Shahd is an Iraqi refugee who first came to the Unites States in 2014 to receive her masters degree, but was never able to make it back home due to deteriorating circumstances. She has been enthralled with flying since she was a young girl but never had the support from her family or her culture to seriously pursue it. Determined to become a pilot, Shahd is now working several human resources jobs to save up the money for her flight lessons. According to Shahd, “Winning a scholarship means a lot. It means I defeat the obstacles and judgments. My plan is to earn my fixed wing private pilot and start flying for a cause. I will fly to support refugee camps, hurricane affected areas, and so many places a car can’t take me. I will be flying for women who have no voice, and if it takes a tomboy to change the world, then I will be one.”