Houda Ghassani joined the staff of the Student Activities Office. During her time on the job she blossomed – developing an impressive range of leadership skills that have earned respect and admiration from staff and students alike.

“Each year we increased her job responsibilities to take on additional duties as we continue to identify additional strengths,” says Kristine Day of the student activities office. Houda last served as the liaison between the office and all of the student organizations on campus.

“She has gained the respect of student leaders through her commitment to helping them be successful, her positive attitude and her ability to share her knowledge with others in a positive way.”

In addition to her job responsibilities, Houda is also an active participant in student organizations. She has served on the executive board for the Muslim Students Association and was chair of Global Fest, the campus’s week-long celebration of diverse cultures. She volunteered for New Detroit’s Conversation on Race, which was hosted on campus and was part of Student Organization Leaders in Development, through which students learn how to work within a student organization.

“Houda is not a student leader who is in front of the crowd, rallying others,” says Day. “She can usually be found leading from within by involving others and by quietly doing the work that needs to be done in order to have a successful program or event.”

IN MY OWN WORDS

"My time at UM-Dearborn has been so special to me. For the past 4 years I've walked into campus comfortably and enjoyed meeting new people. Our campus is so diverse and this allows students to get to learn about each others cultures. I've worked on campus for 3 years in the Student Activities Office. I worked on diversity programming and also as a Student Organization Services Coordinator. Professors are nice and educated, staff members are always there to help and students are friendly."