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Civil Engineering Senior Anit Koirala strives to become an engineer to serve underrepresented communities

Amy Santoso | Photos Courtesy of Anit Koirala

A refugee camp is a temporary settlement for people forced to relocate due to violence and persecution. Anit Koirala was originally from one of these refugee camps in Jhapa, Nepal, until he migrated to the United States with his family in June 2012. Starting that Fall, Koirala attended Aurora Central High School as a junior. Koirala, now a senior in Civil Engineering, embarked on this long journey in the hope he would become an engineer and give back to his community. While he is now reaching this goal, he had to overcome many challenges during his immigration process. 

“Adjusting in a new society and learning a new language was a challenge, not just for me and my family, but many other immigrants,” Koirala said. However, Koirala wasn’t alone in his adjustments, since Aurora Central was home to a diverse community with refugee immigrant students from all over the world. 

“We were all learning a new language and trying to adjust in a new environment,” Koirala said. “I took part in Speech and Debate and Mock Trial in high school, which helped to improve my speaking and communication skills significantly.” 

When considering his options for college, Koirala knew he wanted to be an engineer so that he could serve people who have experienced similar living circumstances. He said it was his ‘call to adventure’.

“Life in the refugee camp was not easy. It was filled with struggles and hardships, tears and fears.  With no identity and permanent home, there was no future in the camp,” Koirala said. “But I never lost hope. Waking up in the hut made up of bamboo and thatch every day, I realized my dream to become an engineer, [so I could] serve the poor communities around the world who are also living the life I lived. I am now on the journey to live this dream. I am striving to obtain a good education and become a good engineer and to serve faithfully.” 

As a first-generation immigrant student, Koirala felt that his freshman year was challenging since he felt lost and struggled academically. But he eventually found his place in the Student Academic Success Center (SASC), where he became a peer mentor, providing academic support and guidance to first-year students, as well as connecting students to campus resources. 

“I found my community, resources and staff that are caring and supporting, I met students of different backgrounds who became my friends; I belonged there,” Koirala said.
Paula Abita, Academic Program Coordinator for SASC and McNeill Academic program said of Koirala, “He was highly conscientious, committed and reliable … Although Anit had a full plate, he made time to meet with his mentees, and serve as a volunteer at McNeill events for first-year students.” 

While in college, Koirala continued to give back to his community in Aurora. There, he worked as an interpreter to help Bhutanese refugee families and served as Community Navigator for RISE Colorado in the mission to bring educational equity and foster linguistic diversity in Aurora public schools. Koirala also volunteered at the African Community Center to help high school refugee students with the college application process. 

Koirala is also part of the Engineering Leadership Program (ELP), where he contributed to a student-led team that has created an online hub of resources to help more undergraduates access research opportunities. The Engineering Leadership Gateway course provided him with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding about leadership and communication. 

“Anit is attuned to multiple perspectives … He thinks in multiple dimensions,” Angela Thieman Dino, faculty member of the ELP said. “The example set by Anit’s team’s leadership, initiative and resourcefulness is already transforming the culture of ELP.”

As a Civil Engineer, Koirala’s interests are in water treatment and global engineering, which suits his post-graduation goals to work on sustainability projects in Uganda and refugee camps. He already believes that engineering has fulfilled many of his goals to help those in need. 

“I see it as a responsibility and opportunity to serve underrepresented communities around the world,” Koirala said. “My culture taught me to have hope even when you have nothing and to give hope to others, to serve selflessly. I can use [my] engineering knowledge to live these wisdoms by faithfully serving others.”