When Ali Raza first stepped foot onto the Fitchburg State University campus, he carried far more than two suitcases from Lahore, Pakistan.
Raza ‘24 also carried the unspoken weight of a dream, centered around proving that someone from an ordinary background could come to the United States, excel academically, become part of a new community, and build a meaningful career in technology.
“Fitchburg State didn’t just give me a degree, it gave me a home,” said Raza, who completed his master’s degree in computer science. “Fitchburg State became the perfect place for that dream because it looked at my application, saw potential instead of prestige, and said ‘yes’ when many bigger-name schools said ‘no.’ From the moment I was accepted, I felt this small university in Central Massachusetts was quietly telling me, ‘Your story matters here, and we’re going to help you write the next chapters.’”
Raza is one of many international success stories at Fitchburg State. Right after graduation, he joined NETSOL Technologies America in Austin, Texas. He now works as a business system analyst on Transcend Retail, a digital retail platform that powers fully online car-buying and financing for more than 100 U.S. dealerships for brands like BMW, MINI, and Porsche.
Raza said that the technical foundation came directly from courses like computer and network security, design and analysis of algorithms, and his internships arranged through Fitchburg State at NETSOL.
But more importantly, he said, was the confidence to walk into meetings with senior stakeholders, lead cross-continental projects, and speak up with solutions.
“That came from the leadership opportunities the university kept pushing me toward,” said Raza, who was recently selected as a 2026 NextGen Leader by Monitor Daily, which recognizes emerging leaders making an impact in the equipment finance and automotive ecosystem.
Raza arrived at Fitchburg State in August 2022 and lived off campus to start his journey.
In his first week, Raza admitted that he was terrified that he would be “the international student who didn’t get the jokes.”
But Raza credits his advisor Dr. Brady Chen and the Executive Director of International Education Nelly Wadsworth for helping him navigate those early struggles to fit into campus life.
“During the welcome reception, they explained the unspoken rules, and helped me understand how student life is gonna be for the next two years,” Raza said. “Because someone did that for me, I promised myself I would pay it forward.”
Wadsworth and the Office of International Education (OIE) also helped Raza understand the benefits of living on campus, as he wanted to be more involved in the campus community.
“Ali Raza was never afraid to ask questions, even when everything felt new and unfamiliar,” said Wadsworth. “Our role in the Office of International Education is to help students decode campus life and feel like they truly belong, and Ali took that guidance and paid it forward in ways that impacted the whole community. Watching him grow into a confident leader who was very involved in campus life and a graduation speaker was incredibly rewarding.”
A year later, Raza became a resident assistant at Simonds Hall in the fall of 2023.
“That gave me a chance to contribute to the campus community by engaging with the residents,” said Raza. “That made all the difference. Home wasn’t just a dorm room; it was late-night study sessions in the library with classmates who became family. Thursday dinners at the dining commons where professors actually sat with us, snow falling outside Hammond Hall while we debugged code together, and the way everyone — from security guards to the president — greeted you by name. Fitchburg State gave me a home by treating me like I belonged long before I believed it myself.”
To every professor, staff member, and classmate who waved, smiled, invited me to Thanksgiving, or stayed late to explain a concept one more time: thank you. You didn’t just give me a degree, you gave me a home, a family, and the belief that ordinary backgrounds can produce extraordinary futures. Fitchburg State will always be my American hometown.
As a resident assistant and later as a graduate mentor, Raza said that he made it his mission to be that first friendly face for new international and first-generation students.
“I organized welcome dinners, helped with English conversation practice, and created a small WhatsApp group called ‘Falcon Family’ that still has 30-plus members today,” said Raza. “Seeing their nervousness turn into confidence is still one of my proudest accomplishments.”
Another unforgettable accomplishment for Raza was when he was named the 2024 recipient of the Graduate Student Leadership Award during the university’s graduate commencement ceremony.
“Receiving the award felt surreal, especially since I am the first international student to receive it,” said Raza. “Only one graduate student receives it each year, and to be chosen from across all programs meant the university saw the late nights organizing events, the mentorship hours, and the quiet work behind the scenes. Even now, whenever I face a tough day at work, I look at that award on my desk in Austin and remind myself, ‘You’ve already proven you can lead with heart — keep going.’”
Raza has a message to current students and every student, especially those far from home.
“Your story doesn’t have to start perfectly to end powerfully,” he said. “Be curious, show up, ask questions, help others, and trust that the small steps you take today will lead you to opportunities you cannot yet imagine. If someone like me — a kid from Lahore who once doubted whether he even belonged in the classroom — can stand on a commencement stage and later help shape digital transformation across America, then your potential is truly limitless. Fitchburg State didn’t just change my life, it gave me the chance to become the best version of myself. And now, wherever I go, I carry that legacy forward.”
Raza said he hopes every international student has the same experience he had as a student at Fitchburg State.
“Come to Fitchburg State if you want a university that sees you, not just your passport,” he said. “The classes are challenging, the professors know your name and genuinely invest in your success, and the support for international students is unmatched. What truly sets this place apart is its presidential leadership—both past and present—that creates an environment where every student feels valued and empowered.”
Raza has so much gratitude for everyone who helped him feel at home at Fitchburg State.
“To every professor, staff member, and classmate who waved, smiled, invited me to Thanksgiving, or stayed late to explain a concept one more time: thank you,” he said. “You didn’t just give me a degree, you gave me a home, a family, and the belief that ordinary backgrounds can produce extraordinary futures. Fitchburg State will always be my American hometown.”