November 19, 2020

November 19, 2020 – Northland Community & Technical College Architecture Technology student Ali Alshaban, has been awarded the LeadMN Mark M. Welter World Citizen Award.

Born in Iraq, Alshaban first came to the U.S. in 2005 after a nomadic childhood residing in Palestine, Syria, Greece, Cypress, Turkey, and finally California before his entire family found their home in East Grand Forks, MN. Alshaban always dreamed of having a home for his entire family, which led to a curiosity in the building and design process of residential, retail, and other structures. This steered him to Northland’s Architecture Technology program.

Northland Student Success Coordinator and Student Senate Advisor Jason Pangiarella nominated Alshaban for the award after demonstrating unwavering leadership abilities as a student senator. “Ali is a student who rarely thinks of himself; he’s a young man with a giving heart and who is breaking barriers as he enters the field of Architectural Technology and Design,” shares Pangiarella, “This scholarship recognizes Ali’s commitment to Northland, his academic preparation, and his role model for other young men of color. We are extremely fortunate to have him as a student and leader in student government.”

The Mark M. Welter World Citizen Award provides a tribute to Minnesota State system students who most exemplify the thoughts, words, and actions demanded by a 21st-century world citizen. The award is sponsored by the Welter Family Foundation and the student advocacy group LeadMN.