Mellon Mays Fellow
Orruba was born and raised in Yemen. In 2006, she traveled with her family to New York and started high school. There she discovered her passion for knowledge and now endeavors to earn a higher education, which her family and traditions have not previously allowed. Her passion for writing and fascination with literature led her to major in English literature. Orubba broke her family tradition by becoming a first generation college student; now, she hopes to contribute to academia by earning a doctoral degree in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. Drawing on her fluency in Arabic and knowledge of Middle Eastern culture, Orubba is eager to trace the history of women's contributions to and roles in oral traditions and cultures of the Middle East.