HARTFORD, Conn. — Shabana Basij-Rasikh, co-founder and president of the School of Leadership Afghanistan (SOLA), will receive an honorary degree from Trinity College in recognition of her work promoting girls’ education amid enormous challenges in her home country.
Trinity College announced that Basij-Rasikh will be honored during its commencement ceremonies on Sunday, May 18, where Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont is set to deliver the keynote address.
Basij-Rasikh co-founded SOLA, the world’s first and only Afghan-led boarding school for girls, which relocated from Kabul to Rwanda in 2021 following the Taliban’s return to power. The school now welcomes Afghan students from across the diaspora.
“Shabana Basij-Rasikh is recognized for her visionary leadership and her tireless commitment to ensuring Afghan girls have access to education,” the college said in a statement.
Trinity also cited remarks Basij-Rasikh made in a recent interview with “60 Minutes,” recalling the advice of her parents: “You could be forced to leave your home. You could be forced to become a refugee. You could lose any material possession that you have, but the one thing that cannot be taken away from you is your education.”
SOLA’s continued mission, Trinity noted, serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of Afghan women and the enduring value of education in times of crisis.
