The Global Impact of Micah Sahakian '24

Senior offensive lineman Micah Sahakian has dedicated much of his time in college to football and his studies, but he has a third passion which he always tries to make time for: helping others.

Sahakian has seen that passion grow over the last three years while doing service work in Lebanon, where his parents immigrated from before he was born. During those trips, Sahakian connected with adults and children without homes, jobs, stable education or enough food to eat. Those experiences humbled him and put his life into perspective, and one example stands out among the many he has. 

The Cornell senior recalled the time he met a young girl named Sarah and her sisters while helping at a youth camp. Despite lacking so many fundamental resources, Sarah and her sisters beamed with joy, gratitude and passion that profoundly inspired Sahakian. He thinks about those moments when a minor inconvenience arises in his life. 

“It was striking to me how much they enjoyed learning,” Sahakian said. “For me, it’s often 12 credits a week, six classes every other day. It gets tedious. But these kids would love an opportunity like that to learn.”

Sahakian, a senior, will have plenty to be proud of when he looks back on his career at Cornell. He was voted a captain this season by his teammates, earned All-Ivy League recognition last season and has been the Big Red’s starting right tackle for two straight years.

But nothing can challenge the lessons he’s learned and the fulfillment he’s gained from his trips to Lebanon through Living With Power, a non-profit ministry his aunt started to support Syrian refugees and the Lebanese. 

“They are living in the most difficult conditions in (Lebanon),” Sahakian said. “We are helping people who are living in tents, people who are struggling to find jobs, people who have trouble finding the means of life.” 

Living With Power also helps run three-day camps for Syrian refugee children, and those experiences have been particularly moving for Sahakian. 

“They lack education, toys to play with, food to eat and clothes to wear,” Sahakian said. “They get to sort of have an outlet away from their lives. They are there to be loved. The joy on their faces … I always tell people when they ask me about the biggest thing I see in Lebanon. It’s for someone to have so little to have such pure joy in their eyes. 

“I think about myself and the people around me. The resources I've been given, the resources I have at my fingertips that I haven't even grasped — these people have nothing of those sorts, yet I see them overjoyed just to be living. It’s really humbling. It’s a really humbling perspective to think, ‘How can someone with so little can have so much joy?’” 

That’s what Sahakian reminds himself about when he faces challenges — big or small — on or off the field. 

“In this great position at this great university and being named a captain, these are blessings I’ve had to work for,” he said. “But they are blessings that are available to me. They aren’t available to kids over there…. Why would I ever complain? Why would I ever have a reason to be down about my circumstances?”

Sahakian will leave Cornell with plenty to be proud of on and off the field. He's a volunteer, a player and a leader.