COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy

As visiting professor at CGU, Sallama Shaker has brought a plethora of experience to the classroom.

VISITING PROFESSOR BRINGS SPIRIT OF UNITY, INSPIRATION

She began her tenure as visiting professor at Claremont Graduate University in January of 2007 but there is a lot that Sallama Shaker has done before arriving to Claremont.

With a background that includes serving within the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consulting for the World Bank and being a senior associate and scholar for studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Ms. Shaker brings a wealth of experience to CGU and is currently enjoying her time in Claremont.

“I was looking to re-energize and get engaged with those who will make a difference in the future,” Ms. Shaker said. “My favorite part is the interaction with the students. Claremont has many nationalities and is like a small United Nations.”

Ms. Shaker’s CGU professorship is not the first time that she’s been in Claremont. In 2005, the professor and assistant minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt lectured at CGU on a topic entitled “Building Bridges toward a Culture of Peace.” Six days later, she spoke on the roles of women in development at the International Place of the Claremont Colleges.

Yi Feng, CGU provost and vice president for academic affairs, played a significant role in what would eventually lead to Ms. Shaker’s CGU tenure. During a conversation that the two had, Mr. Feng informed Ms. Shaker of the university’s desire to have a visiting professor that had traveled the world. Coupled with Ms. Shaker’s understanding of American and Middle Eastern culture, the assistant minister of Egypt was a prime choice for the graduate school.

“One of my 2007 resolutions was to be on a campus to touch base with my colleagues and to wear my other hat—the scholar hat,” Ms. Shaker pointed out. “I discussed it with my family before I made my decision.”

Along with her experiences that span the globe, which includes being ambassador of Egypt to Canada and assistant minister of Egypt to North and Latin America, Ms. Shaker also has a strong educational background. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in political economy from Cairo University in 1967, her Master of Economics from Royal University of Malta and London School of Economics in 1976, her Master of International Public Policy from John Hopkins University’s Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in 1987 and earned her Ph.D. from the American University’s School of International Service in 1993. The CGU visiting professor is also an author.

The combination of Ms. Shaker’s educational background, along with her professional experience and her friendly personality, have made her a favorite among her students. Her classroom is one that her students look forward to attending as they find it to be provocative, invaluable and a place where their thinking is expanded.

“She is one of the best professors that I’ve had. She’s amazing,” said Pandwe Gibson, one of Ms. Shaker’s students. “It’s important that a professor not only has an academic background but also has experience out in the real world.  She has both.”

A fitting aspect of Ms. Shaker’s current “Peace, Social and Globalization” course is the diversity among the students within the class. With the various backgrounds that the students bring to the overall classroom dynamic along with the relevant topics that are discussed in class, the result is a course that students find stimulating. Some of the topics of discussion have included the past, present and future of the Middle East and also the Islamic religion.

“She does a great job of connecting the energy of the course with content that is pertinent to today,” said Roy Whitaker, second-year CGU student in the university’s School of Religion. “This class takes people out of their comfort zones. You learn different vocabulary and look at things differently being in this class.”

Though the students can become passionate as they share their views on world issues, there is a sense of unity among them as they are challenged with different perspectives and encouraged to broaden their understanding of the world.

“The 3 courses I’ve taught here have been a learning experience for me as well,” Ms. Shaker explained. “I’m so proud to be part of this type of educational experience. Altogether, it’s really the human interaction that counts. It’s been very gratifying.”

Recently, Ms. Shaker and her husband shared dinner with the students on a night where the students showed their appreciation for their professor and enjoyed each other’s company. Julie McCurdy, a student in Ms. Shaker’s transdisciplinary course and also administrative director of CGU’s Financial Engineering Management Program, is still excited about the informal night that she and her peers were able to spend with the professor they admire.

“She is literally the best professor I’ve had at CGU. I can’t say enough about her—I adore her,” Ms. McCurdy said. “It’s amazing that after all the places she’s been and all the people she has met, she is still so personable. And there’s places she has gone where she has been referred to as “Her Excellency” yet she is personable. I think the world of Dr. Shaker.”

As Ms. Shaker gazed upon the memento of appreciation given to her by her students, she pointed out how overwhelmed she was by their expression of gratitude. The professor also shared the importance of the classroom being a place where minds are awake and ideas are exchanged.

“If everybody is bored, then that means the professor has failed.  But when a class has life, then it is a success story,” Ms. Shaker said. “I want to help bridge the gap between the west and the east.  One way is by doing it through students and literature.”

 

—Landus Rigsby