Concordia students Lydia Repnow ‘27, Lynn Ngaima ‘27, and Iqra Hassan ‘26 were selected as Phillips Scholars for addressing community problems, helping others, and pursuing knowledge.
The scholarship offers 10 students across 15 Minnesota private colleges the opportunity to develop skills in leadership and problem-solving, as well as funding for a summer project focusing on an underserved community in the state. The program is funded by the Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation.
Out of the three students nominated, the maximum number of nominations per college, all three made it to the final 10 Phillips Scholars chosen for 2024-25.
Hassan’s project aims to create a mentorship program connecting first-generation incoming students with returning peers at Concordia, fostering a supportive network.
Hassan will work with Jacee Vang, a fellow first-gen Concordia student, Heather Simonich from the Center for Holistic Health, and Sunet Rubaclava from the Center for Student Success to provide resources, mentoring, and support for marginalized groups.
The inspiration for the project came from the struggles Hassan faced in her first year of college. This included imposter syndrome, inferiority, and a lack of support.
“I couldn’t lean on my parents or relatives because I was the first in my family to be in this privileged position. Talking about my struggles and loneliness would only make me feel guilty, so I often kept it in,” she said. “With a support system in place, I aspire to destigmatize discussions about mental health and provide incoming students with the guidance and reassurance I once yearned for.”
Hassan credits the liberal arts education Concordia has provided for encouraging her to think critically about systemic issues and seek out opportunities for positive change.
“From faculty mentors to fellow students, I have found immense support and encouragement within the Concordia community,” she said.
Ngaima’s project aims to create a support group for victims of gun violence in Minneapolis. Her project is split into two parts: creating a documentary to raise awareness about gun violence and creating a website for families to share their stories.
The inspiration behind the project came from Ngaima’s own experience with gun violence.
“When I was 6 years old, my older brother Samuel was shot and killed at the ripe age of 18 in Jacksonville, Florida, just 14 days before my birthday,” she said. “I wanted to create an online community for victims of gun violence. I wanted others to have a support system.”
When Ngaima heard the news of her selection as a Phillips Scholar, she immediately called her mother, sister, and best friends.
“I was ecstatic. It felt amazing to know that someone liked my idea,” she said.
Repnow’s project aims to connect LGBTQIA+ teens in Clay County with local queer artists so that both parties may share stories, exchange artistic practices, and build community.
The inspiration for the project came from the safety Repnow felt at Concordia to explore her queer identity. She speculated about her sexuality in high school but didn’t feel comfortable expressing herself. During her first semester in college, she discovered a queer pop-up art shop in downtown Fargo that kick-started her journey.
“Immersion in a space saturated with that level of acceptance would have changed my life as a questioning teen,” Repnow said.
Queer Clay County teens will work with queer artists as mentors throughout this program. Following panel sessions, group seminars, and art creation, the teens will receive a guidebook with local and national queer resources to aid their exploration of identity.
“From engaging in campus organizations to interacting with dedicated faculty, experiences at Concordia inspire students to create change at micro and macro levels,” Repnow said. “Similarly, the Phillips Scholars program will instill collaborative leadership skills that will prepare me to contribute to social justice initiatives thoughtfully and responsibly for the rest of my life.
Written by Alyssa Czernek '25