Finding Balance: Azriah Crawley Thrives Pursuing Many Passions
Azriah Crawley’s many interests keep her undergraduate schedule packed with exciting and meaningful work.
At the Dietrich School, Crawley is pursuing a major in political science while also minoring in poetry and global history. Like many Dietrich School undergraduates, Crawley found her way to each avenue of study by genuinely following her interests; her choice of political science as a major was driven by curiosity and a sense of purpose.
"It was one of the only majors that truly interested me, one of the only majors that I felt like I could excel in because I was interested. I wasn't doing it just because I had to; I was doing it because I genuinely loved it," Crawley offers. "I still feel that same sentiment today; I've loved all of my political science classes. I've loved all of my political science professors."
Crawley’s academic journey began in Pittsburgh, where as a high school student she attended the Creative and Performance Arts Magnet school (CAPA). This early immersion in creative expression planted the seeds for her continued engagement with poetry, even as she ventured into other academic territories.
"While I was at CAPA, my main focus was on writing," Crawley recalls. "In college, I didn’t want to major in writing, but I still do really enjoy it; I decided to pick that up as a minor.”
With only a few courses left to complete her primary major and minor, Crawley has also chosen to study history simply because she enjoys the topic and finds it fun to explore.
Beyond academics, Crawley’s collegiate journey has been marked by active involvement and leadership in various organizations. Her engagement with the Political Science Student Association (PSSA) was almost serendipitous. During her sophomore year, the PSSA president made it clear that the group needed more women represented on the board and invited Crawley to run for office.
“And I did, and I won," Crawley recounts. The following year, she ran and won the election for president. Crawley has found participation in PSSA to be very rewarding.
“The people who are in the club are people who I don't really interact with on an everyday basis. It’s like a completely different friend group,” Crawley explains. “I love that the club just brings me out of my real life and it allows me to be around people who understand the same struggles that I'm going through right now academically.”
Participation in Forbes and Fifth, an interdisciplinary, student-run journal that publishes creative writing, research, visual art, and scholarly articles, manifested through Crawley’s involvement with the Summer Undergraduate Research Award (SURA) program. Crawley’s advisor for the program encouraged her to apply, and now she serves as an editor for the publication.
“Overall, I'm very happy with all of the extracurriculars that I'm doing,” says Crawley. “They're very fun, and they allow me to have a hand in a lot of different things.”
Crawley is also involved in the Black Action Society, a group that, according to their website, is “committed to addressing the needs, concerns, and interests of Black students on and off campus.” Crawley joined this group for the community.
"I wanted to be around more people who looked like me," Crawley notes. After holding a position as Fundraising Chair, this year, Crawley will be the group’s Executive Assistant in the fall
With her friends, Crawley also founded the Black Legal Society, an endeavor that reflects Crawley’s early aspirations toward law school. When she enrolled in college, Crawley was considering law school. However, she has since shifted her focus and is exploring other avenues to prioritize making a positive impact on the world.
"I’ve been trying to figure it out – I wanted to go to law school to help people. If I did go into law, I would likely be going into either family or immigration law," Crawley explains. She is currently contemplating a master's in social work, a path that aligns with her passion for helping children. Illustrative of this passion, this summer will be Crawley’s third working with AmeriCorps. Teach For America is another potential endeavor under consideration.
“I think that I do want to take a year off to just work and get experience,” Crawley says. “I would really love for it to be with a nonprofit.”
While she initially resisted the idea of attending Pitt, Crawley’s experience has proven to be transformative.
"For a very long time, I did not want to go to Pitt because it was too close to home. And then the pandemic hit. I realized that I loved being around my family; that's not something that I really knew until the pandemic," admits Crawley. "I don't think that I would have ever achieved the things that I have achieved (at Pitt) at any other school. I love my friends. I just joined a sorority, which is something that I never thought I would do. I couldn't even imagine going to another school.”