Marwah (Mari) Ismail

About Marwah (Mari) Ismail

Marwah (Mari) Ismail was born in Atlanta, Georgia to Somali parents who fled the Isaaq Genocide in Somaliland in search of safety and stability. She spent her early years in Nashville before moving to Minnesota with her family at age 11, which she now considers home. Growing up in a single-parent household, Mari embraced the role of a caregiver to her three younger siblings, supporting her family while helping her working mother navigate life as a New American. These experiences shaped her resilience, sense of responsibility, and passion for advocacy.

At Emory University, Mari graduated summa cum laude with a degree in religion and a minor in Italian Studies. As a QuestBridge Scholar, she pursued her studies by concentrating on the intersections of culture, religion, and identity. Her senior honors thesis, supported by the Bill and Carol Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry, examined the cultural and religious transformations of Somali society due to the Somali Civil War, earning her the highest honors. As a 2023-2024 Global Leaders Fellow with the Idaho Museum of International Diaspora (IMID), Mari presented this research at IMID’s Climate on Culture Conference in Galway, Ireland.

At Emory, Mari was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, and the Theta Alpha Kappa Religious Studies Honor Society. She was named a Graduating Woman of Promise, a member of Emory’s Class of 2024 100 Senior Honorary, and the recipient of the Eugene Bianchi Prize for excellence in the study of religion. Mari was also deeply engaged in campus life, contributing to initiatives that fostered inclusion and community building.

In 2024, Mari delivered a TEDx talk detailing her experience battling a rare eye cancer during her undergraduate years. Despite undergoing surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, she persisted as a full-time student, sharing her story to inspire resilience and hope in others facing challenges.