Bahar Sahami is a Dedman Distinguished scholar from Plano, Texas. She is a senior double majoring in government and international relations and global studies, while minoring in Middle Eastern studies and completing a certificate in global management from the McCombs School of Business. She is a 2018 Bill Archer fellow, an Intellectual Entrepreneurship Citizen scholar, a 2017 UT Honors Day College scholar and the recipient of a 2017 Cactus Student StandoUT Award.
Sahami has served as the editor-in-chief of the Texas Undergraduate Law Review and president of the Student Conduct and Advisory Committee. She worked as a research intern for the College of Liberal Arts’ Department of Government and interned during the 85th legislative session at the Texas State Capitol. Most recently, she has interned with the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Following graduation, she plans to attend law school.
How has being a Dedman scholar influenced you?
I have found so many ways to grow, to communicate and to challenge myself in the Dedman program. Along with the financial aid to pursue my academic interests, our faculty and fellow Dedman scholars are constantly in communication. For instance, I get to meet up every week with our group, along with Professor Julie Casey and Dean Marc Musick, to talk about anything ranging from my future aspirations, to the nuances of everyday life at UT. Whether we are on a trip to the Davis Mountains, or simply coming together for a family dinner, this program first and foremost sees us as dynamic individuals and encourages us to bond and learn from one another’s struggles and successes. This kind of enriching and energizing space amongst caring and driven people is essential to wellness and intellectual discovery in college.
Can you describe your semester in Washington, D.C., as a Bill Archer fellow?
The Archer Fellowship has been one of my most impactful experiences to date. The best part of this program is the vast number of unique individuals I get to interact with and learn from every day. I have had an amazing experience so far as an intern in the Office of the Counselor to the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court. My bosses at the Supreme Court embody unparalleled professionalism and genuineness, and the Archer faculty have been so supportive as we balance work and classes here in D.C. This fellowship has been a huge privilege, and I’m grateful to be here.
“This program first and foremost sees us as dynamic individuals and encourages us to bond and learn from one another’s struggles and successes.”
Bahar Sahami
What did you learn from your experience as a legislative intern in Texas?
While it often got very busy in our office, I was surrounded by people who had a large sense of purpose and pride in their work. Along with doing legislative research, I particularly enjoyed our office’s weekly intern discussion session during which our chief of staff would pick an economic or political science text to read and analyze together. My colleagues’ openly bipartisan communication and respect for differing perspectives was also refreshing, an attitude which I have learned to practice in any work environment.
What have you found most rewarding in your role as editor-in-chief of the Texas Undergraduate Law Review (TULR)?
I loved TULR not only because it helped me explore my editing and management skills, but also because it gave me the chance to be surrounded by brilliant people with similar goals and interests. While it is rewarding to write or publish something by yourself, it is a unique and especially rewarding feeling to share that achievement with a hardworking group of teammates.
What did studying abroad in Spain teach you?
Studying abroad in Barcelona not only allowed me to sharpen my Spanish and learn about Spanish culture and history, but also to challenge myself amidst the energy of living within a different backdrop. While our surroundings can change unpredictably, our individual being is not swept around so aimlessly. There I learned that to get the most out of my present, I have to take ownership of my personal agency and open myself to genuine engagement in new experiences.