Woman Makes History As 1st Somali Carlton Graduate

One woman is making Minnesota history after only being in this country for a few years. Muna Noor is one of the first Somali students ever admitted to prestigious Carlton College in Northfield.

Noor had to overcome a lot to get there.

“I came to Minnesota and everything was a discovery,” said Noor.

She and her family escaped a life of hardship in Eastern Africa when she was just 16.

“Civil war, displacement, refugee camps, settlement, and then coming to America,” said Noor.

Her older sister was already in Minneapolis and gave Noor some advice about living in the U.S.

“She said there are two streets here: One is you don’t do anything and you get dejected about the process that you’ve been through, or you get educated and contribute to society,” said Noor.
Four days later Noor enrolled at Minneapolis Edison High School. In just six months she was taking classes at the U of M.

“I knew about American education. I knew about higher education and the opportunities that America provides,” she said.

She asked her guidance counselor for advice on her academic future.

“She suggested many other schools including Harvard and Yale and Princeton. And I said I want to look at a place where home is not too far, but I can get an education like that,” said Noor.

She applied to Carlton College, the so-called Ivy League school of the Midwest. Noor and another woman were the first two Somali students ever admitted to the school.

“It’s a wish and it did come true,” said Noor.

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