New American Academic Network (NAAN)

New American Academic Network (NAAN) helps refugees and immigrants advance their education and careers.

Muthana Maktouf, NAAN participant

UNP’s New American Academic Network (NAAN) program successfully helps resettled refugee populations achieve self-sufficiency by assisting their education and career at the same time. NAAN is a proactive program in achieving integration in society and other goals of resettlement programs by helping refugees depend on themselves in building their future.

Although there are limited funds available, the program is seeing successful outcomes for refugees to continue their education and find jobs in their chosen field. NAAN is an advising network for creating a shortcut for newcomers to Utah in finding access for their education including transcript evaluation, GRE and language requirements, contact with departments, advising of finding funding resources and much more. All these are complicated steps to address for newly-arrived populations, but with NAAN a lot has been accomplished.

In addition to educational advising, NAAN is very helpful in introducing the educated resettled refugees to different support such as TOEFL and GRE tutoring classes, resume and personal statement writing and other forms of documentation, which are necessary for understanding how the educational system works.

As long as funds are available, NAAN encourages refugees in pursuing their education and starting a program by paying up to six credit hours from student coursework, and later students will be aware of finding different resources for their education.

NAAN tried to help me transfer the credits from my master’s program in Malaysia to one of the schools in Utah, but it ended up clashing with credit transfer policies. Schools allow only up to 6 credit hours to be transferred, whereas I had completed 30 credit hours, making it difficult for me to start over.

Ultimately, I decided to return to my school in Malaysia to complete my degree and I graduated with a MA of political science in July 2013. With the difficult employment market, NAAN connected me with my current employer, the J.W. Marriott Library, by offering me an intern position to be trained and paid by Department of Workforce Services for the first six months. After that, my office offered me a position where I use my skill and education.

To sum up, NAAN is a very productive program that addresses refugee education needs and finds sustainable employment opportunities in order for them to be selfsufficient now and in the future.

Muthana is an employee of the J.W. Marriott Library’s Aziz S. Atiya Middle East Library.

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Ahmed Faiz Ahmad, NAAN participant

I came to Utah as a refugee in 2008 with my father, mother, and younger sister. We didn’t have any friends or relatives in the United States, so Utah was chosen for us. I had graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Technology in Baghdad and my wife studied computer engineering and received a degree before coming to America, but we must earn American credentials in order to continue our careers.

A few of my friends and I were the first members of NAAN. Ahmed and Rosey introduced us to the University of Utah and paid for me to take the GRE and the TOEFL. Now I’m in my third semester at the U and my wife is starting her first semester as a full-time student.

But the idea of NAAN really came about because of my father. He is a professor in oral surgery and has a Ph.D in oral medicine, but couldn’t find work better than cleaning airplanes. He and my mother and younger sister eventually relocated to Syria, where he is again working as a professor. My other siblings are still in Iraq, so we are trying to move them to Turkey because the situation in Iraq continues to become worse.

Ahmed has completed the first three semesters toward earning a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, and his wife began matriculated classes in Computer Engineering during the Fall 2014 semester.

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Hakam Shafiq, NAAN participant

When I was young, I always loved drawing and was obsessed with LEGOs, so architecture seemed like an ideal profession. Eventually, I earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the International University for Science and Technology in Syria. When I arrived in Utah in January 2011, I explained to my refugee agency that I intended to continue school. I had already taken the TOEFL, and with the help of NAAN I took the GRE (though I later learned that it wasn’t required by the College of Architecture + Planning). I talked to the academic advisor there and was accepted in the master’s program. But because I had a foreign degree, I needed to take additional classes before I could start the program. By the time I entered the master’s program I had become a resident and was able to apply for a loan, but the NAAN program was very helpful to me by covering the cost of tuition for my first two semesters.

I am most interested in architecture that is organic and environmentally-friendly and I hope to design buildings that don’t tax our planet’s already dwindling resources. One project I participated in at the University of Utah was the DesignBuildBLUFF program to help create a home for a family in need in Bluff, Utah. I look forward to working in the United States, and I hope to bring my family here one day.

Hakam completed his degree in Architecture at the U in 2014 and was employed at an architecture firm in October.

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Ahmed Ali, Program Coordinator, New Americn Academic Network, University Neighborhood Partners

Growing up in Jowhar, Somalia, I was one of nine children. Both of my parents have always been passionate about education for me, my sisters and my brothers. My mother was home schooled because there were no schools for girls when she was growing up, and my father was an agronomist who attended universities in Egypt, China and Italy. Even in such a male dominant society, my father strongly believed the importance of independence and security in life for his children, especially his daughters.

I graduated from Utah State University in Logan, where I studied Management & Business Information Systems. After receiving a Bachelor of Art & Science I wanted to do something challenging that could have an impact on life. But my financial support was limited. The only options were found in working a graveyard shift at a production line to pay my tuition and books.

I have been a part of UNP since 2003, working to integrate young people with refugee backgrounds into the bigger society. I learned about the partnerships within UNP and I found there was more in me to give. I needed something more demanding so I searched the organization and set my sights on the leadership partnership. I pursued opportunities to gain experience working with different leadership within the community, where I involved courses offered at the U to enhance my credentials. Then, when I wanted to gain exposure to more complex aspects to the industry like program management professionals, I pursued a healthcare and co-teaching course that was offered by the U through UNP.

After two years, I was assigned to work on NAAN, which was a pilot project. I had very successful outcomes and helped place immigrants and refugees in employment and t professional skills training. Then I was more than ready for a graduate degree. I started thinking about an MBA, but I had to postpone my education plans right after my child was born, as it was a milestone not only for me, but for an immigrant person in general. I eventually received a scholarship and my work supported half of my tuition.

Leaving Somalia was not luck. I understand that not everyone is willing to take this risk, but it isn’t luck that gets me here.

Waxaan ku soo barbaaray Jowhar, Somaliya. Waxaan wada dhalaney sagaal caruur ah. Waalidkeena waxay mar walba ay dareen xoog leh u siin jireen dhinaca waxbarashada qaasatan gabdhaha. Hooyadey waxay dugsigeeda ku baratay guriga, sababtoo ah iskuulaad ay gabdhaha wax ku bartaan majirin wakhtigaas, Abaheeyna wuxuu ahaa beer yaqaan taqusas ku soo qaatey jaamacado ku yaalo Masar, Shiinaha iyo Talyaaniga. Xataa bulshada ay ragu aadka aqoontoodu u sareyso, Abaheey wuxuu xoog u rumeysnaa muhiimada ay leedahay madaxbanaanida iyo ammanka ee nolosha carruurtiisa, gaar ahaana gabdhihiisa. Waxaan shahaadadeeda koowad ka soo qaatey Jaamacadda Steytka Utah ee Logan, waxaana ku soo takhsusay Maamulka iyo Teknologiyada. Kadib markaan qaatey shahaadada Bachelorka sayniska iyo Artiga waxaan ku fekiray inaan wax taa ka sii wayn inaan sameyo oo noloshayda saameyn ku yeelata. Laakiin dhaqaalaha aan ku sii wadan lahaa oo ahaa mid xadidan. Xalka keliya aan heystay wuxuu ahaa inaan ka shaqeeyo habeenki warshad ku taala magaalada Logan, si aan kharajk waxbarashayda isaka bixiyo.

2003 ayaan UNP uga mid noqday danjira ahaan si aan uga shaqeeyo is dhexgalka dhalinyarada asal ahaan qaxooti ku yimid si ay mujtamaca u bar-bar socdaan. Waxaan fahmay iskaashatooyinka la halmaala UNP kadibna waxaan sii helay inaan taa wax kasii badan aan qabankaro. Waxaan kaloo ogaaday inaan horumar wayn ka gaari karo kadib waxaan u kuurgalay howlaha ay shirkadu fuliso waxaan si gaarka isha ugu hayay dhinaca iskaashiga hogaanka. Waxaan u dhaba galay sidii aan u kasban lahaa xirfado dheeraad ah si aan ula shaqeeyo hogaanada kala duwan ee bulshada ka kooban tahay, saa darteed waxaan ka qaybqaatay koorsooyinka laga bixiyo Jaamacadda si aan horumar uga gaaro aqoonteyda. Kadib waxaan door biday inaan aqoon wayn ka gaaro dhinaca xirfadaha maareynta mashaariicda, waxaan ka soo shyeny daryeelka caafimaadka iyo inaan wax ka bixiyo koorsooyin jaamacada ka baxa oo UNP ay qandaraas ku qaadatay.

Dhowr sano kadib, waxaan qabtay mashruuc tijaabo oo aan ka gaarnay guul wanaagsan xaga tacliinta sare iyo maareeynta xirfadlayaasha ajaanibta aqoontoodu sareyso si aay u helaan shaqo ay xirfad u leeyihiin aana u tababarnay si ay ku kasban lahaayeen. Kadib waxaan diyaar u noqday inaan tacliintayda sii wato. Waxaan ku fakeray MBA kadib markuu cunugayga dhashay, taasi aan dib u dhigay waxbarashadayda taasoo ahayn guul aniga keliya igu kooban, balse ay saameyn ku yeelan karto guud ahaan qof laaji ku aha wadankaan. Waxaan helay deeq waxbarasho ay shirkada aan u shaqeeyo igu taagereen. Inaan Soomaliya ka imaado waa nasiib daro. Waan fahamsanahay in qof kasta uusan doonayn inuu khatartaas galo, laakiin waxa halkaan ku soo gaaray waa ka wayn tahay nasiibkayga.