By ALISSA SPANGLER
Staff Reporter
Sewar Ali is counting down the days to graduation. “I like to go above and beyond just because I know that I can, and I have the potential. Setting goals way higher than I expect myself to accomplish is what keeps me going,” the 2020 Amarillo College fall graduate said.
This day is not only special because she will be graduating, but Ali has also been selected to be the commencement speaker for this year’s virtual ceremony. She said this accomplishment is only possible because of the connections she has made.
“I didn’t realize how crazy networking can be and making connections. There are so many more people that go to Amarillo College that deserved to be speakers, but I had connections like Lesley Ingham, advisers, SGA, and PTK. I was able to get to know President Russell Lowery-Hart and talk to him often,” she said.
Being selected as the commencement speaker was not Ali’s only accomplishment. She was a part of the Presidential Scholars, Phi Theta Kappa, and served as secretary for the Student Government in 2019.
“I love AC, I ride for AC. The college has just done so much for us, and not every college will do that. I’m sad that it is not a four-year university, but I’m excited to leave the nest,” the future graduate said. After AC, Ali plans to transfer to Texas Tech University to obtain her bachelor’s degree in biology. When finished with her bachelor’s, she plans to go to medical school.
While Ali has had many great accomplishments during her time at AC, she said she had to overcome her fair share of struggles. “The last few years I’ve struggled with depression after losing my grandma and my uncle. It was really hard to overcome that, but once I got a good therapist and a good support system it all helped a lot.”
“I’ve been working to make money for myself so that I don’t have to ask for money from my parents. I’ve just been working my butt off since my junior year of high school. Juggling work and school and gym and everything else have continued to be a struggle for me,” she said. The coronavirus pandemic has affected many things in Ali’s life, but she had some advice she wants everyone else to hear. “Just keep going, the world will not stop for us. We have to keep going.”
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