Life + Arts Profile

Students reflect, share advice before graduation

Many students reflect on their time at the University amidst graduation

Jose Gonzalez-Campelo/The Cougar

As the semester concludes, many seniors reflect on their time at the University amidst graduation. Here are a couple of graduating students sharing their stories.

Jarvis Kinney

A Houston native from the Third Ward, Sunnyside neighborhood and raised in Sugar Land, always heard high praises about the University which sparked his ambitions of attending UH. 

Strategic communications senior Jarvis Kinney is a rap artist, media personality and fanatic of Houston legend DJ Screw. His music is inspired by and reflects his idol.

While at UH, Kinney was a longtime Coog Radio member and featured in a video concert series where his show was the highest-rated of all series. 

He aims to continue growing his fanbase and music career while reserving an interest in becoming an entrepreneur. 

If students ever find themselves on the second floor of the Student Center North building near the Center for Student Media, you might hear some nostalgic DJ Screw tracks catch your attention coming from the speakers of Coog Radio. Kinney is to thank for that.

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?

“I really hope that I’m making a consistent living on my own, being an artist and entrepreneur,” Kinney said. “I hope to have a lot of notoriety by that point, too. I’d like to be really popular in the city.”

He shared that he wants people to consume his media, entertainment songs and music. He hopes to have made tons of good connections along the way. In five years, Kinney wants to build a strong reputation in Houston and eventually worldwide.

Q: If you can go back and change anything since your first semester what would it be?

“It’s hard to say because I think about the mistakes I made, and I wouldn’t change that,” Kinney said. “I’ve made an insane amount of mistakes I think were essential for me to have gone through. I don’t think there’s anything I would change.”

Q: Do you have any recommendations or tips for incoming freshmen or other students in general?

Kinney expressed doing things on your beat, not because it’s expected from you or because you think it will lead you to the most money at the expense of your happiness. 

“For people who want an actual experience, I think it’s very essential to offer something that’s going to help build the campus because it has already grown exponentially and it’s going to continue to grow,” Kinney said. “And you want to be part of that and you want to leave an impact. So be active.”

Sameia Rahmath

Born in India, raised in Qatar, Sameia Rahmath moved to the U.S. just four years ago at 18 with dreams of going to UH and pursuing higher education. 

These were minor obstacles for Rahmath, a management and information services senior at the C.T. Bauer College of Business.

Rahmath is a member of the Management Information Systems Organization and an officer for the Muslim Student Association.

Rahmath shared that she hopes to pursue a career in the oil and gas industry and is more prepared after her training at Bauer and internship earned at British Petroleum where she focused on product design and user experience.  

She thanks God for her opportunities and blessings received. And has humble hopes of a future where she is living a good life with her family, according to Rahmath.  

Q: Do you feel like you’re more prepared moving forward with your career since you had an internship?

“I feel like every experience I’ve encountered at the University, in college or in my internships, definitely made me a well-prepared and well-rounded individual,” Rahmath said. “ I’m really excited to see where it all takes me now.”

Q: Do you have any recommendations or tips for incoming freshmen or other students in general?

“Take it one step at a time,” Rahmath said. “You don’t have to figure out all of it. But put yourself there and know what resources are there because that’ll have really helped you.”

Q: Are you gonna miss UH and being on campus at all once you graduate? 

“Oh, yeah,  I’m going to miss the entire UH community,” Rahmath said. “I really loved and enjoyed all of my time at UH it’s definitely a prayer answered for me. I really value education and the value of education is really emphasized in my house too. Graduating, getting that degree and being well-rounded is very much appreciated.”

[email protected]

Leave a Comment