Alumnus’ Podcast Recognized by the New York Times
Salman Ahad Khan, an accomplished audio journalist and Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) alumnus is achieving success for his work on the critically acclaimed history podcast More Perfect, recently honored by the New York Times on its “Best Podcasts of 2023” list.
His success, in part, stems from his liberal arts grounding with a Major in International Politics, and a Certificate in Media and Politics earned at GU-Q. “Everything I studied at Georgetown has been the best foundation for a career in journalism,” revealed Salman (GU-Q’16). He joins the growing ranks of GU-Q alumni being recognized for their commitment to excellence in different professional fields worldwide.
The More Perfect podcast explores the human stories behind the most important decisions of the United States Supreme Court. Since moving to New York to pursue a career in journalism, Salman has worked on some of the most critically acclaimed podcasts of the last decade, including The Atlantic and WNYC Studios’ The Experiment, Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History, and more, filling a range of roles as a writer, reporter, researcher, and sound designer.
Salman attributes these skills to his classes at Georgetown Qatar, something he leveraged in his job interview at WNYC. “I was able to say that while I’m not a Supreme Court expert, I do know how to get to grips with a topic very quickly and do a ton of research in a very short amount of time to put together an episode that is deeply researched, deeply investigated, and deeply reported.”
He credits Dr. Sohaira Siddiqui, Associate Professor of Theology, as well as a formative internship experience at the Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) with Suzi Mirgani, Assistant Director for Publications, for helping him build a foundation as a writer and researcher.
“We are always proud to see Georgetown alumni making a mark. The recognition of More Perfect by The New York Times is a testament to Salman’s exceptional talent and his commitment to using his research skills in novel ways to reach a broader audience,” said Mirgani.
Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, Salman was born and raised in Qatar. “One of the reasons I wanted to move to the US in the first place was to work on shows like More Perfect and with people like Julia Longoria,” he said, referring to the show’s managing editor and host, who he considers a mentor. “The fact that I had access to so many great professors during my undergraduate years was incredibly helpful and gave me a lot of confidence going into journalism.”
For the moment, he is reporting and producing an audio documentary series for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is exploring funding opportunities for a new series he is developing on Muslim history and culture with Dr. Siddiqui. “There are barely any narrative podcasts that feature stories from the places I call home,” he said.“I hope I can use my experience working on shows like More Perfect to highlight stories from our own community in a similar way.”
With a commitment to service, graduates like Salman are contributing to understanding and solving global problems. “It’s inspiring to see my fellow alumni doing incredible work in Qatar and around the world,” he said, expressing his pride at being a Hoya.
More Alumni Success
Alumna Breaks New Ground as an Acclaimed Screenwriter and Director
Israa Al-Kamali, a GU-Q alumna (SFS’17), is breaking new ground in the international film industry, winning multiple accolades for her screenwriting and films.