Noor El-Gendy

Noor El-Gendy earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology, along with a UH Honors Phronesis minor. Originally from Cairo, Egypt, she competed as an international student-athlete on the University of Houston Swimming and Diving team. A team captain for two years, El-Gendy helped lead the Division I program through two of its strongest seasons since joining the Big 12 Conference. She is a school and Egyptian record holder and has competed internationally as a member of the Egyptian National Team.

Beyond athletics, El-Gendy focuses on Middle East politics and foreign policy research. A semester-long project on U.S.-Egypt relations sparked her interest in Diplomacy and International Relations and community service. Her government and public affairs experience includes an internship with the Harris County Office of Administration Operations Division, and ExxonMobil Egypt, where she supported regional coordination and community engagement initiatives across the Middle East and North Africa.

This fall, El Gendy will be joining the Political Science MA program with a concentration in International Relations and Democratization in the Middle East. Her long-term goal is to get her PhD in International Relations and a career in foreign affairs and IR research.