Yasmeen started her time at Illinois as a Journalism major, but made the move to History her sophomore year after she realized that History allowed her to delve further into her passion for studying Arabic and the culture and history of the Middle East and North Africa. Yasmeen has complemented her study of History with a minor in Arabic Studies and intensive language study, which included spending the Spring 2020 semester in Rabat, Morocco. The European Union Center chose Yasmeen as a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellow of Arabic in recognition of her commitment to the study of languages. Funding provided by the FLAS Fellowship helped cover the costs of Yasmeen's studies in Rabat. While in Rabat, Yasmeen interned at La Voix de la Femme Amazighe (Amazigh Women’s Voice), a non-profit organization working to resolve issues facing rural indigenous Moroccan women. 

Yasmeen's academic achievements have been recognized by the Department of History and by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She received the Martha Barrett Scholarship in American History and the Robert H. Bierma Scholarship for Superior Academic Merit in History. Yasmeen is an active member of her campus and off-campus communities. As a Case Assistant Intern at The Immigration Project, she assisted attorneys and Department of Justice representatives with filing immigration forms for clients and assisted clients with various case-related matters. She volunteered at Carle Foundation Hospital and the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club in Champaign as a reading partner. She is one of the founding members of the Society of Minority Students in History at Illinois and has served in the History Department's Undergraduate Studies Committee.