Mechanical engineering major says EOP, Binghamton changed his life
Amin Taziny has always understood the importance of education, which ultimately led him to Binghamton University.
“Going the extra mile was always instilled in me,” he said.
Raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Taziny attended a specialized high school and expected to stay in New York City for college. But when his high school counselor told him about Binghamton’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), he knew it would be the perfect fit for him.
“I wanted an idea of what the real world was like. What is it like to not live [in New York City]?” he said. “I felt like EOP was that bridge where it was, ‘I’m going here for a program to be with students similar to me, with this advantage, if you will. But at the same time, I’m in Binghamton, I’m in some place scholarly, somewhere outside the city.’”
Now the senior class representative for EOP, Taziny could not be more grateful for what the EOP program has given him, so he has given back by working as an EOP peer counselor and tutor.
“Without EOP, I don’t think I would even be here,” he said. “I really want to draw a picture of how appreciative I am for that.”
Taziny’s gratitude is reciprocated. Akeem Samuels, an academic counselor for EOP, served as one of Taziny’s supervisors in his role as a peer counselor for EOP’s summer orientation program. Samuels said he has been inspired by Taziny’s passion and dedication, and values his contributions to EOP.
“All of these experiences allowed him to not only give back to the EOP program, but also to the students he interacted with,” Samuels said. “He is a leader, mentor and role model. EOP is blessed to have him and is excited to have contributed to his overall development.”
Through EOP, Taziny discovered his passion for helping students with their college transition, which led him to become a resident assistant in Binghamton’s Dickinson Community for the past two years.
“Building community, making events — those are the pivotal parts that help transition people from ‘Okay, this is a not familiar place,’ to ‘This could potentially be my home.’”
It is clear that Taziny’s natural ability to help others is an asset to his residents and fellow staff within the University’s Residential Life Office.
“He brings a positive energy to all of the work that he does and has great relationships with both residents and other staff members,” said Andrew Genussa, assistant residential coordinator of Digman Hall and Taziny’s direct supervisor. “Amin has been a role model for his peers and we can always count on him to share his creative ideas to improve the building.”
Taziny is also active in the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science. The mechanical engineering major has served on the Mechanical Engineering Student Advisory Committee and conducted research in the Mechanical Engineering Department. He has also worked as an undergraduate teaching assistant in the Physics Department in Binghamton’s Harpur College of Arts and Sciences.
After graduation, Taziny will attend the University of Colorado at Boulder for a master’s degree in aerospace engineering, where he will apply his mechanical engineering foundation to space applications. He credits Binghamton with giving him resources that prepared him for this next step in his education.
“I think a mixture of the resources given by the department and those given by programs like EOP has really given me the foundational toolset to be able to focus 100 percent on my classes, to be able to look at scholarship opportunities and to be able to look at graduate opportunities,” he said.
As he ponders his graduation, Taziny recognizes that Binghamton was the right fit for him.
“I can’t imagine myself going anywhere else,” he said. “I think it’s been the perfect blend of being close to home, being at a good SUNY school and being in a good engineering department. I think it has everything.”
Now that Taziny has only days left at Binghamton, there are a few things he would have changed about his college experience: He wishes he had tried more restaurants downtown and taken more trips to the University’s Nature Preserve. Otherwise, he’s content with his experiences, which he believes have shaped who he is.
“I feel like even my bad experiences have led me to who I am now,” he said.
Looking back, it is undeniable that Binghamton has changed Taziny’s life.
“This part is pivotal to my life and I really am appreciative of my time here, of all the people I’ve met who have challenged me,” he said. “I’m definitely 100 percent a different human being now than I was when I came in.”