Sami Elestwani ('15, M.S. global retailing and M.S. technology project management) was awarded the University of Houston Future Faculty Fellowship (F3). Launched by the UH Graduate School and Office of the Provost, the F3 program was developed with support from a grant through the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) a network of 44 premier universities funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The program emphasizes effective preparation of higher education STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) faculty. Focused on three pillars of quality teaching at the college level - evidence based teaching, learning through diversity, and establishing and fostering a community of learners - F3 is designed to enhance the Fellow's future chances of securing a permanent faculty position and develops a professional skill-set important for non-academic careers.
As a Fellow, Elestwani participated in a 'boot camp' consisting of two weeks of professional development activities, including workshops, discussion panels, topical seminars, and online training.
Sami returned to college following a unique career trajectory including neurodiagnostic technology, clinical training, and the retail industry. He expressed his gratitude for the enriching and positive experiences in the global retailing master's program. "The College of Technology professors have been very supportive of my career aspirations and that was extremely important in my decision to follow my passion for teaching," he said. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in education with a concentration in health sciences. In addition, Elestwani will teach during the 2016-2017 academic year in addition to working at UH as a business analyst in the information technology department.