Md Aamir Khan
First-Generation Student Spotlight
What led you to Northeastern?
I come from Ashapur, a small village in Darbhanga district, Bihar, where higher education is rarely seen as worth the cost. The advice is almost always the same: start a business, stay close to home. My father was the reason that changed for us. He worked day and night to educate his children. Everything I am today, I owe to him.
After my bachelor’s in 2013, I worked in banking in India and later moved to Dubai. A master’s wasn’t on my mind. Then, during the lockdown, my close friend Rahmat, who had completed this same program at Northeastern, kept pushing me to try. Could I study again after so long? Was I too old? How would I pay for it? I chose to take the risk anyway.
What did your family and community understand?
In my village, spending so much money on one person’s education didn’t make sense. The taunts came constantly. People said I was throwing money away and that I would never amount to anything. Some tried to turn my family against the decision. Through all of it, a few close friends stood by me.
Today, now that I’ve nearly finished my degree and started my career, the same people who once doubted me are now proud. Many now say others should follow the same path. Slowly, the mindset in my village is changing. That means more to me than any degree.
When did you realize you’d be navigating this without a roadmap?
The visa. Rahmat helped with my statement of purpose, but I had to prepare for the interview completely on my own. How would I justify the gap? When my appointment came through, I barely slept for 15 days. That was when I understood that no one at home could guide me through this.
Not having a roadmap doesn’t mean you can’t find your way. It just means you have to build the road yourself.
Md Aamir Khan
Was there a moment you felt you didn’t belong?
A few days after I arrived in Boston, my maternal uncle, my mamu, passed away. My classes had just started, and I couldn’t go home. For weeks, I asked myself whether I had made the wrong decision. What brought me back was my faith. I began going to the mosque, and slowly my strength returned. Today, I’m still here, and I know I’m here for a reason.
What made the biggest difference?
The co-op program, though it didn’t start the way I hoped. My first co-op interview was with a major automotive company, and I was rejected because of my years of work experience; they wanted a fresh student. It broke my heart. Then I joined a rail infrastructure company for my co-op, and today it’s converting into a full-time role. The years I spent in India and Dubai weren’t a gap to hide. They were exactly what made me valuable.
What would you tell a first-gen student just starting out?
It’s not too late, and you’re not behind. Your gap, your age, and your experience are not weaknesses. They are part of your strength. People will doubt you, and sometimes you’ll doubt yourself. You don’t need a roadmap to begin. You’ll build one as you go.
Write your own first chapter.
Being the first in your family to earn a degree takes courage, and you don’t have to do it alone. Explore flexible CPS programs built around your life, your work, and your goals.
