December 15, 2020

Graduate Student Holds onto Light at the End of the Tunnel

Helen Blevi ’21 MBA has faced a turbulent year.

After losing a family member to COVID-19, her mental and emotional well-being suffered—affecting her academic habits and social interactions. With Iowa experiencing multiple waves of infections, Helen still has not been able to return to normal.

“There is this fear and worry for my own health,” said Helen. “As an international student without American health insurance, I sometimes worry about how I would cope financially if I caught the virus.”

Then, when the derecho hit, Helen remembers the shock she felt after seeing the destruction of the community.

“There is a constant reminder of how fleeting life is. It passes so quickly, and soon it’s gone,” Helen said.

There is a constant reminder of how fleeting life is. It passes so quickly, and soon it’s gone.

Helen Blevi '21 MBA

In spite of all she’s gone through, Helen keeps pushing forward in her MBA studies and graduate assistantship, which includes managing the Mustang Market food pantry.

“For me, resilience does not mean absence of difficult times, anxiety, distress, or fear,” said Helen. “It means how well I go through those low moments with my head held high, with a renewed hope and conviction to keep moving forward and rise above all those low moments. It’s about refusing to be broken by what you go through.”