From Facebook to UND

When the pandemic shook up his life, Atir searched for something new.

Atir Kaunain’s quest for continuing his education started at the beginning of the pandemic. Working for a construction company in Southern California, there was no “work from home” option available for him. Aware that he was on the verge of being furloughed, Atir began weighing his options on what to do next.

“I had a thought to finish my master’s but was not so adamant and confident about it,” said Atir. He began searching for schools online, looking for a program with both online and on-campus programs that would allow him to keep his options open. But nothing particularly caught his attention. Going back to school after five years was a big decision – and a difficult one.

“But one day, as I was browsing Facebook, I saw a post about the University of North Dakota Petroleum engineering program. The page directed me to the university’s website, where I read that the program, housing, and meal plans were not expensive at all.”

Atir applied. Looking back, he noted that the application process wasn’t nearly as complicated as he imagined; it was both convenient and easy. When he did have a question, the Office of Admissions worked with him to make the onboarding process smoother.

Today, Atir is almost done with his program and planning to graduate in the fall of 2021. “Looking back, if I hadn’t stumbled upon that post on Facebook that one day, I wouldn’t be here right now,” he said. Grateful for the perfectly timed nudge of inspiration, as well as the supportive network that assisted with admissions and onboarding, Atir is prepared to enter the new chapter of his career in 2022 – with his Master’s of Petroleum Engineering in hand.