To me, it seems a dreadful indignity to have a soul controlled by geography. – George Santayana

Below is a LinkedIn post by Ms. Yeganeh Faghfour Maghrebi, a young Iranian woman who was planning to begin a Ph.D. program this fall in the US with full funding. Reprinted with permission.

Yeganeh is the kind of student colleges and universities welcome with open arms. She’s smart, motivated, hard-working, dedicated, and knows exactly what she wants to accomplish and why. Sadly, Iranians are among those who are not currently permitted to travel to the US. This is a tragic loss to the host university, its community, and the U.S. Yeganeh’s Plan B means that the USA’s loss will be another country’s gain. Now multiply her case by thousands and tens of thousands. This is all part of the regime’s plan to Make American Dumber, Poorer, (More) Isolated, and Less Welcoming (MADPILW).

It’s worth noting that there were 12,119 Iranian students in the US last month, according to the SEVIS Data Mapping Tool. 75% of them were enrolled in Ph.D. programs.

May Yeganeh overcome every obstacle and achieve success in the fulfillment of her overseas study dream and beyond.

Postscript: Below are links to two instrumental pieces I created, entitled In Pursuit of Dreams, that were inspired by Yeganeh’s post.

Peace, MAA

I remember the day I had an interview with a professor at a U.S. business school. I was so passionate about his area of research and demonstrated my dedication to being chosen as a PhD student. Everything went perfectly. However, at the end of the interview, he told me something that felt like a slap in the face and forced me to confront a harsh truth—the truth of my nationality.

He said, “Yeganeh, you are so talented, but we prefer to admit Chinese and Indian students because Iranian students are often unable to get visas.”

In that moment, all my dreams, sacrifices, dedication, and hard work seemed to vanish into thin air. It was deeply disheartening to realize that, in today’s world, dedication, passion, sacrifices, and relentless effort can be meaningless when you are an Iranian girl. Your nationality—something entirely beyond your control—is all that matters.

I felt deceived into believing I could change my world and pursue my dreams.

Eventually, I received an admission offer, and days passed until the red-letter day. I was full of enthusiasm. I wanted to show the visa officer that I had worked tirelessly—staying up all night, dedicating my life to learning, studying, and dreaming of entering a PhD program in a business school. I wanted to show them that despite a ten-year gap between my master’s and PhD studies, I had done everything possible to remain connected to the academic environment.

Being an independent woman, living alone, and paying for the IELTS, GRE, and application fees while working full-time and studying late into the night was anything but easy. Yet, having sacrificed so much for my dream, I was determined not to give up despite the challenges and setbacks.

Finally, the day arrived—it was April 1st, my birthday. I tried to stay optimistic and felt that this coincidence was a sign from God, as if He were telling me, “Don’t be afraid, my girl. You are on the right track. I am with you.”

I remember the day vividly. I went to the embassy, and I was immediately affected by the heavy atmosphere in the building. Some employees looked at students as though we were enemies. I thought to myself that some of them seemed to forget that ordinary people are not involved in politics; ordinary people are friends to one another.

The officer who interviewed me, however, was kind, polite, and friendly. He asked me about my background and why I had such a long gap between my master’s and PhD studies. I smiled and told him it was because I wanted to be independent. I had to work full-time to cover all my expenses, including exam and application fees, while studying late into the night.

He began smiling as soon as he heard the word “independent.” I think he could feel my honesty. I hadn’t memorized any scripted responses; I simply shared my true story. He could see my passion and enthusiasm in my eyes.

When he saw that I had been admitted to a fully funded PhD program in business administration, he smiled and said, “I see you are fully funded.” I confirmed with a confident smile. Then he told me that my CV just needed to be reviewed and that he believed I would receive my visa soon and be able to start in Fall 2025 as planned.

Can you imagine what I felt in that moment? I was overwhelmed with genuine elation—feelings so intense they were impossible to express. I was so happy it felt as though I had grown wings and could fly across the entire city.

As I walked through the alleys and streets back to my hotel, memories flooded my mind—nights spent studying until dawn, moments of missing my family and friends, and the endless dedication to the dream I had worked so hard for. It was a bittersweet mixture of melancholy, a sense of liberation, and renewed hope for a brighter future. Those contradictory feelings filled my heart in a way I will never forget.

In Pursuit of Dreams

Version 1

Version 2