MEET THE PROFESSIONAL
December 2019
Dr. Samira (Sam) Halabi
Is a Senior Education Specialist at the World Bank where she focuses on expanding opportunities for learning in developing countries.
We are very excited to feature her as our professional in this month’s “Meet the Professional” series.
Below are a few questions to help facilitate this interactive connection. At the end of the page you will have an opportunity to post your own questions for Sam.
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Describe your current Occupation & Degree/s and Universities.
- PhD in Education Theory and Policy / Comparative and International Education, Pennsylvania State University
- Master’s in International Education Policy and Management, Vanderbilt University
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Bachelor of Business Administration & Diploma in Educational Leadership, American University of Beirut, Lebanon (With High Distinction)
Please list any awards/recognitions/honors:
- Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship, 2005-2007
- Founder’s Day Award, American University of Beirut
Discuss a moment or turning point in your life that led you to your career path:
It was a gradual process of discovery and trial and error. I was a business major at AUB emphasizing in marketing and advertising. At the same time, I was tutoring children after school and found myself connecting with that more and really enjoying the process. The idea of spending my time marketing fast-moving consumer goods was becoming less appealing. I became very interested in the intersection of education and management. Luckily AUB offered a Diploma program in Educational Leadership which was perfect for me at the time. I taught for two years after graduation and then was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study school administration. While at Vanderbilt, I was matched with an advisor who introduced me to the possibilities in international development and education. I was immediately hooked.
Discuss a role model or mentor who influenced your career choice:
I was fortunate to be surrounded by supportive people throughout my academic and professional career. The one who had the most impact was my advisor at Vanderbilt, Steve Heyneman. He had been among the first group of economists at the World Bank to make the case for investing in education (pre-1960, the World Bank was known for investing in roads, bridges, and hard infrastructure) and had spent 20 years leading education investment projects all over the world (and publishing papers). He was extremely generous in sharing his knowledge and insights. He not only encouraged me to pursue further studies, but he also actively connected me with his network of contacts in the academic and education policy worlds. He was brutally honest, which I appreciated, and very kind. The quality of support he offered really empowered me and gave me a lot of confidence. I also learned a lot from him about mentorship, and I hope to pay it forward someday!
On the personal level, my family and friends have always been a source of guidance for all matters, big and small.
Do you recall any specific challenges you encountered and overcame?
Coping with failure is something I had to learn to overcome a little late in life – I wish I had learned that lesson earlier! The first time I applied for the Fulbright scholarship, I was interviewed but not selected. Having been academically successful, I had been pretty sure of myself, so it was a big blow to my ego, and at the time, I didn’t have the ability to see it for what it was, which was a temporary setback to recover from quickly. The year after that, when the call for applications came out, I almost didn’t even try because of that strong fear of rejection… but I decided to make a bigger effort, and things turned out well. Morals of the story: don’t rest on your laurels, and don’t be afraid to fail.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
This is a tough question! Lately, I’ve been drawn to more entrepreneurial ideas and being my own boss. My thoughts around that are still taking shape, so it’s work-in-progress.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in your field?
Because the academic and career path for international development is not rigid or fixed, my advice is on the general side. For job seekers, or those who might be interested in some day entering the field of international development, my advice would be to work on building relevant skill sets and experiences that demonstrate how you can add value to the field. I would say that it’s better to specialize in a specific technical area as opposed to having a generalist background. It’s not that generalists cannot do well, it’s just more difficult for them to find a home or a good fit in a large organization.
For those who already have a foot in the door but are just starting, my recommendation would be to focus on delivering high-quality work and build a reputation for yourself around that in your first few years. Spend a bit of your time investing in genuine relationships with people who you admire and respect and who are senior to you. And work on “people skills” and what’s called emotional intelligence. I’ve learned that in a workplace, those skills are as important as your technical ability.
Tell us a little bit about your hobbies outside of your field:
I regularly practice yoga and am trying to learn a bit more about meditation. I like to cook and experiment with new recipes and techniques (next up: sous vide). I read a lot of (mostly) non-fiction, always in the form a real book on printed paper. And while I’m no Serena Williams, I’m slowly getting better at tennis, which I picked up a few years ago and absolutely love.
A Q&A form will be uploaded shortly. In the meantime feel free to send any questions you would like to ask Sam to admin@network1017.com
Click here if you would like to connect with Sam