This award was a great surprise to me. But it was no surprise that Dr Melissa Gruys, the Dean of the PFW Doermer School of Business, nominated me. For Melissa has given her whole-hearted support to every faculty member since she arrived at PFW in 2016. Likewise, everyone sitting at Table 11 tonight has helped me achieve my goals for my students. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I am originally from Morocco and I am a Muslim. Islam venerates education. We have a saying that it is the teacher’s duty to lead people into the light. And that’s the way I look at the many years that I have been teaching—I have been doing my duty. But my duty is also my mission in life, fueled by my passion for the métier. Teaching became my mission when I lost my precious son Naseem when he was 15. As a parent, I had a duty to raise a moral, intelligent human being. Now I have transferred that duty to my students. When I face them, I look at each student as a member of my family. Each one with potential that I must spark so that it can be realized. While we often think that a teacher’s primary job is to impart knowledge, I see my role as much bigger than that. It is my job to lead by example by upholding core values of respect for others. And most important, to instill empathy in my students. Through empathy, you can walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and learn to see the world from another viewpoint. Through empathy, you are able to negotiate business decisions from knowledge of another’s position, not from opposition. Through empathy, my students see how much the same they are instead of how different they are from each other, regardless of their color, religion, or ethnicity. Through empathy, they become a light in the world. A beacon that guides others. This is my hope for each and every one of my family of students. Thank you and God bless. |
Over 200 people gathered at the Fort Wayne Colisewww.fwbusiness.com/gallery/featured/collection_c4f0fcb2-b4e3-11e7-b5af-b3c1b3bac770.htmlum Conference Center on October 18 to honor the 2017 Business Weekly Education Awardees. My friends and colleagues shared this great moment with me. They have all helped me achieve my goals for my students. My special thanks to Dr. Melissa Gruys, Dean of the IPFW Doermer School of Business, who nominated me and who has encouraged me greatly since she arrived at PFW in 2016. For more information about the awards visit the Business Weekly web site.