Zahra Chowdhury is a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) co-teaching English at MAN 3 Kota Pekanbaru, Riau.

She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Southern Methodist University with degrees in economics, political science, and public policy. At SMU, she has served in a range of academic and leadership roles, including Student Representative to the Board of Trustees, Strategic Director of the Human Rights Council, and Vice President of the Upsilon Chapter of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc.

Zahra’s academic and professional interests center on public policy, criminal justice reform, and community-centered approaches to governance and education. Through her work with organizations such as the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center and Just City in Memphis, she has contributed to projects focused on court accessibility, criminal legal system reform, and community engagement initiatives.

As a Muslim American and daughter of Bangladeshi immigrants, Zahra is especially interested in the intersection of identity, language, and cross-cultural understanding. She has studied Arabic through coursework and immersive study experiences in Oman and Jordan, which deepened her interest in language learning and intercultural exchange.

In Indonesia, she looks forward to supporting students in English language learning, building meaningful connections within her host community, and continuing to learn through everyday cultural exchange.