary route, particularly the sports medicine and orthopedics side.

Before graduating, Pace had some impressive accomplishments. She published an extensive research project on archaea microorganisms for her bachelor’s thesis, interned at local veterinarian clinics, captained the equestrian team and served as president of the College’s Pre-Veterinary Society.

Pace is now pursuing her Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery at one of the top veterinary schools in the world – the Royal Veterinary College of London. She’s even tried out for their equestrian and polo teams. Pace just began her clinical year rotations and expects to graduate in July 2026.

This summer, she is returning to the U.S. for three weeks to gain clinical experience at the Charleston Veterinary Referral Center in North Charleston. Then, Pace will be back in the saddle in London to finish her degree and will prepare to pursue residency in equine or small animal medicine following graduation.

When Tom Walter ’24 was studying biology as an Honors College student at the College of Charleston, he came across an opportunity he could not pass up.

That opportunity was the PASS (Pipeline for Aspiring Surgical Students) Program, an in-depth, 10-week summer internship with the Department of Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina. The program also teams up with the Honors Summer Enrichment Program, which supports Honors students pursuing summer endeavors by providing stipends, workshops, peer-to-peer collaboration and other resources.

The MUSC internship gave Walter invaluable shadowing, research and clinical experience. He was able to observe a surgeon interacting with patients, volunteer with EMS and be part of a research study on mice in the pancreatic cancer lab. These opportunities boosted Walter’s skills and self-confidence, assuring him that he had chosen the right career path. They also gave him a competitive edge for medical school.

Now, Walter is a student at Yale School of Medicine, especially interested gastroenterology. He says the pre-med classes offered in the Honors College prepared him well for the academic rigor of Yale. He has always wanted to work in medicine and is excited for what the future holds. – Amy Stockwell and Mary Carr