AHS student wins scholarship to study in Abu Dhabi
by Sue Austreng
Staff Writer
You’ve heard it said to those who can do or achieve anything in life, “The world is your oyster.”
Connor McMahon, a senior at Anoka High School, sorts through snapshots he took when he visited New York University’s campus in Abu Dhabi – camels, desert dining, mosques and the like. A few days after his return to the States from the NYU Abu Dhabi candidates weekend in March, Connor was informed that he had been accepted to the university and was awarded a full scholarship.
Well, Connor McMahon seems to fit that bill and for the Anoka High School senior, that “oyster” is found in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf.
Connor recently got word that he had been accepted to New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus. Not only that, the university awarded him a full four-year scholarship.
With characteristic modesty – matched only by his eager anticipation of the adventures ahead – Connor described his reaction to the acceptance letter – one of only 150 acceptance letters sent to a select few from a pool of some 12,000 applicants.
“NYU is such a great school and it’s tough to get into, so I feel pretty good I got in,” Connor said of being counted among the 2 percent accepted.
Knowing his quiet modesty would have Connor keeping this amazing news under his hat, faculty and staff at Anoka High, his parents and friends did some bragging for him.
“He’s a quiet leader, so humble, always positive, always considerate, always conscientious and kind. He’s just a great kid and this is just fantastic. This opportunity from NYU is so well-deserved,” said AHS Counselor Theresa Savage.
“What’s so impressive about him is his exceptional intellectual curiosity,” said Colleen Neary, Connor’s career placement specialist.
“He is so modest, but this is such a huge award and he is so deserving – this kid can do anything,” Neary said.
Connor’s mother agrees, but, like any parent sending a child off to the far side of the world, finding joy with her son’s international educational path took some time.
“It takes a while to think about it, to let it sink in, but he’s young, this is the time to do it,” Krisann McMahon said.
Before she could express such genuine confidence, Krisann and Connor’s dad, Jim McMahon, attended an NYU parents weekend in New York City.
“All of my fears were relieved. NYU is so great, so detail-oriented, they think of everything, they take care of everything. We just have nothing to worry about,” she said after returning home from the parents weekend.
A world’s-eye view
Although Connor had been determined to pursue a career in biology since he was a child, his mom said, he now plans to study philosophy while at NYU Abu Dhabi.
“I’ve always loved biology – I still do, but now I’m thinking about philosophy,” Connor said.
“I want to take advantage of being in a new culture, living with people from all over the world, listening to their ideas, their traditions. Philosophy seems like a perfect fit.”
Even before he was accepted to NYU Abu Dhabi, Connor got a taste for life in the United Arab Emirates’ capital city.
As part of the application process, Connor was invited by NYU to fly to the university’s Abu Dhabi campus, spend the weekend in a dorm room, take a sample class and get to know something about life on the Persian Gulf.
“I got to meet a lot of people, spend some time in the desert, try some Arabic, take a class… it was a good weekend,” Connor said.
It wasn’t until after he returned home to the United States that Connor was chosen to attend NYU Abi Dhabi.
“He is very adventurous. Not all students who were on the candidate weekend were accepted, but he is just so open-minded, so courageous. He has no fear, no anxiety – he just sees everything as an opportunity to learn more,” said Neary.
Getting to know Abu Dhabi
Of course, since receiving his acceptance letter, Connor has poured himself into learning as much about Abu Dhabi, its people and language, its government and customs, its climate and traditions as he possibly can.
The high school senior is ready to dive into learning the Arabic language used in Abu Dhabi, explore historical landmarks and expand his international circle of friends.
“There is a Facebook group for students accepted to NYU Abu Dhabi, so I’ll get to know some of them before school starts that way,” Connor said.
The young man heading to Abu Dhabi is something of a novice traveler, having never flown alone before the Abu Dhabi weekend trip in March and having never traveled outside the United States further than Canada.
“I’ll be so disconnected from everything I’m used to – different culture, different religion, different language, different food. I think it’s going to be such a great place to learn. This will be a great adventure,” Connor said.
Much to his mother’s delight, part of Connor’s scholarship package includes two airfares home from Abu Dhabi – and Connor plans to use one to fly home for Christmas.
“We’ll keep in touch while he’s over there and we’ll probably fly over sometime during his first year, but it will be great to have him come home for Christmas,” Krisann said.
For now though, Connor’s been reading up on all things about Abu Dhabi and getting ready for the academic adventure of a lifetime.
“He’s an amazing kid. I am so proud of him. He’ll be an excellent ambassador for Anoka High School,” Neary said. “We are all so proud of him.”
Sue Austreng is at sue.austreng@ecm-inc.com
