Summer 2010

History of American Higher Education/EDLD7432

Affordability and American Higher Education

            As citizens of the United States of America, we are afforded many valuable rights and freedoms, one of the most important of those being access for all citizens to a free education.  After graduation from high school, the continuation of that education into college goes from free for all to a costly investment that a student must choose whether or not to make.  Unfortunately, without the help of outside organizations, many well-deserving students would be unable to afford to attend college.  The affordability of higher education is not a new issue, nor is it an issue that will be resolved in the foreseeable future, making it one that needs to be tackled as quickly and as stringently as possible.  The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (2009) stated that the most important issue facing higher education today was the increases in tuition that had predicted for 2009, pinpointing that some schools even increased tuition mid-fiscal year. With affordability comes the issue of accessibility, as they go hand in hand.  If colleges do not make themselves affordable for students, they are closing their doors to students who cannot afford the tuition, which is essentially making colleges inaccessible to students that are seeking to better their futures.  The Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965 attempted to strengthen colleges and also provided students with access to financial assistance, putting tuition at an all time low and opening doors for women, minorities, and many other people who previously would not have been able to attend college (Heller, 2001).  Even though HEA was able to provide assistance to many students, the rise in college costs could not be prevented and once again many students felt the burden of inflated tuitions.  With the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act in 2008, now called the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), came much hope of increased accessibility and affordability, yet HEOA did not address the pressing issue of rising costs, specifically the fight over student loans. The question is, though, what can be accomplished by HEOA to increase affordability and accessibility in higher education and what can the colleges, the states, the government, and students themselves do to ameliorate this situation?

Societal Context of Affordability Issues

            Making education accessible and affordable to all students has always been a pertinent issue.  Beginning with the era of Mass Higher Education, and spanning through to the current Contemporary Era, the financial issue of affordability has consistently been of societal concern.  The Era of Mass Higher Education, which spanned from 1945 to 1975, was characterized by a great change in America’s educational system.  It was during the 30 years following World War II, a time in which the population increased by nearly 60 percent, that there was a shift from heavy industry-based jobs to more professional and technical positions, increasing the need for higher education (Cohen & Kisker, 2010). With this need for a more skilled workforce came a push from the educational system to make higher education more accessible to a growing number of people, including the nearly fifteen million military veterans who were eligible for educational opportunities through the GI Bill.  It was also during this era that our nation came together in ways that were previously not possible.  In the 1950s and 1960s, great strides were made the integration of schools and, in 1964, the Civil Rights Act was passed.  The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the culmination of the desegregation efforts of the government and, most importantly, it opened doors to jobs that minorities were previously not eligible for under previous conditions (Cohen & Kisker, 2010).  By increasing the job opportunities of a large part of America’s population, it also increased the demand for higher education, creating a need for financial assistance in order for these new students to afford an education. 

In 1947 Commission on Higher Education, commissioned by President Truman, stated that they would make "equal education opportunity for all persons . . . a major goal of American democracy” (Hannah, 1996).  This need for accessible and equal education for all eventually blossomed into the Higher Education Act (HEA).  The HEA of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in conjunction with his domestic policy called the Great Society, a social reform program that focused on the elimination of social injustices and poverty issues. The act itself created numerous scholarships, granted students low-interest loans, and allowed for an increased flow of federal funding to colleges and universities.  HEA holds a respectable influence on what is considered the three “A's” of postsecondary education: access, affordability, and accountability, with the act itself paving the path for a more affordable higher education (Gaston, 2004).  Having been reauthorized a total of eight times, this act essentially approved an assortment of aid programs for higher education and, by 1992, it accounted for 74% of all financial aid available for those students in postsecondary education in the America (Hannah, 1996).  Although HEA was set for reauthorization in 2003, it wasn't until 2008 that the bill was reauthorized under the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA).  HEOA requires that each year the Department of Education will publish lists that outline the top five percent of institutions that have the highest tuition and fees, highest net price, the largest increases in tuition, and also the largest increase in overall price (American Association of State Colleges and Universities, 2009).  Although HEOA doesn't completely ameliorate the dilemma with rising costs of higher education, it is an extensive bill that shows progress being made by Congress towards making the right decisions for the future of higher education and students in general.

            Between the years of 1994-95 and 2004-05, the average for tuition and fees, adjusted for inflation, had surged by 36 percent in private four-year institutions and by an impressive 51 percent for public four-year colleges (Fong, 2005). It has seemed almost a given that every year a student would get a letter in the mail stating that the cost of their college tuition  was unfortunately going to increase. The nation as a whole has officially been in a recession since December of 2007, and this recession has led to federal and state budget cuts, which have inevitably led states to reduce appropriations for higher education, which have historically suffered tremendously during times of economic downturn (American Association of State Colleges and Universities, 2009).  In the past 25 years, economic recessions have struck the United States hard. The recessions that lasted between 1980-83, during the Second Cold War, and 1990-94 have severely curtailed government support for higher education, especially during the fiscal year of 1990-1991, a time characterized by the Gulf War, when, for the first time in over 30 years, state budgets allocated less money to higher education than the previous year (Weerts & Ronca, 2006).  With state taxes now covering a smaller percentage of an institution's operating budgets, higher education can be considered a victim of its own success. With many people under the assumption that these institutions are their own biggest fundraisers and can afford budget cuts every year, colleges and universities are not the only ones to suffer.  Revenues generated by an institution's own fundraising efforts are not equally distributed, leaving students and parents to pick up the slack (Mutz, 2008).  Often, the tuition increases come during times of economic crisis, when students are least likely to be able to afford it. In 1980, 45 percent of institution revenues came from state appropriations and 13 percent came from tuition, but by 1997, state funding only accounted for 36 percent of institution revenues, and tuition for 19 percent (Walton & Bell, 2003).  During this nearly twenty year time frame, the majority of the burden of paying for college had shifted from the state government to resting on the student's shoulders.  With an increasing amount of financial responsibility being given to the students, along with an increase in overall college costs, many people are struggling to make ends meet and to get ahead in the workforce with an advanced degree.

Recommendations and Lessons Learned

            As with any issue whose affects are felt at a nationwide level, affordability in higher education is not exempt from its own woes.   According to Walton and Bell (2003), one recommendation for alleviating the affordability issues facing many students today is the voucher system that was proposed by the state of Colorado.  Based on the K-12 voucher system, Colorado lawmaker's proposed setting up college saving accounts for students, rather than giving the money straight to the universities.  Students enrolled in an undergraduate program would then receive approximately $2,400 per year that they were allowed to spend at any state supported two or four year school and those students attending private universities would be granted $1,200 per year (Walton & Bell, 2003).  This system, adopted in 2005, had many positive attributes that could be adapted for implementation around the nation (Cada, 2004).  The voucher system could potentially save the states money by skipping over the institutions themselves and providing the money directly to the students, ultimately cutting out the “middle-man” that would take its share before doling out much smaller portions to the students. The main concern with the college voucher system was the fact that tuition varied from institution to institution, which, in some cases, left the student having to pay out of his own pocket to cover the rest of the tuition.  This voucher system could be used to supplement what scholarships and other types of financial aid each student was using to cover the total cost of their education.  In Georgia, for example, HOPE scholarship covers tuition, at a public institution, and a minimum amount for books, yet it does not cover the cost of room and board, meal plans, or many of the other costs that are associated with college (Singell, Waddell & Curs, 2006).  The vouchers could then supplement, or possibly cover, the remaining cost of college to the student, leaving them without large debts and some money still in their pockets.

            Higher education affordability is a trend in that has permeated almost all eras, and is a particularly pertinent one during this time of economic crisis.  Whether it involves the educational system or the mortgage industry, the thought of educational affordability is on every educator’s, parent's, and student's mind.  Without access to affordable higher education options, not only will students suffer, but also our nation as a whole. Economic development strategies in other competitive Western countries are contingent upon widespread higher education involvement and countries such as India and China have increased access to higher education at record levels. (Mutz, 2008). In order for the United States to keep up in this fast-paced globalized economy, we must step up our education initiatives and create a higher educational system that is accessible and affordable to our current students and those to come.

References

American Association of State Colleges and Universities.  (2009). Top 10 State Policy Issues         for Higher Education 2009. Retrieved from http://www.educational-access.org/Documents
        /PM-Top10-Jan2009.pdf

Cada, C. (2004).  Experiment in Higher ED: Colorado to test nation's first college                       voucher system.  Retrieved from http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Experiment+in+higher+ED:     +Colorado+to+test+nation%27s+first+college...-a0121098708

Cohen, A.M. & Kisker, C.B. The shaping of American higher education: Emergence and growth of the contemporary system. (2^nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Fong, B. (2005). The Economics of Higher Education. Liberal Education, 91(1), 42+.

Gaston, P. L. (2004). Ten Lessons for Liberal Education: Regarding the Higher Education Act Reauthorization. Liberal Education, 90(2), 54+.            

Hannah, S. B. (1996). The Higher Education Act of 1992: Skills, Constraints, and the Politics         of Higher Education. Journal of Higher Education, 67(5), 498+.

Heller, Donald E.  (2001). The States and Public Higher Education Policy. Baltimore: Johns          Hopkins University Press. 

Mutz, J. M. (2008, February). Higher Ed Challenge: Legislatures Need to Do Some Heavy Lifting in Higher Education to Keep the United States Globally Competitive. State Legislatures, 34, 15+.

Singell, L. D., Waddell, G. R., & Curs, B. R. (2006). HOPE for the Pell? Institutional Effects in   the Intersection of Merit-Based and Need-Based Aid. Southern Economic Journal, 73(1), 79+.

Walton, C., & Bell, J. D. (2003, December). New Ways to Fund Higher Ed: In Several States,    Legislators Are Taking Advantage of the Changing Economy to Consider New Options for Funding Higher Education. State Legislatures, 29, 28+. 

Weerts, D. J., & Ronca, J. M. (2006). Examining Differences in State Support for Higher Education: A Comparative Study of State Appropriations for Research I Universities. Journal of Higher Education, 77(6), 935+. 

Education: A Comparative Study of State Appropriations for Research I Universities. Journal of Higher Education, 77(6), 935+. 


Learning Theories and Applications/EDUF 7130

Journal Entry Chapter 1

1. This chapter was more than just a brief introduction to the theories of learning and instruction; it was a flood of new terms and theories that I had never before encountered.  Although I had to look up many of the concepts and words, I found this chapter to be very informative and thought provoking for me.  The most intriguing topic within this chapter was one I knew nothing about: epistemology.  After having read through the overview of the different concepts, I decided that I fell more into the Objectivist category than any of the other epistemological orientations.  I tend to deal with facts and have a hard time believing in something if I cannot verify it or have a tangible outcome.  Driscoll did a great job in explaining and giving examples during the introduction so that the inexperienced reader, like myself, wouldn’t get too bogged down and lost in the wording.  The brief overviews of the different experimental approaches to learning were useful in showing how the study of learning and knowledge had evolved.  Almost everyone has heard of Pavlov, but it was interesting to read how Ebbinghaus established the principle of association that is still used to this day. 

2. http://www.objectivistcenter.org/cth-451-FAQ_Objectivist_Theory_Knowledge_Epistemology.aspx

In my struggle to get a better grasp as to the different epistemological beliefs, I further researched the Objectivism belief.  The Atlas Society’s (TAS) mission is to “help create a new culture in our society, a culture that affirms and embodies the core Objectivist values of reason, individualism, freedom, and achievement.”  TAS goes on to state that being able to express our abstract thoughts through the forum of language is what sets us apart from other animals in our world, and the ability to grasp those abstract thoughts is the basis of the capacity of human reasoning.  This website also highlights the life, work, and ideas of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged, which focused on questioning reason and capitalism.  I believe that this website is an interesting read for those who are interested in simply learning more about the Objectivist movement, rather than for the use of scientific research. 

3.  Goldman, A. (2006). Social epistemology, theory of evidence, and intelligent design: Deciding what to teach.  The Southern Journal of Philosophy, 44. 1+

I chose this article because of my (limited) experience with intelligent design (ID) from a previous undergraduate class.  The question that Goldman presents, through the view of an applied social epistemological problem, is whether or not ID should be taught alongside evolution in biology classrooms in schools.  Goldman states that there is a connection between assertion and teaching, because a large part of teaching focusing on making assertions and that teachers should not make assertions unless they are sure that they are true.  I felt that this article focused on the Objectivist belief that Driscoll had outlined in our text.  Goldman (2006) argues that the question cannot be answered “just by arguing about the strength of evidence for the evolutionary hypothesis and the intelligent design hypothesis.”  Instead, he implies that although one side may have more facts and “truths” than the other, it does not necessarily make it the easiest to side with.

Journal Entry Chapter 2

1.  Chapter two brought me back to the freshman psychology class I took before I transferred to GSU.  The class was painfully boring and filled with many old British films about behavior therapy.  Luckily, this chapter was not painful; it was rather insightful and made me realize that I still follow the principles of behavior management to this day.  After reading about the principles of chaining and fading, I realized that I had employed those in my coaching gymnastics and also as a PAQ trainer at Robins AFB.  Also, fixed ratio schedules are used by the Air Force for both their civilians and their airmen.  At bases such as the one Bahrain where I live, during the sweltering summer months an FR15 is used for working outside on the planes.  For every 15 minutes that is worked, the airmen get 45 minutes off to rest. 

 2. http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~allanr/psi.html 

I chose this link because I was fascinated by the idea of Personalized System of Instruction (PSI).   PSI is a great thought, but, unfortunately, may not translate well for all college students, especially those that are not very driven or focused.  In my opinion, many online classes are much like PSI because there is no set time to meet and you must push yourself to work on your studies.  This website provides a list of past and present users of PSI, as well as links to related research, PSI course designs, and more information on Fred Keller.

3.      Slifer, K. J. & Amari, A. (2009). Behavior management for children and adolescent with acquired brain injury.  Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 15, 144-151. 

This article discusses the difficulties behind modifying the behavior of a child or adolescent with an acquired brain injury (ABI).  Slifer and Amari found that through the use of operant contingency management interventions, such as positive and negative reinforcement, rehabilitation can occur. This behavior management will allow the patients who have had social issues, aggression, and a myriad of other behavioral issues to reintegrate into their classrooms and their families.

Journal Entry Chapter 3

1. Chapter three did a great job of providing examples, both in text and with figures, to help me better understand the concepts that were outlined.  I will say that Driscoll missed an opportunity to use a great, but clichéd, example of selective attention: we can all recall a time when we, or a significant other, chose to use selective attention when the other was talking!  One concept that I did find particularly intriguing was pattern recognition and perception.  I have always been fascinated by how each individual person perceives information, both visually and audibly.  Gestalt’s Principles of Organization, as were shown in Figure 3.4 (p. 84), allow for us to look at the dots and see an “A” or perceive the black “X” in the middle of the white dots.  In figure 3.5 (p. 85), I first saw a “B,” so I then asked my boyfriend what he saw, in which he replied with a thirteen.   How our memory works, especially sensory memory, is beyond fascinating to me and I will continue to research this topic. 

2. http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/skaalid/theory/gestalt/gestalt.htm 

Although this link is primarily for those studying graphical design, this link provides many different graphical examples of the Gestalt principle of perception.  The reason I chose this one was the link for “Figure and Ground” provides an example of my favorite artist, M.C. Escher, who happened to be the master of perception and images that create visual illusions.

3.      Naveh-Benjamin, M., Cowan, N., Kilb, A., & Chen, Z. (2007). Age-related differences in immediate serial recall: Dissociating chunk formation and capacity. Memory & Cognition, 35(4), 724+.

This article provides the finds from a study on differences in short-term memory, using serial recall, on 60 participants, ranging in age from 18 to 71 years.  These adults were then divided up into three groups: young/full-attention, older/full-attention, and young/divided-attention.  The study found that those participants in the older/full-attention group and young/divided-attention group, which performed a secondary task while recalling a list, performed on similar levels, corresponding to the aging deficit.  It was found that the young/full-attention group utilized “chunking” more frequently than the other two groups in order to memorize and then recall the lists.  The researchers concluded that the older participants did indeed have a more difficult time recalling things from short-term memory.  I’ll keep taking my vitamins and eating healthy, all in hopes to preserve my memory when I am 90!

Multicultural Education/EDUF 7235

An Education in Tehran: Interview with Muhammad Juffair Buzgari

Background

            Muhammad Juffair Buzgari was born the only child of Dr. Hasan and Dr. Malileh Buzgari on January 29, 1965 in Tehran, Iran.  Both of his parents were doctors, his mother being an OB/GYN and his father was an endocrinologist, with both parents having been educated in the Iranian university system.  When Juffair, as he prefers to be called, was 14 years old, Iran experienced the Islamic Revolution and turmoil ensued after the Ayatollah Kohmeini returned from exile to Iran.  With the onslaught of the Iraq-Iran war in 1980, Tehran experienced an incredible amount of damage and loss of people, but Juffair’s family chose to stay in the city even though there was a huge threat of danger.  Because of his family’s political beliefs and their stance against the Ayatollah, they had to keep working quietly so that they would not encounter any types of persecution or hardships during the precarious time. 

            At the age of 17, Juffair took an entrance exam in order to enter a higher education institution in Iran and was denied entrance.  Although he had perfect grades in all of his classes, it was understood that only the top one percent of his classmates would attend college in Iran.  At that time, an Iranian college education was extremely prestigious and hard to come by even though many students were very intelligent.  So, in 1984, Juffair applied to and was accepted into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on an international scholarship for a degree in electrical engineering.  Having learned English while still in high school in Iran, Juffair was able to keep up with his fellow students and was accepted into a prestigious five year program that combined his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.  In 1989, Juffair graduated with a Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering, with his concentration having been in computers and computer networking.   After graduation, Juffair moved to Warner Robins, GA to work with the avionics engineering division of F-15 fighter jets and has resided there ever since. Juffair has been happily married to his wife, Amy, for nearly ten years.  He is currently looking to apply to begin his doctoral degree in electrical engineering.

    Interview

Question 1: How do you describe yourself (ethnically, racially, culturally)?

-Normally when I am asked that question, people already assume that I am Arabic.  Most people don’t realize that Iranians are not of Arabic descent, we are actually Persian.  My family on my father’s side has always lived in Iran, for as far back as they can remember.  My mother’s family came to Iran almost 100 years ago from Afghanistan.  People think that just because we are all in the Middle East, we all speak Arabic, but that is not the case.  The predominate language in Iran is Farsi, which is what I speak.  In school, I studied Arabic and French, so I am also fluent in those languages, but I don’t use my French like I used to. Even though our Afghan neighbors speak a Persian language, Dari, it is very different from our own, with many different dialects all over the country.  My mother’s family spoke Dari, Farsi, and also a little bit of Arabic.  Because I have lived in the states for so long, and because I have my American citizenship, I proudly consider myself an Iranian-American. 

Q2: Describe your early school experiences.

-Education in Iran is much different than that in America.  School from the ages of six through about 14 or 15 is mandatory for all students, but once you get to high school you can choose whether or not you want to attend.  Many of my friends continued on through high school, but many of those students in the more rural or poor areas don’t even go finish lower school.  Many children choose to stay home with their families and work in their businesses or farms.  My parents were both doctors, so education was highly prized and valued. I never had the option to not go to school. They wanted me to be something prestigious like a doctor or an engineer, but they always said they would be happy with anything I chose, as long as I was happy.

Q3: How did Islam shape your education?

-Islam was a very important part of everyday life; it was integrated into every aspect of our education, as well. Every day we studied the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.  Everyone assumes that because I am from Iran I hate America.  That’s not the case because if it was, I would not be living here. Islam does not teach us to hate America, that is something completely different and radical.   

Q4: Were the schools you attended culturally diverse?

-No.  Everyone who went to my school spoke the same language and had lived in Iran their entire lives.  A lot of people think that no girls go to school because Islam oppresses them; that is not true.  Many girls go to school, but they just go to separate schools because law commands that all men and women be segregated. Even though the Islamic Revolution put very harsh restrictions on women, they are still allowed to go to school.  In fact, many women are in the sciences field.  My mother is a doctor, she is needed because male doctors cannot treat females.  Universities are very hard to get into in Iran, though.  Even though you may have the best grades in your class, it was very competitive and difficult when I was competing to go to school.  When I didn’t make it, I decided to apply in the United States.  I had several friends from my class to leave for America.

Q5: Did your teachers in college understand your culture, your language, etc.?

-When I came to the United States, I had a very thick accent.  I still have a very thick accent.  In school I had learned some English and my parents could speak English, so I learned from them.  Even though my English was good, I still had a hard time understanding people and getting them to understand me.  I watched TV when I wasn’t studying to help me with my English.  I no longer consider myself a devote Muslim, so I don’t pray five times a day like I used to when I first came to the states.  When I was at MIT, there were some other Muslim students there and we had our own group where we studied the Qur’an.  We all weren’t from the same places, but it did give us comfort being away from home.  My teachers were understanding, for the most part. Many of them were from different countries: Russia, China, Germany.  I never felt like they were singling me out because they thought I was different from the other students.  I studied hard and did my best.

Q6: What types of negative experiences did you encounter when you began your education in the US?

-There were not many bad things that I encountered when I got here.  I did meet some people who did not know where my country was, or people who made fun of me for my accent, but overall it was a great experience.  I believe MIT was the best fit for me because we were all there to learn.  The students weren’t really concerned as to where I was from, but more concerned with what type of competition they thought I was. 

Q7: Describe someone who was influential in your life and positively influenced you.

-My mother.  She had to overcome a lot being a Muslim woman.  Even though my parents were modern by Muslim standards, they still had to follow the rules in Iran.  My mother died almost ten years ago.  I saw her once in the time that I was in the states.  My parents met me in London for a health conference in 2000 right before she died.  She always told me that no matter what I chose to do with my life, she would be proud of me.  When I would get frustrated with my studies, I would confide in her and she would give me advice.  She was a very strong woman.

Q8: Do you feel that living in a small city, such as Warner Robins, has presented you with adversity?

-I like Warner Robins.  I have made many friends here during my time working on the Air Force base.  There have been times when people have stared at me, but I sometimes I think that that is because I am short, not because of my skin or accent!  Sure there were times when it was tough.  Right after 9/11, I got many strange looks and even some people saying racist remarks to me.   A few of my coworkers even seemed to shy away from me after the attacks happened.  I have had to tell people that I am not a terrorist and that I do not know any terrorists or have any in my family.  I usually just brush those kinds of ignorant remarks off and keep going with my life.  I met my wife here; she is American.  Her family grew up in Georgia and they are very accepting of me and my culture.  I think they were afraid that I would make her wear a hijab or burqa, but I don’t believe in that type of thing.  If a woman wants to be Muslim and wear that, that is their choice.

Q9: What was the hardest change to adjust to coming from Iran to America?

-Everything!  I came to America and everything changed for me, from what was on the television to what I could get at the grocery store.  I like having the selections that I have here.  I can eat whatever when I want, whenever I want it.  If I want to go to the store at one in the morning, I can go.  There are so many freedoms Americans take for granted that we do not have over there.  As a man in Iran, I would have so many more rights than a woman.  Everything is segregated over there.  There are family sections where families can sit together, but if you are single, you must sit apart.  I don’t like that most Americans paint a bad picture of all Iranians.  We are not a bad people, some of our leaders have just made bad decisions that have made it an unsafe and dangerous country to be in.

Q8: Do you believe that your culture has remained intact since you have lived in the United States for over 25 years?

-Yes and no.  There are parts of my culture that I have kept since coming to America.  I don’t pray like I used to, but that is a personal choice, nothing that America has done to me.  I still fast during Ramadan. I don’t eat pork because of Islam, though.  Even though we are not supposed to drink alcohol, I do like to enjoy a drink on the occasion.  I believe that it is my right to chose how Muslim I want to be.  Being an American citizen gives me that right.  My wife is Catholic and sometimes I go to church with her.  We celebrate Christmas and Easter as well in my home.  I’m sure many people back home in Iran would be appalled at my way of life, but it works for me and makes me very happy.

Q9: If you could change something about education in America now, what would it be?

-I would make it mandatory for students to learn about other cultures.  They need to be educated on what happens in other countries.  Many people I meet do not know basic world geography or about what type of people live in each country.  Sure, I may not know everything about Africa, but I make it my responsibility to learn about different countries and their cultures.  We should not let our children be ignorant to the world; that would help to eliminate many stereotypes.

Q10: What piece of advice would you give to a minority student facing adversity within his community/school/life?

-Keep moving forward, don’t look back!  I came to America and I didn’t look back.  I have not returned to my country since I left years ago when I couldn’t go to the university.  I wish I could have been able to go back just to see my parents, but that was not my choice. When problems arose in my life or with my studies, I just kept moving forward.  Times were tough, but I pressed on.  No matter what hurtful things that people said to me, I knew that they were not there to decide my life; I was the only one who could do that!                                                                       

Reflection

            I first met Juffair when I was working at Robins Air Force Base.  My husband had a risk management class with him and they were thrown in a group together.  Juffair had expressed to my husband his frustration that the instructor for the course did not understand him because of his accent, which started up a conversation on where he was from and his culture.  Since that class, we have remained friends, even through our move to Bahrain. I decided to call Juffair and interview him because I always found his educational experiences to be very unique and contrasted greatly from mine or any that I knew.  The common thread that Juffair and I have is the importance education has played in our lives.  We both had supportive parents who wanted us to strive to be our best, and they knew that education was the path to success.  In Juffair’s case, if he had stayed in Iran, he might not have ever been able to reach his goal of becoming an engineer.  Being able to follow his dream to MIT has allowed him to successfully establish himself here in the states, making his story the epitome of the American dream.

            One thing that has always impressed me with Juffair is his acceptance and tolerance of other people’s curiosity and, in some cases, their ignorance as well. Even though he says it does not bother him, many people are quick to assume that he is Arabic just because he looks the part to them.  In meetings, he constantly has to restate what he has previously said because even though he has near perfect English, many people cannot get past his accent.  I honestly cannot imagine some of the things that he has had to endure working in his office, yet he manages to let them role off his back. I know from experience that working in a conservative office on an Air Force base does not exactly promote a feeling of cultural understanding, with many of my former coworkers having passed around racist emails, despite regulations prohibiting the activity. 

            All in all, Juffair and I have completely different backgrounds and cultural upbringings, but that does not hamper us from understanding and accepting each other.  When I moved to Bahrain, Juffair was instrumental in preparing me for the culture shock that I would endure and even imparted me with his basic knowledge of Arabic. Many people quickly, and unjustly, jump to conclusions about people from different cultures, especially the Middle East.  This interview has given me a portal into a different type of education, an education so tightly controlled by government and religion.  Education in Iran has suffered greatly over the past few decades.  Although women are allowed into schools and universities, the segregation of the sexes creates a gap that will take years to fill. Juffair has opened my eyes to a part of Iranian culture that many Americans will never see nor hear of, one that is not filled with hate for America, rather filled with hope for a successful life as an Iranian-American.