The Choudhry family will have double the celebrating on May 6. That’s because brother and sister Momin and Khatija Choudhry will both be walking in Winona State University’s Spring 2016 Commencement ceremony.
While the Choudhrys will be graduating on the same day, the path each took to get to WSU is quite different. Momin chose to attend WSU because of its business program and how close it was to his hometown of Rochester, Minn.
Meanwhile, Khatija started at RCTC and took a little more time to get to WSU.
“I wanted to go somewhere that would accept all my credits and was also an excellent school,” Khatija said. “I found both at Winona State.”
Both siblings stayed active at WSU, participating in a wide variety of clubs and organizations. Momin has been part of WSU’s new Model United Nations, the American Marketing Association, the WSU sales team and is president of the Muslim Student Association. Khatija has also been a part of the Muslim Student Association, WSU’s KEAP Council, Delta Sigma Pi and is a WSU Ambassador, among other activities.
Momin and Khatija also played a vital role in establishing a meditation room on WSU’s campus, which officially opened in fall 2015 in Kryzsko Commons.
Their involvement in clubs and organizations kept them busy and allowed them to interact with all kinds of people from different backgrounds, cultures and walks of life
“WSU is truly a diverse campus and lends you the opportunity to broaden your horizons beyond the classroom,” Momin said.
Khatija, 20, is graduating early with a major in business administration and a minor in business law, and has been accepted to Marquette Law School with a full ride scholarship.
Momin, 22, is graduating with a major in marketing and sales and has accepted a job with Target Corp. in Minneapolis. He feels his WSU education will be a great asset as he moves forward in life.
“I’m proud to graduate from WSU,” he said. “Whether it’s working with my professors in and out of the classroom or collaborating with classmates to plan campus wide events, I’ve been able to try my hand at so many things and take away so much.”
Khatija said she also will be taking a lot with her from WSU as she continues her education. She knows she’s in good company as a WSU alumna, and is grateful for the support she received and all the opportunities afforded her at WSU.
“WSU faculty and staff, as well as my peers, have always been an amazing support. Any interaction I have here on campus has been supportive, loving and at the same time challenging,” Khatija said. “Bless the hearts of those who have helped me through tough decisions, hard classes and all the other hurdles life throws my way.”
