Abdirizak Abdi ’12 ’15 ’17 is principal of Humboldt High School in St. Paul.
Abdirizak Abdi ’12 ’15 ’17 is committed to giving back while providing school districts and communities with a motivated leader.
One of Abdi’s core beliefs is that a great leader comes from someone who takes action to make a difference. And that’s why he remains committed to assisting children to create a better future for themselves throughout the state of Minnesota.
Abdi, who grew up in the St. Cloud area and graduated from St. Cloud State University with a bachelor’s degree in management and a master’s degree in educational administration and leadership, will soon embark on a new journey as a leader in education to help give back to future generations.
In July, Abdi will become the new principal at Humboldt High School in St. Paul, a position he accepted in May.
“It’s really an honor to be given the opportunity to serve the Humboldt community as their new leader. I’m looking forward to being able to develop and create a clear vision for the community and guide them through the process of improving as a school,” Abdi said. “I have already started the inclusive process of gathering input from staff, students and the community. I think it takes the whole community to really lead a successful vision for the school.”
Prior to taking on the role of principal at Humboldt, Abdi held multiple leadership roles in education and had served on multiple committees throughout his career.
His prior stops have included serving students as a teacher and behavior support interventionist, serving as an assistant professor at St. Cloud State and later becomingan assistant principal at St. Cloud Apollo High School. Most recently, he served as associate principal for Irondale High School in the Mounds View Public School District.
“I’ve been really fortunate to be someone who has not really focused on the job that I’ve had, whether I was an assistant principal or prior to that, but someone who is looking forward for different opportunities to grow,” he said. “I have been very fortunate to have great mentors and leaders who have helped me become who I am.”
Some of Abdi’s mentorship and leadership characteristics he still holds today stem back to his time at St. Cloud State, taking part in both the management and educational administration and leadership programs. As a student, he was also involved in student organizations and served in clubs within Multicultural Student Services.
“Going to St. Cloud State opened the doors for me in my career. Not only has the education I received prepared me, but the mentorship I received from professors really prepared me,” he said. “I am really grateful for those experiences.”
Abdi is committed to using his past and present experiences to try and lead Humboldt High School as its new principal.
In the end, he hopes to steer the school, its students and the community towards becoming a better place for years to come.
“I do want to make this a better place in the next few years and I’m really committed to that,” Abdi said. “I’m someone who believes that leadership is an action,
so I want to take this opportunity because that leadership is needed.
“Kids need to see they can become anything they want to be and anything I can do to help with that, I want to do. Our children and their futures need us and that’s why I’m so honored to have the opportunity to create a better future for the Humboldt students and work for the school district.”
