HR Revolution Middle East Magazine:As a person who started out in the Advertising field, what caused the transition to designing and teaching a course in the Arabic and Islamic Civilization department in AUC?
Professor Amira AbouTaleb: I quit my long time career as an advertising executive when I had my third and last child and decided it was my last chance to be a full-time mom. During the following four years, I dedicated all my efforts towards the nurturing of my family and realized that raising children was a much more challenging task than maintaining a product’s market share as a market leader. Teaching values, critical thinking, and compassion to one’s kids seems to be the noblest task anyone can undertake. I then became interested in religion and questioned how our society claims to be religious when basic ethics like honesty and respect for others are so often jeopardized on our streets. This led me to a desire to learn more and that’s when I decided to get a Master’s in Islamic Studies at AUC, only then did I realize how far removed our society has swayed from the egalitarian message of all divine revelations. I also realized that we, as a population, lack knowledge of how our heritage revered thought and beauty and it was then that I decided to design a course to teach that to young AUC students.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine:What was the inspiration behind the name and the objectives of the course you designed?
Professor Amira AbouTaleb: During my studies and my life experience, I’ve realized that true prosperity can only be achieved when we learn to appreciate both the mind and the soul; the same goes for entirecivilizations. During the golden age of the Arab/Islamic civilization there was a tremendous emphasis on learning and thought through translating the existing knowledge from around the world to producing magnificent scholarship that built upon what was learned. The same goes for the arts whether in the form of architecture, poetry, literature, music, calligraphy, or patterns and designs. Everything displayed the beauty of their mind and soul, that’s why I decided to create a course titled “Beauty and Reason in Arab/Islamic Civilization”. The objective is to prompt students to ponder upon the past and the present and allow them an opportunity to explore the magnificence of utilizing the mind and appreciating beauty in their surroundings.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine:What challenges do you face as a professor when trying to connect your students to the Islamic heritage and the beauty it holds? And how do you overcome them?
Professor Amira AbouTaleb: The biggest challenge is the notion that some of the students don’t enter the course with the intention to learn, they simply want to get a good grade and pass yet another class. It takes time for students to realize that this is a different type of course where the journey counts more than the end result, and that how they think is much more important than what they think. Many students slowly shift during the course of the semester and gradually begin to enjoy the capacity of their own minds and the glory of the history. For me, if I can make only one person learn to care enough about the importance of critical thinking and beauty then I would consider that a success.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine:As the President of the Maadi Environmental Rangers, does working for such a cause reflect in the course that you teach and your work as a professor?
Professor Amira AbouTaleb: Any form of active citizenship that aims to improve the society works towards spreading the objective of the course and vice versa. At MER we employ critical thinking by attempting to solve serious problems such trash issue for example, and also by teaching our young generations how to actively care for their environment. While that already entails beauty in its own way, we also try to expand green areas and spread public art to promote beauty in the community.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine:In addition,based on what criteria do you recruit and assign people to their tasks in the organization?
Professor Amira AbouTaleb: At MER we are all volunteers working towards a healthier, greener, & prettier environment. When people sign-up to help in our activities or become members of the NGO they have to truly believe in the mission of the NGO. Volunteers in general need to be giving people who do not mind investing their time and energy for the greater good. Based on the interest of the person, they can sign up for our various committees, which include: Cleaning, Greenery, Art & Beautification, as well as Awareness & Education.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine:Does working for such an organization a sort of continuation of your father’s legacy when he was once the governor of Alexandria in 1980-81?
Professor Amira AbouTaleb: In the fact that it is a form of public service then yes it would, but of course the tremendous load, scope of work, and challenges of a governor’s work cannot in anyway compare to the NGO.
7. HR Revolution Middle East Magazine:If you had the chance, would you design more courses to teach? And what would they be about?
Professor Amira AbouTaleb: Yes I would. I am currently working with a colleague on building a course about the making of the Egyptian identity.
8. HR Revolution Middle East Magazine:What’s one piece of advice you would give to students in light of your experience in different professions?
Professor Amira AbouTaleb: If you do something, do it wholeheartedly or don’t do it at all. That way you ensure either great success or the peace of mind of knowing that you gave it your very best.
HR Revolution Middle East Magazine:As a part of an educational institution (AUC), how can the HR department give better support and help to their professors?
Professor Amira AbouTaleb: I think having more synergies between the departments to give professors and adjunct faculty such as myself the privilege of learning from each other and exploring best practices would be a great value-added service.
Thank you so much for your time! I really appreciate it.
