Sandy Mekany is a third-year undergraduate student at San Diego State University majoring in Political Science and minoring in Sociology. Growing up as a daughter of Iraqi refugees and witnessing the ongoing struggles of the SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) communities, her work is centered around providing economic and social support services to immigrant populations.

Mekany recently co-led a campaign for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans to help register low-income communities for COVID vaccination appointments.

She has dedicated her time tutoring refugee students through the International Rescue Committee, fundraising to build a home for a family living in Tijuana, and working on various boards of Associated Students, including lobbying at the California Higher Education Student Summit.

Mekany was nominated by SDSU’s University President for the Panetta Congressional Internship and was recently accepted into the fall 2021 cohort, where she will be studying in Washington, D.C.