Nashwa Hassan ’26 ’27 joined a growing community of transfer students when she enrolled at Ramapo College of New Jersey to pursue a newly-discovered passion.

July 7, 2026

by Lauren Ferguson

Nashwa Hassan ’26 ’27, her husband and four children left their comfortable life in Egypt behind to immigrate to the United States in pursuit of educational opportunities.

Now – a decade later – one of her daughters is studying for her Medical College Admissions Test, another recently graduated college and is studying for her Dental Admission Test. Her oldest son is taking honors classes in junior high, and her youngest is flourishing in a special education program.

And at 51, Hassan just earned her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from Ramapo College of New Jersey, and is preparing to enter the College’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program.

“We value education. That’s our priority for ourselves and for our kids,” said Hassan, now of Little Ferry, NJ.

She and her family are thriving, but it wasn’t always easy.

Back in Egypt, Hassan had earned a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s in international law, and her husband worked as a computer engineer. They sent their children to private schools, and decided to move to the U.S. where she said quality education would be more affordable.

When they arrived in the U.S., her husband drove for Uber as he searched for an engineering job. Hassan focused on getting their kids settled, and realized that “the difference in legal studies” meant that her degrees did not translate. To make money for her family, she went to cosmetology school, and worked in salons, where she said she often faced discrimination for wearing a head scarf. Then the pandemic hit. She switched to the only place hiring – an Amazon warehouse.

And in the midst of it all, her youngest son, diagnosed with autism at 2 years old, was struggling.

“He had five years without any progress … He was aggressive in the beginning because he couldn’t express himself. We couldn’t understand him,” Hassan recalled.

The Road to Social Work

Hassan became interested in the field of social work while trying to support her autistic son.

“I thought that I did good with my other children, but with my little one, I couldn’t give him any academic stuff,” Hassan said. “That was the trigger to dive deep in this field, first to help him as much as I can, and second to give back, because I am gifted to get him with this program and all the services that he got. It changed his life completely.”

Hassan started at Bergen Community College, in an English as a Second Language program. She obtained a certificate from the college’s Direct Support Professional program, geared toward learning to provide support and services to individuals with disabilities. She was required to take a couple social work classes for the program, and found her passion.

After earning her associate’s degree, she enrolled in Ramapo’s dynamic social work program. For Hassan, the transfer process was “very smooth and everything was clear.” She became one of the rising number of students who have transferred to the College in the last four years. Between 2021 and 2025, the number of students transferring to Ramapo each year has grown from 356 to 405.

Nashwa Hassan ’26 ’27 walks through Ramapo College’s welcoming campus.

While at Ramapo, Hassan left her warehouse job and immersed herself in hands-on social work internships. She interned at Hamilton Behavioral Health, where she supported professionals in implementing treatment plans for children and adolescents with developmental challenges. She also interned at Oradell Animal Hospital, providing emotional support and resources to owners coping with grief and challenging medical diagnoses related to their pets. And she interned at Wafa House, an organization that provides culturally competent, holistic services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in English, Arabic and Spanish.

As she juggled internships, school work, and taking care of her family, she said her Ramapo professors were “always supportive … they always motivate me to keep going.” They even helped her access scholarships to help with tuition, she said.

To access additional support, Assistant Professor of Social Work Dr. Colleen Martinez  encouraged Hassan to join the Non-Traditional Student Mutual Aid Network that she started with Academic Advisor Paola Guevara. The group provides support and comradery for students who are over the age of 24, raising children, caregivers, veterans, attending college several years after high school or working full-time. Martinez said Hassan has been a “wonderful contributor … supporting her peers, connecting with other people, sharing her wisdom and experience.”

Martinez said Hassan has also stood out in class. “Nashwa carries herself with such humility, that is really something that is exceptional about her. She does have all of this profound, deep, real-life experience that is so relevant to social work and what we’re teaching and learning, but she has this humility about her … she is going to be an amazing social worker,” she said.

In 2025, amidst all she was handling, Hassan earned the Ramapo Undergraduate Book Prize for Academic Excellence from the School of Social Science and Human Services. The prize is awarded each year to one continuing student in each school who has exhibited outstanding achievement in their field of study.

Nashwa Hassan ’26 ’27 accepted the Undergraduate Book Prize for Academic Excellence during Ramapo’s 2025 Academic Achievement Ceremony.

Forging a Future

Martinez said Hassan has “incredible drive, determination, perseverance and intelligence .. and an ability to see purpose in huge challenges .. to start over in a new country, in a new academic system, in a new major, her adaptability is remarkable.”

Ultimately, Hassan wants to work as a clinical social worker and specialize in supporting kids – like her son – with autism. After earning her MSW from Ramapo, she wants to pursue a master’s degree in applied behavioral analysis.

“My hope is to one day have my own agency for kids with autism, plus mental illness in general,” she said.

The bold move Hassan, her husband and children made a decade ago, is opening up new doors for the entire family.

Hassan did not attend her own commencement in May. Instead she was watching her daughter – with dreams of entering dental school – receive her college diploma.

“As a mother, I have been waiting for this for 20 years,” she said, proudly.

But as the matriarch of a family that prioritizes education she said she can always attend her next commencement. “Maybe next year, with my master’s,” she said.

For more information about the BSW and MSW programs at Ramapo, visit the college’s social work webpage.