Abisha Zaki Ar-Rafi

Biography

I’m a final year international relations student who researches the intersections between the field of IR and media studies. I am currently writing my thesis on secular extremism in Indonesia and I am targeting myself to finish and graduate by April. During my time in college, I joined two student organisations, climbing the leadership ladder from the first semester to the eighth. I also helped out with my lecturers’ research multiple times and co-authored a book with my lecturers on parliamentary diplomacy in Indonesia.

Professionally, I am more of a multidisciplinary creative. I started doing freelance work from my high school days, being hired by the school through the principal to work on videos promoting the return to school systems during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also worked on the school’s rebranding during the time. At the same time, I participated in student organisations and became part of the team for the school’s annual student art and music show for the three years I was there. Since then, I worked on graphics, videos, and more as a freelancer. In college, during my last two years as a student, I was hired by my department as the Social Media Intern for about 1.5 years, and I worked in several other places as design team coordinator and as a marketing communications assistant.

I am self taught in everything I do and I learn along the way with every new challenge and task I get assigned or paid to work on. Who knows where my future will bring my career, academic or professional. But I am always ready to take on new things to tackle and work on.