College of Social and Behavorial Sciences Dean Stella Theodoulou (far right), with Ahmad’s family: sister Cathy (left) father Dr. Hossein Eshraghi, and mother Afsar Eshraghi.
Ahmad Eshraghi ’07 (Political Science) is remembered by those who knew him as a young man with many interests. He dearly loved classical music, photography, chess and books about history and philosophy.
In pursuit of more knowledge about the world and its complexities, Ahmad sought and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science in 2007 and continued his studies as a graduate student. The Ahmad Eshraghi Endowed Scholarship in Political Science was established by his family to honor his memory.
“Ahmad had two successful careers in America after our family emigrated from Iran,” said Afsar Eshraghi, his mother. “One was experiencing different kinds of business venues such as real estate and sales. The other was his dedication to education.”
Ahmad Eshraghi ’07
Ahmad applied and was accepted at USC and CSUN but followed the advice of a counselor at Glendale Community College in choosing Cal State Northridge.
“His father and I felt very good about his decision,” said Mrs. Eshraghi. “He liked all of his teachers. but from the very beginning he felt a special bond with Professor Jim Mitchell in the Department of Political Science.
“Dr. Mitchell was a real mentor to him and became like another member of our family. He encouraged Ahmad and was instrumental in Ahmad’s decision to attend graduate school.”
Shortly after beginning his graduate studies, Ahmad became ill with cancer.
“He was so concerned that he would miss classes,” said his sister, Cathy Eshraghi. “Dr. Mitchell reassured him and visited him during this difficult time.”
After Ahmad’s death, his family searched for a lasting way to honor his memory. The Eshraghi family decided to establish the Ahmad Eshraghi Endowed Scholarship
“We all recalled how much Ahmad changed as a person after attending CSUN,” said Cathy. “He really developed his ability to think about world affairs and to talk about issues that matter.
“We thought, ‘What better way to honor Ahmad than to give others the opportunity to also grow as individuals and develop their intellectual ability and knowledge about global politics?”
“Despite Ahmad’s success in business, he didn’t feel complete without an education,” said Afsar Eshraghi. “Education is an investment no one can take away from you. We left Iran with nothing, but because of my husband’s education, we were able to rebuild our lives.”
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