Ahmed Hussen, a graduate of York University’s history program, is Canada’s new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Hussen, now 40, arrived in Canada at age 16 as a refugee and was sworn in as immigration minister on Jan. 10, 2017. He is a Member of Parliament for the Toronto riding of York South-Weston and is the first Somali-Canadian to hold a seat in Parliament.

To put himself through school at York University, reports the Toronto Star, Hussen commuted nearly two hours to pump gas in Mississauga. After graduating from York, he went on to become an immigration lawyer before entering politics.

Read more in the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail.

Meet some of our other inspiring graduates.