Aalia Shariff Named 7th Distinguished Goodnight Award Recipient

The Charlotte native excelled in scholastic achievement and advocacy for under-served communities.

The Distinguished Goodnight Award is presented at the end of the academic year to the undergraduate Goodnight Scholar who best embodied the core values and mission of the Goodnight Scholars Program through significant involvement in the Goodnight Scholars and NC State communities, along with a dedication to professional development, civic engagement, and scholastic achievement.

Aalia Shariff of the Class of 2019 is a biochemistry and biological sciences double major with a Spanish minor, who has participated in extensive cancer research at NC State in the Department of Biochemistry’s Simpson Lab and through her Women’s Health Summer Research internship program at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. Outside of the research lab, Aalia volunteered with the United Muslim Relief and Operation Smile, the latter in which she helped raise money to fund cleft lip and palate surgeries around the world. Within the Goodnight Scholars Program, Aalia is recognized for her tireless advocacy and outreach work as as a Goodnight Ambassador, and co-chairing the LEGO Brick Build and Senior Legacy committees. Aalia will leave a legacy in the Goodnight Scholars community defined by grace and hard work.

After graduation, Aalia will pursue her medical degree at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.

Past Distinguished Goodnight Award recipients include:

• Carl Jenkins, Class of 2017/18
• Katie Almasy, Class of 2017
• Kaleb Morrow, Class of 2018
• Grayson Walker, Class of 2015/17
• Jeb Smith & Kelsie Gardner (co-recipients), Class of 2016 & Class of 2017

Photography credit: Jason Perry/Goodnight Scholars Program

This post was originally published in Goodnight Scholars Program.