Razia Razark

Interview by Daisy Hernandez

What is your name and major?
My name is Razia Razark, and my major is Business Administration, I’m in my second semester for the Bachelor’s degree. 

What were you doing prior to Plaza?
Before Plaza, I was and still am employed in the retail industry. Currently, I work for Lane Bryant. 

What is your first memory of Plaza?
My first distinct memory of Plaza is my orientation. The testing and filling out of papers are a blur to me! I remember Dean Loffert being full of energy, welcoming us students to a new chapter of our lives. I was nervous, anxious, and excited to begin my life as a college student. 

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you at Plaza?
Undoubtedly, it would have to be something that happened in Professor Howle’s class!

What are some of your hobbies and interests?
I love to read about different people and cultures, probably because I imagine myself travelling one day to see them! My alter ego would have to be as Indiana Jane.  I also enjoy movies, music, art, and, you may yawn,… museums. Also, being outdoors and on tropical beaches.

Where do you see yourself going after you graduate
Hopefully, I can continue my education to the next level and beyond. I see myself working in the field of human resource management and helping others.

If you could trade places with any other teacher of faculty from Plaza for a week, whom would it be?
If I could learn from one teacher for a week, it would have to be Professor Tavantzis, for his diplomacy and extensive experience.  

How would you explain a research database in 3 sentences to a freshman?
It is a wealth of information.
It can be an occasional pain.
All the answers are inside.

What are the advantages of Plaza?
I think that Dean Dolla said it best at our graduation ceremony: the feeling of family. The people make Plaza a special place.

If someone wrote a biography of you, what do you think the title should be?Island Girl.

If you lost your ipod and another student found it, what kind of songs would he/she see on it?
A lot of different styles of music and artists, from Jay Z to Bob Marley, Sting to Soca, dance club and dance hall reggae to fusion steel pan and sitar. 

If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you want?
I would choose to be a Goodwill ambassador. Being that they are aliens, they have mastered intergalactic travel and have probably been in contact with other life forms. As an ambassador, I would have special privileges and access to meet with these life forms. I would help bridge communications and draft diplomatic treaties with them. Do I sound like a geek? 

What makes you angry?
People who know what is the right thing to do, but don’t do it. They simply pass the buck. 

What's the most important part of a sandwich?
The filling of course! 

If you could give the world one piece of advice, what would it be?
Learn to forgive and learn from past mistakes.

What do you value most in other people?
Integrity and having a sense of humor about themselves.

What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?
I would find a cure for AIDS and Cancer.