Rami Natsheh came to the United States three years ago to do an internship. It was then that he realized he wanted to pursue a master's degree in Business Administration. Now, he is a graduate student attending Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, Alaska. He tells us a little about his major. “I’m from Hebron City in Palestine in the Middle East and and I am at Alaska Pacific University. It is a small, private university in Anchorage and I think it is the best program I was looking for,” he says. “My undergrad was Accounting…financial sales and accounting and I am doing now MBA in Global Finance. This concentration in Global Finance is more closer to my undergrad major and its actually my interest in studying and working in the future and Alaska Pacific University has a unique system of learning which is active learning and it is very important for us the students who really want to learn first hand experience and work more than just learning theory.”
Adjusting to the time difference and dealing with jet lag Rami says was a challenge for him. Another one of his concerns was his masters program would be alot of theory, but to his discovery it was much better than that. “I had in the beginning a little difficulty of English, but the good thing about here is really the education system and the university system of teaching which is active learning,” he says. “My concern and I was really afraid of having to come here and start memorizing books and they just do a lot of memorizing and then go do exams, but I discovered that the active learning at Alaska Pacific University that is really what makes me feel comfortable studying and enrolling in the school and my degree that basically is more about doing research, group work, presentations and those are different activities that make the student really work and learn from the experience,” he says. “Our school has for the global finance majors investment partnership company and we actually manage real money in the stock market so students have a first hand experience in dealing with trades and buying stocks and selling and make decisions,” he adds. “So that is very important and I felt so different between back home and my undergrad which you just studying books and not really get into the real business life and coming here and feeling real comfortable with learning.”
Along with enjoying the education style at Alaska Pacific University, Rami says the hospitality of people there is also rewarding. “Actually, the good thing about our school and the thing that I will never forget is the very good hospitality I get from the staff and faculty at APU (Alaska Pacific University) and being an international student and walking around and everybody says ‘hi’ to me is something I will never forget,” he says. “I always felt welcome at Alaska Pacific University and really this is something I will never forget about Alaska Pacific University and studying in America.”
Rami has one year left to finish his master's program. When he returns back home may teach or work with investments and security exchange in Palestine, but one thing is for certain, Rami he will share American experience with others. “Being here as a Palestinian and living the American life and experience this culture and being a messenger to bring it back home and talking about my experience here in the U-S, talking about the adventures I had and talking also about businesses and the way that they are run here and bring the good stuff back home I think it is very important and I feel it is my duty to bring this good image about the educational system, about businesses here, about life in America, about all the systems here….bring it back home and try to get whatever we could out of that and definitely something that I feel proud to be here in America and to study here and I will take this experience and bring it back to my country.”
