Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Yousra Abourehab

Dr. Yousra Abourehab is an Assistant Professor of Practice in International Studies in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Sociocultural Studies. She is also the Director of the Global Educational Minor, which is a program of study through which students learn to work with diverse international populations in the US and abroad. Dr. Abourehab’s research interests focus on multiculturalism, global education, community-based learning, language planning policy, and Arabic as a global language. In 2021, she was a part of a collaborative research team that was awarded the J. Michael Parker Award from the Literacy Research Association, an award in recognition of research in adult literacy.   

Image

Who do you draw inspiration from and why? 

I’m genuinely inspired by many scholars who advocate for multilinguals and refugees' right to equitable access to educational opportunities and teacher awareness around these areas. In particular, my academic journey as a junior scholar of multilingualism and international education has been shaped primarily by Richard Ruiz’s academic legacy. The lived realities of multilingual speakers in the US and globally have informed my research on pedagogical approaches and teacher practices that effectively support multilinguals in language and culture learning. 

As an educator-researcher, I’m always inspired by my students' assets and the communities they belong to. I have taught in classrooms with many bi/multilinguals, Arabic heritage learners from different cultural and dialectal backgrounds and adult learners of Arabic. It’s always a joy to observe the progress learners make in language learning via connecting to their heritage or home language.  

What are one or two accomplishments of which you are most proud? 

I’m proud to be an Arabic-English bilingual, with multidialectal Arabic competencies. (I’m indeed grateful to my parents for supporting my bilingual education, although they are monolinguals). When I communicate in more than one language or dialect, I feel the power of connecting with speakers who have multiple worldviews. This power has driven my endeavors to expand the internationalization of learning and teaching and teacher education in our programs and course offerings. This has never been easy!  

I’m also proud of leading the Global Education Minor in our college along with other internationalization initiatives in partnership with the COE Borderlands Education Center and regional studies across campus. The Global Education minor attracts students from various colleges across campus. It prepares students to address global topics and issues in education through comparative and interdisciplinary approaches. Education is consistently part of any discipline from social sciences and humanities to STEM. 

What advice would you give to your younger self? 

I would tell my younger self to take more risks. I have realized that taking risks and stepping out of my comfort zone has opened new opportunities and created new learning moments.