At first glance, Haania Siddiqui appears to be like many high-achieving high school graduates: driven, articulate, and eager to take her next steps into the world. But once you start talking to her, it quickly becomes clear that her story is shaped by deep values—family, faith, friendship, and a passion for helping others—that give her accomplishments a lasting impact.
A 2025 graduate of Eagan High School, Haania is the inaugural recipient of the Eagan City Lifestyle-sponsored scholarship through the Eagan Community Foundation. Created to encourage and support aspiring marketers, communicators, journalists, and writers, this scholarship honors a student who has demonstrated a clear passion for storytelling, media, or creative expression. Haania’s commitment to writing and her pursuit of a double major in business and journalism, along with a minor in creative writing, made her a standout candidate. She’ll be attending the University of Minnesota this fall, double majoring in business and journalism with a minor in creative writing. This path embodies the spirit of the award perfectly.
“I’ve always wanted to be a writer,” she says. “Fiction, fantasy, stories—it didn’t matter. But I realized that writing alone might not be sustainable at first, so I found journalism, which is still storytelling. I get to write, but I can also build a career.”
Business, for her, is more than a backup. It’s a tool to help her reach her goal of one day becoming a publisher or editor, working in the creative world she’s loved since childhood. “Business opens doors. It’s versatile. I knew it would help me get into the publishing industry.”
Haania grew up in Burnsville before moving to Eagan, and comes from a multicultural family—her father emigrated from Pakistan for college, and her mother is from Minnesota. As the youngest of four siblings, she was inspired by her family’s example. “My parents didn’t grow up with the opportunities I have. I feel a responsibility to make the most of everything they’ve worked for.”
Her journey through Eagan’s schools gave her a foundation, but it was in high school where she began to come into her own. She started the Muslim Student Association (MSA) at Eagan High, which eventually expanded to a Multicultural Student Association—an effort that reflected her inclusive leadership style. She also took on the role of president in both MSA and the concert choir, where she found a surprising sense of belonging.
“I never saw myself as the ‘choir kid,’ but once I found that community, I knew it was where I belonged,” she shares. “The friendships I made there will stay with me for life. It taught me that sometimes, you grow into the spaces you didn’t expect to fit in.”
Haania’s leadership was not just about titles—it was about advocacy. From her early days as a member of Upstanders, a student group against bullying, to her ongoing commitment to amplifying others’ voices, advocacy remains central to who she is. “Helping others—advocating for them—that’s what made me successful,” she says. “It’s what made me who I am.”
Despite her impressive accomplishments, Haania is refreshingly candid about the messiness behind the scenes. “I’m actually super unorganized,” she laughs. “I struggle to focus, I get distracted—but I still succeed. People are always surprised by that, but I take it as a compliment. It means I’m doing something right.”
Outside of school and leadership, Haania is a reader and a writer at heart. She’s been slowly crafting a fantasy novel since she was 12—a work-in-progress that reflects her growth over time. “You can literally see how I’ve changed by reading the chapters,” she says. “The early ones are fun and adventurous. The later ones focus more on community and belonging, which became important to me as I got older.”
When asked what the scholarship means to her, Haania lights up. “It was a huge relief. My parents are getting closer to retirement, and being able to help them, even in a small way, means the world to me. I want them to live their best lives, and this scholarship helps make that possible.”
In ten years, she hopes to be working in publishing or editing, with her name on a few book covers and a life full of meaning and connection. But no matter where she ends up, it’s clear that Haania Siddiqui is already living out the values she holds dear: lifting others up, staying true to her voice, and building the kind of community she once longed for.
And in doing so, she’s become exactly the kind of leader our world—and our city—needs.