By Jonathan Morales
Aiden Jahami immigrated to the Sacramento area from Lebanon with his family in 2010. He was 14 years old. His father was jobless and his mother worked part time as a substitute teacher. He struggled to fit in at Mira Loma High School.
“The whole experience was overwhelming,” said Jahami, a Sacramento State master’s student and 2018 recipient of a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, “but it gave me strength and resiliency to keep pushing forward and do my best.”
That he did, and now he’s being recognized at the highest level. Jahami was among 23 California State University students – one from each campus – selected to receive the 2020 Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement, the CSU’s top student honor.
CSU announced this year’s recipients Thursday, Sept. 17. The students will be honored at the Board of Trustees’ virtual meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22. The award is given annually to students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service, and financial need.
Sacramento State’s recipient is a perfect example of the CSU’s transformative power and the resilience of its students. Knowing he would have to pay for his education, Jahami, the first in his family to attend a four-year college, chose Sac State because of its affordability and proximity to his home in Carmichael.
Since arriving on campus in 2014, he has excelled in the classroom and in his community. He earned his bachelor’s degree in four years while earning high academic marks. After graduating in Spring 2018, he returned to Sac State to pursue his graduate degree, specializing in power production and renewable energy.
Off campus, he has volunteered as a research assistant with the Saha Health Clinic in Carmichael and currently serves as an Arabic translator for the UC Davis Police Department.
A self-described “climate activist,” his career goal is to help develop renewable energy sources and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The recent wildfires across the Western U.S., he said, illustrate how urgent that work is.
“Seeing all the bad things that are happening because of climate change, that’s what pushed me toward specializing in that area so I could help out however I can,” he said. “Find new, innovative ways to fight it.”
He works as a utility engineer with the California Public Utilities Commission, inspecting electric and communications facilities to ensure compliance with wildlife mitigation plans, the Public Utility Code and other regulations.
“Through his perseverance and dedication, Aiden has not only been an exceptional student, but has given back to his community and now wants to take what he has learned and use it to make the world a better place,” President Robert S. Nelsen said. “He is an embodiment of Sacramento State’s values, and I cannot think of a better recipient for the CSU’s highest student honor.”
Jahami was “pretty amazed and honored” to receive the award, which also lends material support. He has funded his education through student loans while continuing to support his parents and coping with a pay cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The scholarship money that comes with the Trustees’ Award, he said, will help him pay tuition and alleviate financial stress.
All the while, he is on track to graduate with his master’s degree in December 2021. He credits Sacramento State faculty with taking time to mentor him one-on-one, connect him with job opportunities, and help him believe in himself.
“I used to go to office hours and ask them questions if I didn’t know something or if I was having difficulty understanding a concept,” Jahami said. “They were very helpful, giving extra time just to help me out. So I’m grateful for the professors that I had.”