One of Mouhamad Hammami’s favorite places to study on campus is the Oakland Center (OC). Mouhamad, who is in the process of earning his Ph.D. in medical physics, meets up with his study buddy, Abdul, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and happens to be Mouhamad’s father.

The two get together there regularly for coffee and to catch up on their work. While the OC can be a bustling area, it’s a calming escape for Abdul and Mouhamad, who got a new lease on life after retreating from their turbulent home country. 

“We came to the United States in late 2012 to flee the war in Syria,” says Abdul. 

Abdul and his wife, Manal Alnouri, escaped Syria with their one daughter and four sons. Mouhamad, who was 17 at the time of the move, is the second oldest child. He attended Port Huron High School and earned his associate’s degree at St. Clair County Community College. 

Mouhamad had some friends that attended OU, and heard nothing but good things about the university. It sparked his interest enough to visit the campus and eventually apply. The atmosphere was what attracted Mouhamad to OU and the professors are what kept him here. 

“The way the professors taught the subjects,” explains Mouhamad, “their passion, and how much I was able to learn was very influential for me.”

His passion for OU didn’t go unnoticed.

“When Mouhamad joined Oakland, he spoke so highly of it,” says Abdul. “All the years he attended, he’d wake up early, be very active and couldn’t wait to get to campus. So, I was wondering, what’s the magic?”

Abdul studied law in Syria right out of high school and traveled to the states in the early 90’s to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science. When they moved to the U.S., he earned a master’s degree from Central Michigan University.

Abdul’s drive and passion for education stems from the war in Syria. “There is a whole generation that grew up that doesn’t know anything other than war,” he explains. He is currently the CEO for a non-profit organization that focuses on providing education to those that are deprived of it in turbulent areas. “I know that when I further my education that it will reflect on those refugees that are unable to do it.”