Student News: LL.M. Student Mohamed Ahmed Shokri Abdelhalim ’25 Receives the President's Student Leadership & Service Award

Mohamed Ahmed Shokri Abdelhalim, LL.M. ’25, has received the University of Minnesota President's Student Leadership and Service Award. He was the first international student to join the Environmental and Energy Law Society board, helping to increase the presence of international students in student organizations. Since then, three other student groups have also included international students on their boards for the first time this year. He joined the Human Rights Center as a researcher early in his studies, and his involvement in academic and extracurricular activities led to his selection as the official University of Minnesota delegate to COP29 in Azerbaijan in November 2024. He also participated in several other volunteer initiatives at Minnesota Law, including the Student Philanthropy Board.

Abdelhalim played a key role in organizing several events on environmental topics, successfully connecting student groups from different backgrounds, and inviting experts from both within and outside the University. He currently volunteers as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate course at the Law School. In addition, he is shadowing a justice at the Minnesota Supreme Court and is externing with the Chief Administrative Law Judge, focusing on court administration and access to justice.

He participated as a speaker in several events on COP29 and environmental law, including talks at the Humphrey School and the Institute on the Environment. He was nominated for the President’s Student Leadership & Service Award due to his demonstrated leadership in environmental advocacy, passion for volunteer work, and commitment to connecting different groups across campus.