Wihad Al-Tawil to present “Teaching Arabic Language and Culture to Inspire”
The HFC School of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of Student Activities, and the HFC Future Teachers Association will welcome HFC alumna Wihad Al-Tawil on Tuesday, November 12, from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Berry Auditorium of the Andrew A. Mazzara Administrative Services & Conference Center (ASCC) (Building L on the main campus).
Al-Tawil, the daughter of retired HFC instructor and Fulbright Scholar Dr. Hashim Al-Tawil, will give a presentation called “Teaching Arabic Language and Culture to Inspire.” HFC Pre-Education Director Dr. Carolyn Casale, also a Fulbright Scholar, invited Al-Tawil to speak at HFC after attending a lecture about her father’s Fulbright research in Palermo, Sicily last spring.
“I look forward to speaking about my experience in pursuing higher education for the purpose of teaching and learning, specifically in the field of the humanities and in the field of Islamic Studies,” explained Al-Tawil. “I hope to present some of my research to students who may be interested in following such a path, and answering questions about the road that one must walk to do so. I really want to inspire students who are interested in higher education, teaching, or becoming a scholar in the humanities, and highlighting the importance of finding meaning in the process of teaching. The teacher-student relationship is an ancient tradition that was cultivated heavily in the Islamic world, so I hope to convey how teaching is a life vision and a tradition as much as it is a career path.”
Ph.D. candidate: desire to study history at highest level possible
Born in Iowa, Al-Tawil, who speaks Arabic, English, and conversational Spanish, attended Harrison High School in Farmington Hills. She earned her bachelor's degree in art history and museum studies from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. During her time at UM-Dearborn, she took some of her father’s art history classes at HFC.
“I was very interested in his courses as I had grown up knowing his vast expertise in Arab and Islamic art and history,” said Al-Tawil. “When it became possible for me to take his courses, I signed up right away.”
Al-Tawil earned her master’s degree in art history from Wayne State University and a master’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. She is a doctoral candidate in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Berkeley. For her dissertation, Al-Tawil is studying the Baghdad Translation Movement of the so-called Islamic "Golden Age," which is approximately 9th and 10th century Baghdad.
“I am interested in the confluence of cultures and languages and in individual contributions to this movement that promoted the sciences, literature, and the arts. Many works were produced during this period, and I am going to dig deeper to know about the people involved and the nature of their scientific output,” she said. “I wanted more than anything to study history at the highest level possible, so that I may have access to the best libraries, archives, scholars, and pedagogical training and continue teaching history in a manner that is deeply meaningful. I became laser-focused on pursuing a doctoral program to continue my studies. It was a very hard road, but it was worth it.”
Following in her father’s footsteps
Her father played a strong role in her decision to pursue an academic career.
“I’ve always been fascinated with the way he explained the world in an interconnected manner. Growing up as an Arab American, the way he taught history helped me see things as closely related rather than separated, which was very important to me as a young adult navigating life,” recalled Al-Tawil. “As I got older, I became interested in Arab and Islamic history and art history through my father as well, especially after visiting him in Sicily where he was conducting Fulbright research on the Arabic-Islamic elements of the Cappella Palatina.”
She continued: “When I returned, I enrolled in his courses at HFC. I saw firsthand the tremendous contributions of the Arabs to world history, and I wanted to know more. His courses taught me about a very rich Arab-Islamic history that I had previously not been aware of. I felt pride and intense dedication to the topics, and eventually switched my major to art history so that I could traverse a path of knowledge-seeking just like he did.”
After graduating form UM-Dearborn, Al-Tawil decided she wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and became a professor.
“I wished to spread the same knowledge that he had passed to me to more generations of Middle Eastern students who may be unaware of their own histories,” said Al-Tawil. “These histories are so important to young Middle Eastern students, especially during these trying times. It is important to know that another reality where the Arab-Islamic world thrived had existed, and it can and will continue to exist, even when the news can make things feel hopeless.”
Research that is innovative and relevant to the lives of students
Both Casale and Al-Tawil are looking forward to her presentation at the College.
“Wihad is a doctoral student who is passionate about Arabic language and culture. I feel inspired listening to her talk about Arabic studies. Her research is innovative and relevant to the lives of students, especially future teachers,” said Casale.
Al-Tawil reflected on her current situation: “I am at an interesting midway point as I am both still a student but also an educator-in-training. I understand where students are mentally when it comes to the pursuit of a career. I hope to be able to shed some insights into my path and connect with students.”
Her father has expressed great pride in his daughter’s accomplishments.
“Through her hard work and perseverance, Wihad excelled in her educational journey from HFC all the way to the highest realm of academia at Berkeley,” he said. “The importance of her work extends beyond her research. It’s in the continuation of the tradition of knowledge-seeking, and I am pleased that a new generation of scholars of Arabic-Islamic history and culture are emerging with new ideas such as hers.”
The event is free and open to the public. For questions or more information about this event, contact Casale at 313-317-6580 or ccasale@hfcc.edu.