When Abdullah, an international student from Pakistan, first shared his story, he was already on a path of academic excellence at the University of the Pacific. Just a year later, he reached a significant milestone in his undergraduate journey: graduating as valedictorian with a degree in computer science and exciting plans for his future.
We reconnected with Abdullah to hear more about how he earned the university’s highest academic honor, his transformative internship experience at NVIDIA, and his advice for international students aiming for success. UOP International Student Success and Operations Manager Jelena Cobanovic, who played a key role in his journey, also reflected on how their collaboration helped shape Abdullah’s experience at Pacific.
A Vision from Day One
In Spring 2022, when Abdullah first arrived from Pakistan at the University of the Pacific, he had a clear vision in mind. Unlike most first-year students still adjusting to their new surroundings, Abdullah was already setting bold goals for himself. In particular, he wanted to be valedictorian — a goal he wrote in bold letters on a whiteboard in his dorm room during his first semester at school.
Three years later, his goal became reality: Abdullah walked the graduation stage at the University of the Pacific not only as valedictorian of the School of Engineering and Computer Science, but also as a recipient of multiple academic honors, including a Summa Cum Laude designation and awards from his department for academic excellence and “outstanding graduate.”
“I’m not afraid of flying too close to the sun and getting burnt,” he said. “It was an ambitious goal, but when you aim high, even if you don’t get to the peak of what you aim for, you’re still going to get way higher than if you just had an ‘I just want to pass my classes’ type of [mindset].”
This ambition and drive took Abdullah far: He took the initiative to speak with his faculty advisor and asked what steps were necessary to become valedictorian, then worked hard toward it. While most students were still finding their footing, Abdullah was already taking concrete actions to balance academic excellence with meaningful campus involvement.
How UOP International Helped Shape His Journey
Abdullah’s journey began with a strong focus on developing his skills.
“[When] I came to the US, I was like, ‘OK, I want to do great in my academics, but I also want to build my soft skills,’” he said.
Jelena, who met him during his first days on campus, shared, “I could tell from day one that he was going to be an amazing student. He wanted to be involved; I could just see that he was here for the right reasons. His academics have been amazing, all [of] his accomplishments; [his record] already speaks for itself.”
From their first conversation, Jelena became a guide and sounding board for Abdullah, helping him navigate a new campus, culture, and expectations.
“Jelena was one of the first people I got to interact with when I arrived,” Abdullah said. “[She] pointed out [I should] ‘try different things, do different things’ and it set me up for success.”
Embracing Every Opportunity
Abdullah began with one of the more unconventional campus jobs by serving as the university mascot. While it might have seemed like a light-hearted role, it was his first step in building confidence and community presence.
From there, he took on increasingly demanding positions: UOP International Orientation Leader, Tiger Team Ambassador, Student Ambassador for the School of Engineering and Computer Science, Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, and Resident Assistant. Each role allowed him to develop new skills and deepen his connection to the campus community.
Perhaps one of the most telling moments of trust came when Jelena asked Abdullah, then an undergraduate, to lead a group of incoming graduate students during orientation.
“Sometimes we’re in a situation where we have to move some orientation leaders around and again Abdullah was the first on the list. He can easily fit in and I can put him [in] any group to lead, and I know he’ll do a great job,” Jelena explained.
Just like with Jelena and Abdullah’s professional relationship, Shorelight staff empower students from day one, creating a foundation of support that helps international students thrive.
Balancing Academics, Leadership, and Long-Term Goals
Behind the scenes, Abdullah was working just as hard in the classroom. While juggling his extracurriculars and other responsibilities, Abdullah still managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout his computer science degree, a very challenging but rewarding accomplishment.
“Every semester, I’d think, ‘OK, I may have taken on too much responsibility, this might be the one where I lose the 4.0,’” Abdullah admitted. “But I kept visualizing my success, stayed committed, and pressed on until I made it happen.”
His hard work paid off as Abdullah also secured a competitive co-op at NVIDIA, where he worked on real-world backend systems focusing on high-performance computing (HPC) and deep learning performance, and was selected as an intern ambassador.
Reflecting on the NVIDIA internship experience, Abdullah shared that all the roles he took on, whether as a teaching assistant, an orientation leader, or part of research teams, prepared him to succeed in that environment, as each one helped him grow, both as a student and a well-rounded individual.
In an increasingly competitive tech job market, Abdullah’s early planning, hands-on experience, and commitment to growth helped him stand out to employers.
Advice for Future International Students
Looking back, Abdullah has clear guidance for new international students who want to make the most of their US university experience.
“Be OK with being uncomfortable,” he said. “Try to manifest and understand why you’re here.”
For international students in particular, he encourages early involvement, strong relationship-building, and consistent professionalism in interactions with staff and faculty. These connections, he said, can build confidence and open doors to leadership roles, internships, and future career opportunities.
Jelena shared a similar perspective, noting that success often depends upon students being open to new experiences. She highlighted Abdullah’s willingness to listen, take feedback, and act on it as key reasons for his continued progress.
With exciting opportunities coming his way, Abdullah credited his early efforts and time at the University of the Pacific in setting him up for long-term success.
For Jelena, watching Abdullah’s growth has been a career-defining experience. “It’s moments like these that remind me why I chose this career in the first place,” she said.
Abdullah’s journey from new arrival to valedictorian, intern to professional, shows what’s possible when international students are supported, seen, and encouraged from the very start. His story also reflects the strong community at the University of the Pacific, where on-campus UOP International staff like Jelena are advocates for your success.
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