Beginning college, Saleha Ashfaq had yet balance a job and school concurrently. While some would assume this was a result of poor work ethic or motivation, Saleha wasted no time proving that this couldn’t be farther from the truth – she quickly became a rock star among Nichols College students.

Throughout her college experience, Saleha has shown her worth as an employee. Every semester, this full-time college student has been occupied not only with her school work, but three simultaneous jobs. Her success is a catalyst of her will power, perseverance, motivation to learn, and her incredible ability to keep her hectic schedule organized.

Currently, Saleha is completing her second semester of her junior year at Nichols. She has already completed four internships while also employed as a Nichols’ teaching assistant and with Nichols’ Department of Career Services. Saleha gained more than one of her internships through the college’s Road to Success database. She has also attained other internships via student-professor networking and recommendations.

Saleha’s internship journey began when she interned with Hometown Bank of Oxford, Massachusetts at the end of her freshman year. From the internship description, she was aware they were looking for sophomores and juniors, but she sent her resume and cover letter regardless. She then followed up with Hometown Bank and secured an interview that offered her the position on the spot. Saleha has also interned with the Worcester County Memorial Park in their accounting department, with the Dudley District Court in the clerk’s office and as a tax preparer for AARP. Through these positions, Saleha, who is multilingual, has worked diligently to improve her communication skills, has conquered experiences that have made her fearful, has set herself apart from her peers, and has determined what she’s most interested in.

It is no surprise that Saleha is well respected among her peers, professors and co-workers. When Lori Smith, assistant director of career services, is asked about Saleha she responds resounding appreciation. Lori states that, “Her motivation and dedication are what really make her stand out. She is willing to take on any task and needs little direction. We provide her with the big picture of what we want and she does an amazing job.” Lori also commented that Saleha has incredible time management skills considering all she is involved in. She also remarked that Saleha is always looking for her next opportunity, continuously has a plan brewing in her mind and strives to gain as much professional experience as possible.

Saleha is the epitome of a Nichols College rock star, already succeeding in the business world. She demonstrates the power of working to achieve one’s dreams. Saleha has gone above and beyond what is expected of a college student and has proven her worth, not only as a student, but as an employee as well. It is without question that Saleha, combined with her resilient dedication and motivation, will achieve much success beyond the world of Nichols. She illustrates that hard work certainly does pay off.