• Patti Grace Smith Fellow, Class of 2026

• Tufts University, Mechanical Engineering, ‘26

• Host Institution: Draper

I am a first-generation Moroccan student pursuing the Mechanical Engineering major at Tufts University while following my interests in Aerospace Engineering and Embedded Systems.

As Co-President of Tufts National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), I oversee professional development, corporate, social, and charitable events empowering Black STEM students and individuals in my community, which I find extremely personally rewarding. Additionally, I host initiatives as Vice President of Tufts American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), connecting peers with career opportunities. Through my leadership positions, I pursue the conviction that strength and humility are two sides of the same coin, that one's accomplishments impose a greater obligation to serve others. An important aspect of my college career has been working as a Research Assistant in Tufts Microscale Sensors and Systems Laboratory, where I conduct stratospheric data acquisition research. I also compete as an athlete on the Tufts Football Team, which has been a grounding daily outlet to develop a mindset of discipline and a routine of perseverance in my life. Musically, I play the French horn and participate in the ensemble at my university as well. In the pursuit of these goals, my family has been my greatest motivation.

Through the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, I am excited to connect with like-minded individuals, learn from accomplished mentors, and contribute to the aerospace industry, gaining experience with hands-on professional mechanisms and electromechanical design projects.