Campus News

When Sobhi Baghdadi ’15 first considered attending Rockford University, it seemed like a good way to leave the unrest of the Middle East for a year or two.

He never imagined it would become a pathway to life in the United States.

Seven years later, however, Sobhi is a permanent U.S. resident and works as a financial advisor in the St. Charles office of Savant Wealth Management.

“Attending Rockford University was a life-changing event,” he said. “It was the gateway that opened my eyes to a career and future in the United States.”

With a finance degree from American University of Beirut in Lebanon, Sobhi enrolled for Rockford University’s MBA (Master of Business Administration) program at the urging of his uncle, a longtime Rockford physician.

“He told me about Rockford University and said, ‘I know it’s a good program because a lot of the executives from Rockford companies teach there,’” Sobhi recalled.

With civil unrest near his family’s home in The Middle East, the idea of attending school in the United States for a few years was attractive. Perhaps after graduation, he thought, the situation would have settled down and he could return.

But with the help of Rockford University’s Office of Global Affairs, Sobhi settled quickly into American life and began to envision a future here instead.

“When you start living the American Dream and you start seeing opportunities of the future, there is no limit,” he said. “As much as you can work, this country will be your land of opportunity. I felt that if I really wanted to leave my fingerprint on this life, this should be my home.”

Even today, he remembers the lessons he learned at Rockford University in both his personal and professional life. From the MBA program director, he learned professionalism and management skills. From his organizational communication professor, he learned how to handle life situations in the United States.

“That was my roadmap to live in the US,” he said.

And from his business law professor, he got a fascinating glimpse into the three-branch government system in the United States. He continues to read and research current events through that lens.

“He gave me my first introduction to the judicial system in the United States,” Sobhi said. “It made me love even more the law in the US and how the interaction of the three branches of government happen.”

Thanks to Rockford University events intended to blend US and international students, Sobhi learned about American culture and found others very welcoming of his. The Office of Global Affairs, through its events and staff, showed Sobhi what it meant to live in the land of the free, with rights and protections that aren’t found in non-democratic societies.

“The Global Affairs Office was what let me live in this country – to feel safe, healthy and included,” Sobhi said. “It’s the bridge between the university and the rest of the world.”

Altynai Erkimbekova was just a toddler when her love for learning blossomed through her mother’s efforts to teach her how to read. “I was only two years old—I can’t believe it myself,” she stated, recounting her neighbors’ tales of how she would read newspapers for fun in her hometown of Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. This passion would eventually bring her over 10,000 miles away from home—here, to Rockford University.

As a child, Altynai struggled to find a place for herself in spite of her early advancement and precocious nature. She was unable to enroll in kindergarten because the school had run out of space, but instead of lagging behind, she endeavored to learn everything she could. “My sister is two years older than me, so she was going to school already. Every day, my mom would do homework with her, and I would do whatever my mom was saying. I completed those classes with my sister.”

When she was finally able to begin her formal education, she soared despite her sense of displacement. Since she was a practicing Christian, it was challenging for her to grow up in a mostly-Muslim community. Even so, she has always been a leader of her community, whether at school or with friends. She has lead  different teams and managed projects that have changed lives of many people. Anything was possible for her, since she had the biggest support of her family and an inherent belief that she would succeed by being her best self. Her determination to get the most out of every day led to her acceptance into the International University of Central Asia (IUCA), where she was invited to join the foreign exchange program in her first year at the institution. “You need to be the best in English and in grade point average as well,” she explains. “Of course, seniors have a higher chance of being selected—and I was a freshman! I was so lucky.”

This is how Altynai first learned of Rockford University, and she felt immediately that this was an environment where she could finally find her place. She noted that in her first few days here, she could already tell how globally oriented and sensitive to culture the University is. Through various activities and events, she embraced her new campus community and found herself thriving, supported by and connected to her fellow students in a way she had never experienced before.

As someone who has continuously had to forge her own path to success, she knows first-hand that progress cannot happen on its own. After an eventful semester here, she went back to Kyrgyzstan and put even more effort into her goals, including a successful business project that employed several local seamstresses. At the same time, she worked to earn her bachelor’s degree in business administration, determined to come back to Rockford University as a graduate student.

Altynai has returned to the University and is currently studying to complete her MBA (Master of Business Administsration) with a concentration in finance. She is also working alongside the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) to help connect other students like her with the opportunities the University has to offer. Her work has led to some strong friendships, too. “OGA is my home here. I can freely talk to everyone in the office like they’re my own family.”

Following her graduation next spring, Altynai hopes to bring her experiences and knowledge from her time at Rockford University back to Kyrgyzstan. She plans to work within her community to share the empathy and determination that she has refined throughout this first chapter of her life.

When asked what advice she would give to students who, like her, come from a growing society and find themselves wanting to leave in search of a way to make a difference, she says, “You should surely go and find what your heart wants. Sometimes you have to leave your environment to be able to learn and grow, but then you should come back home ready to apply your new skills and experiences to make a difference. Don’t worry if you are not able to go abroad yet. It means you are not ready, and when you are ready, nothing can stop you from achieving your goals and dreams!”