Amazing. A heart of gold. Unmatched. Extremely impressive.
These are all words used to describe Abdul Muqeet Khawaja by people who know him.
But the truth is, when Khawaja landed in St. Petersburg, Florida, having traveled 8,000 miles from his home country of Pakistan, he knew no one.
As he settled into USF’s St. Petersburg campus, he encountered both the warmth of acceptance and the biting edge of prejudice. But he refused to let adversity define him.
Instead, he immersed himself in the vibrant student community. In 2023 he was elected the first Pakistani campus governor for the USF St. Petersburg campus. As governor, he was responsible for amplifying the voices of the 4,500-plus student body and bridging the gap between students and administration.
He also served as the events co-chair on the Judy Genshaft Honors College Student Council.
Aside from his leadership roles, he maintains a 4.0 GPA and has made the Dean’s List every semester. He is on track to graduate in 2024 with two bachelor’s degrees — in business analytics and accounting.
Outside of the classroom, Khawaja works as a technical accounting intern at Jabil where he is assisting in training employees across the globe who are located in over 30 countries at over 100 different locations.
As his undergraduate journey draws to a close, he’s struck by the transformative power of education and the resilience that has carried him through since the day he arrived in the U.S. alone.
He vows to continue to uplift others and to be the mentor he never had.
25 Under 25 Program 