DETROIT — Ali Sobh of Dearborn became the first Arab American to join Wayne State University’s student Senate after receiving the second highest number of votes during the organization’s election for new executive board members in March. The winners were announced in early April, and will be seated in May.

Ali Sobh (R) stands with his father Hussein.

One-thousand-one-hundred and sixty-six votes were cast; Sobh received 355.  The top 14 vote getters will serve as representatives of the school’s 30,000 students.Sobh said he’s not intimidated about being the first Arab American to serve on the board because he’s earned the opportunity like everyone else. He’s already outlined initiatives he plans on pushing for, including speaking on behalf of unrepresented minorities, extending library hours, getting the Michigan’s Promise Scholarship back and prohibiting smoking within 25 feet of all campus buildings.   Sobh is majoring in biological science and getting a minor in Arabic. He’s hoping to get into medical school at WSU or the University of Michigan following his anticipated graduation next May and is considered a senior because of the 125 credits he holds.  Before graduating from Fordson High School he took 60 college credits from duel enrollment at Henry Ford Community College. Sobh’s vigorous work ethic is what sets him apart from other students. Since he began attending WSU in the Fall of 2008 Sobh has taken up to 16 credit hours per semester while working at his family’s restaurant  25 hours a week.  Sobh has a 3.95 GPA and held a 4.2 GPA at Fordson in Dearborn as a high school student.”I feel wonderful and I’m grateful that my son is in this position and has been involved in so much,” Sobh’s father Hussein said. Sobh received the WSU Presidential Scholarship and is on the WSU dean’s list. He’s also received  scholarships from the Lebanese American Heritage Club and the Bint Jebail scholarship program and is an active member of the American Medical Student Association, Golden Key National Honor Society, the Muslim Student Association as well as serving as an executive on the Arab American Student Union. Sobh doesn’t like wasting a minute of his day. “I could be on Facebook or doing other things but I don’t. I always put school first,” Sobh said.He shares his success with his three siblings Hamzy, 18, also a WSU student, Zeinab, 17 and Sara, who is 16. Sobh says he wants to set an example for his younger siblings and thinks he’s done a good job so far. “Education is the future. The more time you spend on your schoolwork, the more time you’re spending on your future, ” Sobh said.