By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart

Beginnings 

Masagid Gasi’s story begins far from Johnson City, in the country of Sudan, located in northeast Africa. Born amongst political unrest during the War in Darfur, Gasi’s family sought refuge first in the capital city of Khartoum, before fleeing to Cairo, Egypt. Desperate to create a better life for her family, Gasi’s mother courageously parted from her children to file for asylum. Though her mother was openly criticized by the Sudanese community for leaving her children behind, she did so in the hopes of establishing an eventual home for them in the United States, where her kids, especially her daughters, could live freely and be educated without ramifications. 

In 2019, her family’s prayers were answered, when they were safely reunited in Johnson City. Gasi, then in tenth grade, was understandably nervous about what life would be like at JCHS. Her English was “iffy” and she worried that her classmates would be hesitant to include her. But the Johnson City community ensured that her fears were unwarranted. Kindly welcomed by her classmates and teachers, Gasi felt warmly at home in her new environment.

Why SUNY Broome? 

Gasi’s network of cousins and friends from the local Sudanese community insisted that she join them at SUNY Broome. To make their case, they stressed the College’s affordability, proximity to home, and academic support.

Masagid Gasi’s (ES ’25) dream job is to dream job is to design the electrical infrastructure that powers the world. Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

Masagid’s SUNY Broome Story

In Sudan, doctors are held in the highest respect. Hoping to earn similar esteem, Gasi’s first instinct was to study Liberal Arts and Sciences: Science A.S. as a path towards a career in dentistry. But after spending a year studying biology, she realized, “I actually don’t like bio, I love math. I should be an engineer.”

Embracing her “aha moment,” she sent a quick text to a trusted Johnson City teacher. She assured Gasi that changing programs is a totally normal college experience, and offered to connect her with Robert Lofthouse, Associate Professor/Chairperson of Engineering Science & Physics. Within two hours, Lofthouse’s number popped up as an incoming call. 

“Professor Lofthouse was so kind on the phone. He spent over an hour asking me questions about what courses I enjoyed and what topics I found most interesting,” Gasi explained. “By the end of the call, we were choosing classes and figuring out what type of engineer I would become. He made me feel so supported.”

Immediately enveloped by the engineering science community, Gasi threw herself into her calculus, physics, and engineering design classes. Under the mentorship of Professor Tom Grace, she developed a love for the intricacies of microprocessors and integrated circuits. The once conflicted, aspiring dentist now confidently knew she was meant to be an electrical engineer. Best of all, she bonded with a group of fellow female engineering students who shared exactly the same goal. 

“Before long, I knew everyone in the engineering science program. It’s an incredibly welcoming group of people,” Gasi said. “I befriended a few other young women who also were gravitating towards electrical engineering, and before we knew it, people started referring to us as ‘The Fantastic Four’.”

The fellowship between ‘The Fantastic Four,’ Jori Tate, Rania Adam, Neda Sezgin, and Gasi, was quickly noticed by Dr. Christine Martey-Ochola, a fellow engineer and Associate Vice President and Dean of STEM and Workforce Development. With the encouragement of Dr. Carol Ross-Scott, SUNY Broome’s Vice President for Student Development & Chief Diversity Officer, the ladies were invited to a special off-campus dinner to celebrate their achievements and bolster their sisterhood.

“We were so honored to be invited to have dinner with women that we admire. Dr. Carol invited Dr. Carmen Jones (Assistant Dean for Diversity at the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science) to join us.” Gasi shared.  “We all planned to transfer to Binghamton University, so it was so nice to make a connection with someone on that campus. Women are still widely underrepresented in engineering, but that dinner reminded us that our presence in STEM was valued and that we had many people cheering us on.”

Women in Engineering – 2020s (Masagid)

The Fantastic Four all transferred with ease to Binghamton University’s Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science to earn their bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering. Gasi is driven by three very specific goals. Goal #1: Focus, work hard, and achieve a high enough GPA to qualify for Binghamton’s electrical engineering 4+1 undergraduate to graduate program. Goal #2: Attain an internship with a local employer. Goal #3: Land her dream job designing the electrical infrastructure that powers the world. 

Masagid’s Advice for Women in Engineering

“Believe in yourself, find a community, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and try not to compare yourself to others. I know you can do it!

Joan Bolebruch Zopp (TO ’57) and Masagid Gasi (ES ’25) were delighted to realize how much they had in common!
Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

Read more inspiring stories in the Fall 2025 edition of BROOME Magazine: bit.ly/broomefl2025

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