Lorena Minja

“Now, opportunities are waiting for me and I am going to use my skills of resiliency and persistence along with hard work to ensure that I take full advantage of everything my new life has to offer.”

Lorena Minja describes herself as goal oriented and passionate. After learning more about her, it is clear that Lorena is also honest. She grew up in Albania which, according to Lorena, limited her future. In anticipation of a move, Lorena studied both French and Spanish so that she could be prepared to live somewhere else in Europe. However, she and her family moved to the United States a year and a half ago. Once she arrived in Connecticut, Lorena and her sister enrolled at Bulkeley High School where she continued to focus on her goals. Lorena challenged herself by taking the most difficult classes she could which were even more difficult for someone learning English. This challenge did not phase her, and she achieved her goal of success in academics, despite the language barrier. Lorena will be attending the University of Connecticut next year with an interest in business.   

 While Lorena has achieved impressive academic goals, she has also achieved her goal of helping others. She immediately joined Key Club, the community service club at Bulkeley High School, and gave back to the Hartford community. In Albania, she helped other students in class which she says unknowingly strengthened her character in return. She would also spend her free time cleaning up garbage because she noticed that no one else, including her government, was doing it. Lorena’s goals and passion have resulted in so many positive things already, and it is clear that Lorena will continue this throughout her college career and life.