About Us

When I arrived at Boston College, I was excited to find my place, but something felt missing. As someone of Pakistani heritage, I didn’t see a space on campus where our culture was meaningfully represented. Sure, there was SASA, but everything was grouped together; Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, and Pakistani culture all under one umbrella. While that kind of regional unity is important, I couldn’t help but feel that the uniqueness of Pakistani identity was being blurred, and that we didn’t have a place to call our own.

I grew up in New Jersey, where schools like Rutgers have long-established Pakistani Student Associations. In high school, I saw how students had access to platforms that allowed them to celebrate their identity, language, food, traditions, and religious practices in their own way. I assumed Boston College would have the same, but it didn’t. I talked to a few seniors of Pakistani origin who told me they had always wanted a PSA on campus, but no one had ever tried. That conversation stuck with me.

My connection to Pakistani culture runs deep. My mother is Pakistani, and growing up, her influence shaped so much of who I am. Whether it was the stories her family passed down, the importance of community, or just the food and values that filled our home, I’ve always carried a strong sense of pride in where I come from. To me, being Pakistani isn’t just a checkbox on a form, it’s a way of seeing the world, a connection to generations before me, and a culture worth celebrating and preserving.

So, as a freshman, I decided to do something about it. I founded the Pakistani Student Association at Boston College not just for myself, but for everyone who’s ever wanted to see their identity reflected on campus. PSA is a space for Pakistani students to feel seen, to take ownership of our culture, and to share it proudly with the larger BC community. It’s also a place for non-Pakistanis to learn more about who we are, our food, our history, our music, our faiths, and our stories.

Our very first event, a Chai Chat in collaboration with the Muslim Student Association, was a moment I’ll never forget. I expected maybe 20 people to show up. Instead, over 80 came, including students from other schools. That day confirmed what I had always believed: the Pakistani presence at BC was here all along, we just needed to bring it into the light.

The PSA is more than a student organization. It’s a movement to make our community more visible, more connected, and more empowered. And this is just the beginning.

– Arhum Abbas, Founder (’28)