Dr. Shafi Ullah
Meet Dr. Shafi Ullah: Passing on the Torch
Degrees:
- D.B.A., Nova Southeastern University, 1988
- M.B.A., University of Central Oklahoma, 1981
- M.A., University of Dhaka, 1973
- B.A., Accounting, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1971
Out of the Classroom:
Dr. Ullah helped found a "Feed the Homeless Program" near his mosque that serves breakfast to over 100 people every Sunday.
In 1979, Dr. Shafi Ullah was selected as one of the brightest students in the world and awarded a Fullbright Scholarship to come and study in the U.S. He left his native Bangladesh, earned both a Master of Business Administration and a Doctorate in Business Administration, and then decided to stay on so that he might share his knowledge with students in the classroom.
Yet, says Dr. Ullah, "I'm more proud of my students' successes than of anything I have done."
Even though Dr. Ullah has climbed to the top of the academic ladder, he realizes there is always more to learn. "My teaching philosophy is that I'm here to learn just as much as the students are. When I get students who have the real-world experience AIU South Florida students do, I learn from them. I'm here to facilitate, not to dictate."
Dr. Ullah is in a unique position to help, however. He once sponsored a high school dropout who worked at the Miami Subs he lunched at several times a week. He paid her GED exam fees (she passed on the first try) and encouraged her to attend college. She's now finishing up her two-year degree. Dr. Ullah also tries to get as many of the required textbooks for his classes as he can from publishing houses. He then loans them out to students so they don't have to buy their own copies. "I know how expensive those books are, and if a student can borrow one for a term and then return it, it can help out a lot."
"The students here are so dedicated and know what they want out of life. They are self-motivated. They do things on time and on target. All these things make me want to help them as much as I can. They deserve the best."
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