The Power of Connections

Shanaz Hemmati, B.S. ’85 and Robert Abbassi, BBA ’78
Photo by Ricky Clack

Those who travel the hardest roads often know best how to help those who follow. Coming to UT from Iran in the late ’70s was a life-changing journey for Shanaz Hemmati, B.S. ’85. She thought she would return to her homeland after graduation; instead, she is now an avid Austinite who is excited to give back to the University that provided her with so many opportunities. With her husband, Robert Abbassi, BBA ’78, Shanaz has created The Shanaz Hemmati and Robert Abbassi Graduate Fellowship to help international engineering students achieve their academic goals. And in her volunteer role as a new member of UT’s International Board of Advisors, Shanaz is helping her University expand its global reach.

Her sister’s husband was a master’s student at UT, so Shanaz had some family nearby to help her get started. Soon afterward, however, her sister and brother-in-law returned to Iran, leaving Shanaz feeling quite alone. She drew on strengths that had been instilled in her since childhood.

“My mother was a really strong woman,” says Shanaz. “She was the CEO of our house. I’m the youngest of five children, and she encouraged and taught us all — boys and girls — the importance of being strong and independent.”

Shanaz stayed to attend UT in the male-dominated field of electrical engineering. With the support of her family and the welcoming atmosphere on the Forty Acres, Shanaz came to realize she had found her place in the world.

“Even in those days, there were kids from all over the world at UT. I did not feel out of place,” she recalls.

“Austin is a hub for technology,” says Shanaz. “In addition to a great university, there are lots of entrepreneurs here and that also makes me feel right at home. I enjoy being part of what UT and Austin are all about.”

She has now reached a point in her life when looking back means seeing the opportunities she had — and looking forward means doing her best to create the same opportunities for others.

“When I’ve visited Iran,” she says, “I have noticed so much talent but no opportunities. Kids there are so hungry for education.”

The Shanaz Hemmati and Robert Abbassi Graduate Fellowship will help such students navigate the many obstacles to education abroad. It’s a permanent endowment to support international graduate students pursuing degrees in the Cockrell School of Engineering.

The first recipient of the scholarship was Atefeh Esfandiari, a Ph.D. candidate in environmental engineering. During their meeting, Shanaz discovered that Atefeh came from the same city where her parents had grown up, nearly 7,700 miles away from the place she now calls home. The connection between the two made the world feel a little smaller, and its heart a lot larger.

“If I can help someone be able to go through the journey, then I feel like I’ve paid part of my dues,” says Shanaz.