Raeuf Roushangar, a Michigan State University graduate student studying biochemistry, has won the prestigious Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans – an honor that comes with an up to $90,000 stipend.
Roushangar was one of 30 winners from across the U.S. of the premier graduate school fellowship for immigrants and children of immigrants. The recipients, chosen from a pool of 1,200 applicants, were selected for their potential to make significant contributions to U.S. society, culture or their academic field.
While winning the award is a high achievement, what Roushangar had to overcome to earn it is equally praiseworthy. He faced discrimination in Egypt, and, after escaping to the U.S., was homeless for several months.
Since landing at MSU, his perseverance and dedication has earned him many honors including the Clinton Global Initiative award, MSU’s Pamela J. Fraker Undergraduate Scholarship, and MSU Leader of the Year, among others.
He says he chose MSU for his undergraduate and advanced degrees instead of applying to places like Stanford and Harvard because: “When you have your identity taken away, you feel strongly about the place that gives it back to you, gives you your confidence. This mattered to me, and for me MSU is that place. That’s why I chose to stay.”
To learn more about supporting University Scholarships and Fellowships, contact Senior Director of Development Jennifer Bertram at bertram9@msu.edu or call (517) 432-7330.