Thanks to Aysel K. Basci, SEAS MS '81, and Mehmet I. Basci, SEAS DSc '82, for sharing their story!
My husband Mehmet and I both studied at the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and many years later, our daughter, Deniz, studied at the School of Medicine and Health Science. We are a family of triple GW alumni!
I was born and raised in Cyprus and came to the U.S., in 1975, as an undergraduate international student. A wonderful and generous diplomatic American family was privately sponsoring my undergraduate education in the U.S. In 1978, I completed my bachelor’s degree at American University. Then, I continued with my graduate studies at GW, completing my master’s in computer science in 1981.
Mehmet was born and raised in Turkey. He had arrived in the U.S., as an international student with a Turkish government scholarship, a few years earlier than I. He had already completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees in Turkey, and enrolled at GW for his doctoral degree in civil engineering. He completed that degree in 1982.
[caption id="attachment_14770" align="alignright" width="300"] Mehmet’s doctoral graduation in 1982.[/caption]
Mehmet and I met just two months after I arrived in the U.S., and our meeting took place at GW’s Lisner Auditorium. We were there for a concert, where mutual friends introduced us. It was a very pleasant meeting and we both felt lucky that we had met. Soon after, we started seeing each other and a year later, we were engaged. Two years after we had met, in July 1977, we got married.
At the end of 1978, I completed my bachelor’s degree at American University and enrolled for a master’s degree in computer science at GW. Consequently, from 1978 onward, Mehmet and I were studying at the same school. We have many fond memories from this period.
Mehmet and I commuted to school together and we spent practically all our time in Tompkins Hall, either attending our respective classes or working as research assistants. Mehmet loved spending time at the Marvin Center. He even wanted to study there while having his breakfast. I preferred to study at the library. So, we would often negotiate where we would spread our books and study for hours. I think I won most of those negotiations.
We can never forget our pleasant experiences when we had desks in the same office – in Tompkins Hall – across from one another, while we both worked as research assistants in the civil engineering department. We also want to express our endless gratitude and appreciation to a very special professor at GW, Theodore Toridis, who was a great mentor and advisor while we worked as research assistants under him.
In 1979, while working on my master’s degree, I started working at the World Bank on a full-time basis. I became a part-time student at GW, taking night classes only. The close proximity of the World Bank and GW was a big help. At the end of work, I simply walked to my classes at Tompkins Hall. I had a long and successful career at the World Bank, specializing in the field of external debt management for developing countries, and retired several years ago.
[caption id="attachment_14771" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Basci family in summer 2018.[/caption]
After completing his doctoral degree, Mehmet joined an aerospace company, Swales Aerospace, in Greenbelt, Maryland. He worked in aerospace industry over 35 years mostly on contracts through NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Mehmet is now retired and doing occasional consulting in aerospace systems.
In 2008, our daughter, Deniz Basci, SMHS MD '12, completed her undergraduate degree at Duke University and decided to attend medical school at GW. We were very glad to hear her decision. Growing up, she had heard many stories about our experiences at GW. Now, she was going to experience it firsthand.
In September 2009, we felt extremely proud when Deniz (then a student at GW) gave a speech to the incoming medical students during the traditional “White Coat” ceremony at the Lisner auditorium. The fact that her speech took place at the exact location where we had met for the first time, 34 years earlier, was quite special.
We are happy to report that, in 2012, when Deniz graduated from GW’s medical school, she too had accumulated many unforgettable experiences and pleasant memories at her parents’ alma mater! Deniz is now a plastic surgeon in Dallas, Texas.
As a family, we often talk about our experiences at GW. We consider it a privilege that every member of our family has so many wonderful experiences at this great institution. We are grateful that we have been, and continue to be, a part of it.