Inspiring Success from a Sociology Student at Istanbul Gelisim University!

Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU) continues to support the emergence of individual talents with its student-centered educational approach. One of the most recent examples of this approach is the memoir-biography book titled “Babasının Kızları”, written by Sociology Department student Fatma Çelik. Published last month, the book explores lives constrained by tradition through the history of a family and contributes to social memory.

Born in 1966 in the Derik district of Mardin, Fatma Çelik resumed her education in 2017 and is currently continuing her sociology studies at Istanbul Gelisim University. Çelik, who stated that she started university with a conscious decision, said that the education she received transformed her life: “For me, sociology was not just a subject, it was a way of holding on to life. From my first day at IGU, both my perspective on myself and on the world changed. Our instructors did not just teach lessons — they touched our lives.”

A Journey into Writing with Academic Support

Fatma Çelik, a student at the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, emphasized the decisive role of IGU’s academic support in her writing process. She highlighted that the course Academic Reading and Writing Skills, taught by Asst. Prof. Raheb Mohammadi Ghanbarlou, opened new horizons for her.
Explaining that she started by writing the entire draft of her book in notebooks since she didn’t know how to use a computer, Çelik said: “Thanks to this course, I learned how to transfer my texts to digital format, how to edit them, and how to use academic writing techniques.” She also added that opportunities like online classes and the ability to rewatch recorded lectures during the earthquake period contributed both to her writing process and her improvement in computer skills.

Confidence Gained at IGU Turned into Social Awareness

Stating that “Babasının Kızları” is not just a personal story but also the voice of silenced women, Fatma Çelik said: “The sociological perspective I gained at IGU enabled me to view what happened not merely as a personal tragedy but as a societal issue.”

“My University Gave Me a New Identity”

Expressing that she rebuilt herself thanks to the free and supportive academic environment offered by Istanbul Gelisim University, Çelik said: If I can write boldly today, if I can make my voice heard, my university has a major role in this and she thanked all her professors.
Istanbul Gelisim University continues not only to provide its students with academic knowledge but also to offer opportunities that reveal their potential and inspire success stories.