Senior Megi Murati grew up in Albania with parents who did not take education for granted. Her father could not pursue higher education despite his good grades because his uncle was executed for protesting the communist system. When her mother was about to go to college, the transition of the political system created a dangerous climate, particularly for women. “They were forcefully taking girls and escorting them to Italy,” Murati explains. “People abused the ‘new freedom’ by taking away other people’s freedom.” With this history in mind, Murati says that college is not just the next step in her life; it’s a mission. We spoke with her about her life in New York, her excitement about planning an upcoming competition, and her current internship at Con Edison. You moved from Albania to New York just a few years ago? I moved here when I was 18 to pursue my studies in computer science. Throughout my childhood in Albania, I was always interested in experiencing Western culture, whether in Europe or the United States. I always wanted to see in what way I could grow myself and shift my mentality to view the world from another perspective. Do you plan to go back after you finish your studies? Whenever I learn about a new technology, infrastructure, or business idea, I always find myself thinking about how I can adapt these models for potential investments in Albania. I never forget my roots, even though I’m looking for the light. What has it been like here as an international student? When you study abroad, you start a whole new life from scratch. Like many others, I had the idea that the only challenges I would have would be of an academic nature, but New York tests you in every aspect of your life. That’s also the beauty of it. Sometimes my accent or my sense of humor doesn’t fit with the way native speakers communicate. But the thing about Brooklyn College is that it serves as an oasis for students from all parts of the world. Interacting with the students here has been a world tour for me because I’ve learned about many cultures, languages, and religions. The amount of knowledge that I gain after class is sometimes comparable to what I get during class time. What extracurriculars have you dived into? I’ve been part of the Computer Science Club for two years. I’m a second-year club leader. This year, I’m the vice president. Being part of the club has been my main source of motivation in the field. The community is empowering and pushes me beyond my limits. Every day I learn something new. When you are surrounded by a group that isn’t there to judge you but, instead, help you, your growth is exponential. A recent project that we’re organizing is called GameJam 2025. It’s a hackathon. I believe it will be the first in-person competition held by the Brooklyn College computer science students since the pandemic started. I’m excited to help bring the community back together and take initiatives that foster the participation of all experience levels—all together, for a theme, for a goal. When did your interest in computer science begin? After my participation in the Albanian Science and Engineering Fair, which is very similar to a hackathon, I built a Nikola Tesla prototype that could transmit electricity wirelessly. It took several months to get all of the components, transmitters, accumulators, and electric circuits, to build it, and finally to see the product working. It was something that really fulfilled me. I felt joy being able to see a product actually working. I always say that everything looks good in PowerPoint, but building a working product for the real world requires a lot of testing and troubleshooting. Later, I discovered programming. I instantly knew that coding would give me the freedom I was looking for. It would help me connect all the dots. You’re interning this semester at Con Edison. What is that like? I’m a computer aide co-op of the AMI team. I find myself moving as a free electron around the team, from one meeting to another, hearing insights from one vendor to another. I’m getting to understand the hierarchy of work it takes to keep New York City and Westchester County supplied with electricity. The experience is definitely opening a new window in my career.
