Compassion, resilience, and selfless actions describe this year’s Chosen Coug

Lopa Chowdhury put her career as a chief medical officer on hold and made numerous personal sacrifices to ensure her husband, Rajib Saha, can be a successful doctoral student at Washington State University. In recognition of her sacrifices, Chowdhury was selected to receive the university's Chosen Coug Award.

Chowdhury was recognized during a special Chosen Coug Ceremony Saturday, April 18, in the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center.

Saha said when he expressed interest in coming to WSU Pullman to study engineering, Chowdhury not only gave up her medical managerial role at a Bangladesh hospital to accompany him, but she also sold her late mother's cherished ornaments to help pay for their relocation to Pullman.

"These were irreplaceable keepsakes filled with sentimental value and memories of her mother," Saha wrote in his nomination. "Her decision to sell the family heirlooms demonstrates her deep affection for me and her belief that my academic achievements should come before anything else in her life."

Finding ways to persevere together

Once in Pullman, Chowdhury bought an old car and learned to drive it by taking lessons from a local resident. It allows her to transport Saha to campus for classes, shop for groceries, and drive both to appointments.

Chowdhury also enrolled in free English conversation lessons at Emmanuel Baptist Church to increase her language proficiency. The benefits of these lessons extended well beyond learning how to speak better English.

"It also resulted in her improved capacity to interact with residents," Saha wrote. "She became part of a strong community and formed social friendships that have provided me with multiple forms of assistance."

In June 2025, Saha injured his back and required surgery at Pullman's hospital. During his recovery, he was unable to sit upright, and he considered withdrawing from classes. That is when Chowdhury sat with him for hours reading his academic articles aloud so he could stay current with his studies. Even when Chowdhury's father died five months later, she decided to stay in Pullman to support Saha's preparation for his preliminary examination.

This recognition celebrates a woman whose quiet strength, moral clarity, and generosity prompt reflection for the community.

"Her selfless actions reveal a rare depth of care and a sincere desire to see others succeed, even when that success requires personal sacrifice that few are willing, or able, to make," said Mason Burns, residential education director and a member of the selection committee. "This recognition celebrates a woman whose quiet strength, moral clarity, and generosity prompt reflection for the community."

Fellow committee member Iris Venegas, a foundational education coordinator in Cougar Health Services, said all of Chowdhury's actions demonstrated outstanding commitment to education and care.

"She supported her husband through every challenge and continued to find ways to persevere together," Venegas said. "She was an exemplary nominee, and I am excited that she is part of our Coug family."

In addition to Burns and Venegas, members of the selection committee included Josue Zuniga, ASWSU multicultural coordinator; Bridget Adams, senior associate director of athletics administration; and Libby Fillmore, associate director of communication in the Office of Marketing & Communications.

The Chosen Coug Award is managed by Student Affairs and recognizes individuals from across the university system who have made a substantial impact on a student's experience at WSU.