2008 Woodie Awards
The new dean: an immigrant from Jordan finds success in the U.S. and a home at Lewis University
Nadia Beidas
Issue date: 10/28/05 Section: News
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With a doctorate degree in computer science and a job as dean of the College of Business, Dr. Rami Khasawneh is living out the American Dream. He is also the first in his family to live in the United States.
In 1989, Khasawneh journeyed to the U.S. from Jordan in order to start his doctorate degree. He said he left Jordan because at that time Ph.D programs were not offered in many areas, and many people in Jordan went to complete their graduate education in the U.S. or in England. His father has always encouraged him and his two sisters to complete their educations.
Khasawneh chose to study in the U.S. because it is the leading country in the world in technology advancement, communication, management, innovation, and research and development.
He was very happy to be in the U.S. when he first came to study and said the people in the states were wonderful to him and helped him a lot. He said it was a "very positive, great experience."
He did not feel a culture shock coming into this country. There might have been some differences between living in Jordan and Kalamazoo, where he studied at the Western Michigan University, but the people at WMU made him feel at home.
When he came to Chicago, however, he said it was a different culture from Michigan because people were much busier and the pace was much faster. Although he studied English at his previous school in Jordan, he needed to learn some of the lingo and what the jokes in the U.S. really meant.
According to Khasawneh, the people in the U.S. are calmer, while in Jordan the people tend to be more excited and passionate in dealing with life's matters.
The U.S. is also very organized and is a very clean country, he says. The quality of living in the U.S. is very good and it is "easier to get things done here," he said. For example, it is faster to pay your bills, do your banking, and get your driver's license here than in Jordan.
However, Khasawneh said King Abdullah of Jordan has made a lot of good changes to make Jordan a better place for people to live and carry out their daily tasks. Much more changes will be coming in the future to the Middle Eastern country.
In 1989, Khasawneh journeyed to the U.S. from Jordan in order to start his doctorate degree. He said he left Jordan because at that time Ph.D programs were not offered in many areas, and many people in Jordan went to complete their graduate education in the U.S. or in England. His father has always encouraged him and his two sisters to complete their educations.
Khasawneh chose to study in the U.S. because it is the leading country in the world in technology advancement, communication, management, innovation, and research and development.
He was very happy to be in the U.S. when he first came to study and said the people in the states were wonderful to him and helped him a lot. He said it was a "very positive, great experience."
He did not feel a culture shock coming into this country. There might have been some differences between living in Jordan and Kalamazoo, where he studied at the Western Michigan University, but the people at WMU made him feel at home.
When he came to Chicago, however, he said it was a different culture from Michigan because people were much busier and the pace was much faster. Although he studied English at his previous school in Jordan, he needed to learn some of the lingo and what the jokes in the U.S. really meant.
According to Khasawneh, the people in the U.S. are calmer, while in Jordan the people tend to be more excited and passionate in dealing with life's matters.
The U.S. is also very organized and is a very clean country, he says. The quality of living in the U.S. is very good and it is "easier to get things done here," he said. For example, it is faster to pay your bills, do your banking, and get your driver's license here than in Jordan.
However, Khasawneh said King Abdullah of Jordan has made a lot of good changes to make Jordan a better place for people to live and carry out their daily tasks. Much more changes will be coming in the future to the Middle Eastern country.
