Undergraduate, B.A. in French, B.S. Business Administration, emphasis in International Business
Meesha Ghedia traveled over 10,000 miles to come to Fresno State. Born in India, she moved to Tanzania when she was two years old, then to Lilongwe, Malawi, in eastern Africa. Between her studies and her life experience, Ghedia speaks four languages: English, Gujarati, Hindi, and French.
When she first came to Fresno State, Ghedia registered as a business major. Having studied French since she was in 7th grade, she enrolled in French 2A with Dr. Natalie Muñoz and decided to continue and pursue a second bachelor’s degree.
“She is one of my all-time favorite students because she is a joy to have in class, one of the most diligent, intelligent and helpful students I have ever met, as well as a wonderful citizen of the world,” Muñoz said.
Even as a double major, Ghedia has been on the Dean’s list for three semesters and the President’s list for five semesters. In the business program, she was invited into the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society, whose membership includes only the program’s top students.
When Ghedia moved to the United States from Africa, she found acculturation to be a complicated process.
“I faced many different obstacles. One of the biggest ones was culture shock and getting used to a new country and culture,” Ghedia said. “To adapt to a new country, I made new friends and joined clubs.”
One of those organizations included the Professional Business Fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, for which she has served as president, vice president of chapter operations, and vice president of alumni relations. She was also a member of the French Club, where she served as vice president and treasurer.
Ghedia has also volunteered with the Habitat for Humanity, Terry’s House, California Food Bank and California Teaching Fellows. Through her business fraternity, she also raised money for food donations to Terry’s House.
“We would get together and cook dinner for the residents whose family was in the hospital,” Ghedia said. “For Christmas, I volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, where we would pack around 300 gifts and distribute them to the less fortunate kids. Seeing their happiness and excitement made volunteering worth it. Volunteering has always been a fun way to bond with everyone.”
During her time at Fresno State, Ghedia has worked as a student assistant in the College of Engineering and was an intern at California Teaching Fellows.
Ghedia is currently looking for a job and plans to pursue an MBA in a year or two. Professionally, she plans to become a global director for an international company. However, she also hopes to return to someday return to Malawi and try to make a difference in her home country.
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The College of Arts and Humanities Students of Distinction represents the best of their department and will be honored at the Arts in Motion event at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 10 – the culminating event of the Arts in Motion Showcase week. From these students, one undergraduate and one graduate Dean’s Medalist will be selected. The Dean’s Medalists are then eligible to receive the President’s Medal, the university’s highest student honor.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 