USUSA presidential profiles: Sami Ahmed
Sami Ahmed is running for Utah State University Student Association president this year. He was born in Ethiopia, and moved to the United States when he was 11 years old with his mom and little brother. He is studying finance with a minor in chemistry.
Ahmed is always seeking knowledge and loves history, debating and talking to others around him. He still carries some of the customs from his homeland, like respect for his elders with him from Ethiopia. Having seen much of the world, Ahmed served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Australia and has also visited Korea and Rome.
Ahmed has a strong loyalty to Utah State.
“I think my favorite part of being an Aggies is that it’s a school where the students support each other. There has always been a stigma surrounding Utah State that it has a high acceptance rate and things like that so they think you can’t achieve things,” he said. “The students here are so supportive you can do anything you want. It’s super friendly, I’m the minority and I’m usually the only black guy. But in my experience I have never once felt like an outsider.”
Chris Fawson, one of Ahmed’s professors also notes the ability Ahmed has to not only appreciate and value the university, but also to use the resources he has at USU to succeed tremendously. He said Ahmed is intellectually curious and open to learning. “He is a good friend and a good person who challenges others to rise to their potential.”
Fawson also said often times student may look at Utah State as a fallback, because a student’s parents or grandparents went to school there. Those student may not see Utah State as an active choice.
“I think having people in those government roles that have made Utah State an active choice, they think more about what does a Utah State experience mean to a student and how do you leverage that experience most effectively. Sami gives that perspective. Utah State was a choice that he strategically used to improve his life and the community he lives in,” Fawson said.
Ahmed has always been inspired by the saying hung up all over Huntsman Hall that says “Dare Mighty Things.” He says he has a deep drive to help every student reach their potential and to always aim for nothing less of success. This is evident in the way he has lived his life and used every tool that Utah State could give him.
Among the many friends who have impacted him in his life, Sheila Clark is one. A very close friend of Ahmed, she says “I always like to talk to Sami. He is easy to talk to and very knowledgeable for his age.” Both Clark and Fawson believe that communication skills and the ability to effectively communicate to groups is one of Sami’s greatest talents.
Ahmed is proud to be an Aggie and wants students to know that there is always help given at Utah State. “You belong at Utah State. And if you are different it’s not a bad thing because the Aggies will welcome you,” Sami says.
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