Kamhawi blends teaching, research

Published: January 22, 2006

School of Journalism alumni have found jobs all over the world, careers that build on their journalism studies. This series by Suzannah Evans asked some of those alumni to reflect on their careers

Rasha Kamhawi, Ph.D '04

Hometown: Cairo

Current residence: I live in one of the suburbs of Cairo, Heliopolis.

Job: I teach at Ain Shams University about three days a week. The rest of the week is left for research and caring for my 4-month old daughter.

Describe your typical workday:
My typical workday would start around 6 a.m. My girl gets me up early. I would spend time with her till 10 a.m. until her baby sitter arrives. I then go to my office and start preparing for my lectures or finishing up my research. I stay there till about 7 p.m.

Classes are very big at my university, so I get many students coming in to ask me questions. I like to have their feedback to help me be a better communicator of information and help them enjoy the learning process.

Is this where you imagined you'd end up?
I always knew I would return to Cairo and resume teaching here. There was never a debate about it.

What's your proudest professional moment so far?
I take my work seriously. I respect my students and treat them ethically. My proudest professional moment is when I feel appreciated from my students. They look up to me as a model to emulate. It is a great responsibility.

What's your favorite memory of Bloomington or IU?
My favorite memory of Bloomington is looking out the window at night to find the fresh snow brightening up the sky. I also miss soaking the sun's warmth in the meadow next to the school.

Tell us something about where you live that we don't know.
I am one hour away from the Egyptian museum and 90 minutes away from the pyramids at Giza.

Are you a graduate living and working overseas? The School of Journalism would like to hear from you as well. Contact Suzannah Evans (sudevans@indiana.edu) to fill out a short survey and let your classmates know about your exotic home and work.

Return to main story, Alumni find careers in far-flung places.