Dr. Rabia Sohail, a recent graduate student from the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership (DPEL), had no prior education in the United States before her first day at California State University, Bakersfield.
“It was a complete cultural and academic shock,” said Dr. Rabia Sohail.
She’d received her bachelor’s degree in medicine in Pakistan and found herself trying to find direction for her life in the U.S., now that she was in Bakersfield.
Sohail and her husband moved to Bakersfield from Ann Arbor, MI in 2005. She volunteered at her students’ schools and eventually worked as a learning coach for a non-profit organization.
Her husband graduated with his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), so Sohail decided to start exploring her options at CSUB, as well. She went on to pursue her master’s in healthcare administration, which she added, turned out to be a life-changing moment.
“However, as I started talking to my classmates and faculty, I became more comfortable. I began discovering various resources at CSUB,” said Dr. Sohail. “CSUB helped me develop social and academic skills and I achieved great strides in my career as well as made several close friends along the way.”
During her time at CSUB, Dr. Sohail became a member of Pi Alpha Alpha and Alpha Chi. She also loved volunteering as a mentor and attending lectures for the Kegley Institute of Ethics (KIE) after Dr. BJ Moore introduced her to them.
The highlight of her time at CSUB was being named the Outstanding Student for her Master of Science, Health Care Administration (MS-HCA), and later awarded the Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP).
Recently she received her doctorate from the DPEL.
But, although she’s achieved such a high status in her education and career, and did it well, it didn’t come without its obstacles.
“I wear many hats, and the biggest obstacle was to manage my family life along with the academics,” said Sohail.
She also added that she had to learn to navigate and understand the differences between the education she’d received in her native country to that in the U.S., while also transitioning technical hard sciences (medicine) to social sciences (healthcare administration) and finally, to education.
“I relearned all the skills necessary to progress including academic writing, critical thinking, problem solving, research skills, along with language proficiency,” said Sohail.
Dr. Sohail has been teaching as an adjunct lecturer with the Public Policy and Administration department for the last three years, teaching various graduate and undergraduate courses in health care administration and public administration.
“Determination is key,” said Dr. Sohail. “We persevere if we are determined. The program needs commitment and dedication, but the outcome is worth the effort.”
Dr. Sohail has come a long way since she started her academic and professional journey, but said she still has a long way to go.
“My children are the reason that keeps me going. I want to make my mentors and my family proud. My passion for learning and love for reading also help my motivation. Even people’s negative comments become a source of motivation for me. I call them speed bumps rather than roadblocks. I let my work and dedication prove their assertions wrong about me,” added Dr. Sohail.
So, what’s next for the student-turned-lecturer?
“My next step after receiving Ed.D. is to be able to help students the same way as I was helped and mentored by my faculty. I hold my faculty in high regard and hope to fill in these shoes. It’s a hefty task, but I was trained by the best,” she said.
Her dissertation focused on understanding knowledge gaps in school health education.
“I am hoping to publish and present my research work in reputable outlets,” said Dr. Sohail.
Now that Dr. Sohail has reached this status of her education, she feels it is more meaningful.
“It feels like my life has a purpose: giving back to the same community that helped me when I was clueless about my direction in life. People often talk about CSUB’s commitment to this community; I am a living proof,” said Sohail.
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