NRCC Alumni Profile: Omar Haider

Born in northwestern Iraq, Omar Haider found himself in the United States in 2012 after serving as a linguist for the U.S. military.
Haider, who speaks five languages, served as a linguist for the U.S. Army and Marines in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Although his family ran a successful poultry farm business, he decided to leave that safer world and volunteered to serve because he wanted to make a difference in the mission’s success and also to help those who had come to serve the people of Iraq.

After losing 36 family members in 2014 in the Yazidi civilian genocide at the hands of ISIL in northern Iraq, Haider was able to come to the U.S. and eventually brought some of his family. In spite of the hardships he had faced, he didn’t stop pursuing his dream of completing his education so that he could work in the foreign affairs and government fields.

When he came to the U.S., Haider began taking college courses at a community college in West Virginia. After deciding he wanted to attend Virginia Tech to pursue his bachelor’s degree, Haider was advised that New River Community College’s partnership with the university was exactly what he needed to begin his studies in national security and foreign affairs.

NRCC’s transfer agreement with VT would allow him to seamlessly transfer credits that would apply to his four-year degree. While at NRCC, Haider took general studies transfer courses.

He reflects on his time at NRCC fondly. Haider credits much of his successful transition to his advisors, Lori Mitchell and Rebecca Whitener.

“Everyone at NRCC was very helpful,” said Haider of his time at the college.

In 2022, Haider graduated from Virginia Tech, earning his bachelor’s degree in only three years.

Even through the tragedies that Haider has experienced, he continued to look toward the future.

“I never stopped targeting my goal.”