Selin Atasoy ’95

What was life in Paris like for you? 

I came to AUP from the United States intending to stay for only a year, but I ended up staying until the end of my degree. I rented a tiny studio apartment on the Rue de Grenelle. Every morning as I walked to campus with a sandwich mixte in my hand, I felt utterly happy. Nothing beats small classes, excellent professors, amazing friends, a spectacular city, the excitement of overcoming life's challenges, the surprises of growing up and a great smile. 

What’s your best memory of the AUP classroom? 

I was studying business but had a fixation on Freudian psychology and literature. When I decided to write my final paper on "Prostitution in Paris," my then professor, the incredible Darian Leader, completely supported my decision. Writing that paper took more than I expected; I delivered it at the end of the summer, way after we received our grades. But it changed my life; I knew from that moment that I wanted to write. After college, I worked in the advertising and marketing sector for quite some time, but, in the end, I found my way to writing crime stories, TV dramas, theater plays and documentaries. I owe my career to AUP and Professor Leader.