Senior Financial Economics major and student from Pakistan, Ehsan Ali Asghar, is a passionate, driven and multifaceted individual known for his involvement on the Gustavus campus.
Asghar has taken leadership roles on the Gustavus campnumber of ways throughout his time here. A few of his involvements include being a Co-President of Student Senate and Vice President of Recruitment for the Mentoring Program, interning in the Community Based Service and Learning center, serving as an HR & Finance intern, doing service through Big Partner Little Partner, working at the Information desk, being a Gustie Greeter, acting as the Chief Information Officer for Finance club, participating in the Muslim Student Association, and he is a member of the Epsilon Pi Alpha.
Asghar was very passionate about becoming a Gustie Greeter. However, when he got his letter, it didn’t say if he got into the program until the fourth line.
“After reading the first two lines, I closed my letter and started walking back to Pittman. I remember walking back and bumping into [my friend] Charlotte, who had also applied to be a greeter, but we both didn’t talk about it. I told my roommate that I didn’t get in,” Asghar said.
But, after reading his letter again that afternoon, Asghar realized he did in fact get into the program. “I couldn’t believe it,” Asghar said.
In addition to the good and humorous memories, Asghar does face challenges on campus.
Being an international student comes with a variety of obstacles. Asghar has expressed feeling the need to find a balance between adapting to United States culture and also staying in touch with his roots.
He said that the biggest challenge he has faced has been speaking English as a second language, something he confronts very regularly.
Despite these obstacles, Asghar has expressed serious gratitude that his college experience has been a smooth one. Coming from Pakistan, Asghar made quite the trek to attend school at Gustavus.
He attended a summer school the summer before his senior year of high school at Oxford University, where he met individuals going to the University of Minnesota, and began to think about Minnesota as a place he might consider going to college.
“I always knew that I wanted to go to a small school, and some of my friends ended up coming to Gustavus,” Asghar said.
When asked what they thought about Gustavus, his friends had “nothing but good things to say.” It was at this point that Asghar knew he should apply. Asghar never took a tour of Gustavus due to the fact that he lives so far away. “I had a very good feeling about it. It was hard to convince my mother because I am an only child, but I guess [my parents] knew that I really wanted to go to school in the US,” Asghar said.
As for advice he has for students at Gustavus looking to pursue positions of leadership, Asghar encouraged students to “just go for it, because doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from.” “It is important to remember who you are as a person and what you believe,” Asghar said.
“Students should always push [themselves] because no one else is going to do it for you,” Asghar said.
His last piece of advice was to not complain about things you’re not willing to change. As leaders, he believes students have the capability to make their community better; if something is wrong, you have the power to do something about it.
After his upcoming graduation, Asghar hopes to travel. “The dream would be to land in a job that will allow me to travel and live abroad for little while,” Asghar said.
Through all his involvements and the challenges he has faced, Asghar has been guided by his desire to make his family proud. “I hope to make my mother proud one day, because she is the real reason [behind] who I am and where I am today,” Asghar said.