Third Time’s a Charm for

Hasan Sami Moudarres

He Overcame Civil Unrest, Language Barriers and More
on His Journey to Graduation

For 22 years, Hasan Sami Moudarres called Aleppo, Syria, his home. It’s where his family lives, where he grew up and where he began pursuing his degree in technology at Ebla Private University. What he didn’t know was that his time at the university would be short-lived.

“About two years into my studies the civil war began in Syria and my college was like a warzone right in the center,” he said.

Hasan Sami found himself surrounded by destruction and gunfire amid the Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011.

“We would be inside a class and hear bombs exploding. There was once a student at the university who was even taken by an ‘unknown entity.’”

Three years into earning his bachelor’s degree, the university was demolished by a bomb, forcing Hasan Sami to pause his studies and move to a safer city: Vienna, Austria, or as he likes to call it, “My place to start over.”

Hasan Sami moved in with his aunt with the intention to complete his degree. But first, he needed to learn the language.

Third Time’s a Charm for Hasan Sami Moudarres