Ezaan Khan

Future cardiac surgeon Ezaan Khan has made the most of every opportunity available to him at Western Connecticut State University and beyond. A Kathwari Honors Student from Brookfield, Khan will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Mathematics, a GPA of 3.94, and the distinction of being named a Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award winner.

“My experience at WCSU has been irreplaceable and life changing,” Khan said. “WCSU provided me countless opportunities to grow myself into being a more professional, knowledgeable, and honorable man. By taking as many opportunities as I could and then some, I was able to go from being a student to a leader to a mentor for future leaders. Some of the most notable and transformative opportunities at WCSU have been my executive role in the Student Government Association (SGA), my presidency for the Muslim Student Association (MSA), and my summer internship at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Department of Neurosurgery through WCSU’s Minorities in Medicine.”

Khan continued, “These experiences forever changed my life, from my leadership and public speaking skills to how I conduct myself on a daily basis. WCSU gave me a unique experience from the accredited education it provides to the diverse campus life it hosts. From the classes to the campus events, WCSU continued to teach me about anything and everything I wanted to learn, from biochemistry to piano to African-Caribbean culture!”

Khan was on the SGA Executive Board since his freshman year, rising to Chief Justice/Parliamentarian — a position he leveraged to advocate on behalf of the Biology Department specifically and the university in general to seek additional funding from the Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittee of the Connecticut General Assembly. He’s also been involved in the Committee for Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Standards, and the Board of Regents Student Advisory Committee.

Khan served as president of the MSA in 2022-23, as treasurer of Honors Students of Compassion in 2022-23, as an orientation leader for the Center for Student Involvement in 2022-23, and as a Math Clinic tutor in 2022. He founded and created a Room of Reflection for WCSU students in search of a dedicated space for worship or meditation with the help of the Office of Intercultural Affairs. His intense involvement on campus does not preclude his presence in the community. He volunteers as an Emergency Medical Technician at the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company, and works as an EMT for Nuvance Health at Danbury Hospital. He also volunteers at his local mosque, Baitul Mukarram, as a religious teacher, assistant youth director and mentor to children aged 6-16.

Khan received the Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy (Spanish/English) in 2021, and accepted the Diversity Student Organization of the Year as president of the MSA in 2022. He received the Nuvance Health Bravo Award for Dedication to Emergency Medical Services in 2023 and earned Advanced Senior Research Distinction in Biology in 2024. He participated in research in the laboratories of several WCSU Biology faculty members, which prepared him for his summer 2023 research assistant duties at UNC.

“I feel privileged yet humbled for being recognized with the Barnard award,” Khan said. “I want to thank first and foremost Allah (SWT) for without His help, I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this. I also want to thank my parents and siblings for their continuous support through my arduous college journey. Finally, I want to thank my close friends in the SGA and MSA for seeing my potential and helping me attain it to the fullest.”

Khan continued, “I am appreciative of my struggle for academic excellence and servitude to the WCSU student body being recognized. This award will make an immense difference in my applications to medical schools, allowing me to shoot as high as an ivy league! However, my accomplishments pale in comparison to the hard work of those who strive to obtain their education with the struggles of immigration, full-time jobs, and/or children, as a few of my close friends did. I hope that through my recognition with this award we can also recognize their dedication to doing the very thing this college was built for, stepping up in the world.”

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.