International student Rakan Alzaydi, 24, is a senior who came to Boston from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, just four years ago. He began his studies at Northeastern in 2010 for English as a second language and later transferred to Suffolk University to double major in accounting and finance in the business school.

“I was a finance major at first and I became interested in accounting after taking a business foundation class which teaches you a little about every major in the business school and I loved accounting,” said Alzaydi.

When Alzaydi lived overseas, he went to a big high school that didn’t have any extracurricular activities, and said he routinely went to school and then home. His father’s friend, who attended Harvard, told him about Boston and the sound of the city. Having never even visited before, coming to Boston was a way of “trying something new” for Alzaydi. He tcame to Suffolk as a chance to get involved in school as much as he possibly could.

Alzaydi was recently featured in the Center for International Programs and Services’ newsletter as the “International Student of the Month.” Alzaydi said the thing he’s most proud of is that he came to America without his family and without knowing anyone here.

“I’ve made my share of mistakes, learned from them and survived them and I like to think of myself as a success story,” said Alzaydi. His parents are also quite proud of him for doing it all on his own, he said.

During his short time in Boston, he has interned for MassVOTE in 2012. At Suffolk, Alzaydi has managed to hold many positions. He is a member of the Saudi Student Association, is an Orientation Leader, and on the SGA executive board as a Treasurer.

“I saw what SGA was doing and I liked it, so I wanted to get more involved and be a part of it,” said Alzaydi.

With his position as a treasurer, one of the many things he wants to do is get more international students in SGA as there are a small number of them involved currently. He also hopes to make the campus more “united,” especially with the New England School of Art and Design.

“I think I am able to connect with everyone pretty much on the same level,” he said, “I don’t see myself being more connected to just the Saudi students over foreigners in general,” said Alzaydi.

“Nothing is certain” but he anticipates graduating in May and if he finds a job afterwards, he will stay in Boston. Nonetheless, he said he plans on going back to Saudi Arabia at some point.

As for his future, Alzaydi wants to open his own financial consulting company because it’s what he believes he would enjoy doing for a career rather than being an accounting.

“I don’t want to sit behind a desk and do the same thing for the rest of my life,” he said.

At the moment, Alzaydi said he is interviewing with multiple companies and hopes to start an internship soon.