Ittiba Hasan is a third-year Business Analytics student at Kent State University, with a minor in Economics.
Discovering a Calling for Business at Kent State
Ittiba is originally from Bangladesh and first came to Kent State to study environmental studies. She decided to switch her major to Business Analytics after finding a passion for it through taking Kent core classes, a series of general education courses that aim to broaden students’ perspectives. Her research on the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Kent State only made her more interested, as she learned about all the facilities and opportunities for business majors.
Her microeconomics class was ultimately what inspired her to change her major and add a minor. She loved how fun and interactive the professor was, and how much he tried to help his students. The class being so engaging helped Ittiba focus on the work and feel enthusiastic about the subject. She appreciated how clearly the professor would explain course work, as it helped her get a better understanding on the topic.
When asked about her favorite class she has taken so far at Kent State, Ittiba highlighted her course on financial accounting, taught by Dr. Wendy Tietz. She enjoyed how precise Dr. Tietz is in explaining concepts and assignments. The class is taught efficiently, and Ittiba feels she learned a lot from it.
Making New Friends and Getting Involved at Kent State
At first, Ittiba was quite nervous about studying internationally at Kent State and found it hard to make friends initially. Now in her third year at Kent, Ittiba works at Culinary Services and as a Global Ambassador for the Office of Global Education. She really loves her job as a Global Ambassador, because it allows her to help other international students, and learn about their cultures and countries. It has also helped her meet new people and socialize more.
Because of her position as a Global Ambassador, Ittiba has participated in different campus events such as Global Safari Fest, an event where students can showcase their talents and represent their countries. In Spring 2025 Ittiba hosted a table at Global Safari Fest. This year, she hosted a table and performed a cultural dance with her friends, dressed in traditional saris and adorned with flowers in their hair. While Ittiba was nervous at first, as she had never danced before, she was coached by one of her friends and was able to let go of her anxiety while she performed. Being hyped up by the crowd at the event also helped her let loose and enjoy herself. She also loved trying the different cultural foods at the event, with food from Egypt and Uzbekistan.
Ittiba’s favorite thing about studying at Kent State University has been all the people she has met. She has gone to many campus events such as FAB Formal and Winter Blast to meet people and has found international and U.S. students to befriend. Ittiba has found most people she has met in Kent to be helpful and there for her through her ups and downs. She does not consider herself the same person as she was before coming to Kent because of all the experiences she has had and everything she has learned.
Learn more about studying at Kent State.
Support for Students at Kent State
Ittiba thinks Kent State is supportive of international students, and she has learned about even more resources for international students since becoming a Global Ambassador. In her freshman year, Ittiba remembers she was scared to reach out for help at first when she needed it, but now she feels more comfortable asking for help when she needs it and encourages other students to do the same.
One of the resources Ittiba recommends to students is the food pantries in Tri Towers and the Cares Center on campus. Ittiba said that it is easy for students to use, only requiring students' Kent State email and student ID. Students can go once a month and use their limited points to get whatever they may need. She encourages other students to utilize the food pantries on campus if they need to, because of how much she has found it has helped her.
Exploring Beyond Kent State
Outside of Kent, Ittiba has visited Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh. She enjoys visiting Cleveland and loves how the sunset looks at Edgewater Beach. Ittiba also likes to try different ice cream shops when visiting new cities and has also tried Lebanese food during one of her trips to Cleveland. She often travels with her friends and has spent a few days in Cleveland to explore the city. She loved getting to see the city during Christmas time with all the lights and decorations up.
Ittiba also enjoyed going to Cedar Point, despite her not being a fan of roller coasters. She enjoyed trying snacks and seeing the haunted houses during Halloweekends. In Columbus, Ittiba notes that she enjoyed checking out German Village, but hopes to visit Columbus during a warmer season sometime, since she has only been during the winter. Overall, Ittiba has found Ohio fun and interesting.
Ittiba’s Goals After Graduation
After graduation, Ittiba wants to go into the field of business analytics and work in the banking sector. Because her father is a retired banker, she thinks it will make her feel closer to him. She wants to work many years in the banking industry, and then possibly transfer to working with insurance companies, since she is also interested in the healthcare industry. She is very happy that her family has encouraged and supported her to go into business and economics, because of how much she loves her area of study.
Learn more about what careers are possible with a degree from the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Kent State University.
Ittiba’s Advice for Other International Students
“Just get out of the comfort zone and talk with everyone.”
Ittiba follows this advice quite literally and does not hesitate to approach people instead of waiting for others to approach her. She loves striking up conversations with new people and learning different perspectives. She said it is very important to network and socialize. That there is no reason to be scared or embarrassed about making mistakes, because people who are going to judge you will judge you anyway. Everyone makes mistakes, and it is important to be yourself.