From the Sahara to the U of A: This graduate brings language, culture and community together
Original article can be found at https://news.arizona.edu/employee-news/sahara-u-graduate-brings-language-culture-and-community-together?utm_source=trellis&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Plus:%20what%20supply%20chain%20transformation%20means%20for%20you;%20graduate%20spotlight
During his time volunteering with CorpsAfrica in a Moroccan village in the High Atlas Mountains in 2014, Mourad Abdennebi and the village children took advantage of the snow to build the village’s first snowman.
As thousands of students prepare for the university’s Commencement on May 15, Lo Que Pasa spoke with one of these outstanding graduates about his journey and the faculty who helped him get here.
The University News website features graduating student spotlights from a retired flight attendant who pivoted to law school to a grad who turned a psychology class into a clinical career and a grad who earned Air Force commission
Below is Mourad’s story.
As he prepares to cross the stage at convocation, Mourad Abdennebi reflects on the path that led him here. He will earn a doctorate in second language acquisition and teaching from the university's Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, where faculty mentors helped guide his passion for language research and community engagement. It's the latest step in a journey that began in Erfoud, Morocco, where his parents instilled the values of education and service.
Whether he's volunteering in Morocco or speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Mourad Abdennebi is guided by his values of community service and belief that language education can connect communities around the world.
Chris Richards/University Communications
"They taught me that learning should always be connected to community," said Mourad. "I came to believe that success means very little unless it's used to uplift others."
Those values led him to serve with CorpsAfrica, where volunteers work to improve rural African communities. He was placed in a Moroccan village in the High Atlas Mountains – a landscape, culture and language different from where he grew up.
"It was a whole new world for me, but the community embraced me," said Mourad. "From the first week, I felt like I belonged. Everyone was trying to teach me how to do things and speak the local language Tamazight."
He views community service as a lifelong commitment, not a short-term act of charity.
Through his work with CorpsAfrica, he was invited to speak at the United Nations General Assembly last year. He spoke to non-government organizations about the importance of community-led solutions.
Mourad Abdennebi speaks to non-government organizations about how African youth can drive transformative change during a United Nations General Assembly reception in New York in 2024.
"Communities closest to the challenges often hold the clearest insights into the solutions," said Mourad.
He hopes his work shows that underserved communities aren't passive recipients of aid.
"They're not there just asking for help, or asking to be saved, they are actually active agents of change," he said. "This work is rooted in dignity, partnership and shared humanity."
His years of volunteer work have taught him that meaningful service begins with listening, humility and trust.
"These communities are not defined by their challenges. They are really defined by their resilience, wisdom and strength," he added.
Research, teaching and leadership at the University of Arizona
Mourad’s CorpsAfrica experience sparked his interest in language research and teaching.
At the U of A, Mourad researched the cognitive and neural mechanisms behind adult second language learning, working with Janet Nicol, professor in the Department of Linguistics, to examine vocabulary acquisition.
"I saw him develop as a cognitive scientist, even while maintaining his passion for language teaching," Nicol said. "He seems completely unafraid to put himself out there and, time after time, musters the energy and resilience to do so."
Janet Nicol
Mourad has authored and coauthored more than a dozen publications and presented at multiple conferences. Last year, he won the Graduate Center's Grand Slam competition and the Western Association of Graduate Schools 3-Minute Thesis competition. He also received the Student Affairs Centennial Achievement Award, recognizing outstanding graduating students.
Throughout his time at the U of A, he's mentored other SLAT students and serves as president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council.
"I'm especially proud of helping create spaces where students feel seen, heard, supported and connected," said Mourad.
"It's been a pleasure to work with Mourad to move forward critical initiatives that improved critical workplace elements for graduate students," said Kirsten Limesand, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate College. "This includes a standardized annual process to update the graduate student minimum stipend that accounts for changes in the consumer price index and increasing access to the food pantry through extended hours."
Kirsten Limesand
He also engages with the broader community by teaching Arabic with the Arabic Flagship Program, visiting Tucson middle and high schools to talk to students about Arab culture with the Center for Middle Eastern Studies and facilitating courses about North African development with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
"It's not just an opportunity to teach a language I grew up with. It's a cultural bridge," said Mourad.
Despite so many commitments, Mourad still feels he's not doing enough.
"I always try to do more because the world needs more people to engage in service and community work," he said. "I try to balance my commitments by staying grounded in purpose and being clear about priorities."
Looking forward
After graduation, Mourad will continue his path of language teaching and research. He will teach Arabic and French at the University of Miami − putting his research into action.
Mourad Abdennebi receives a warm welcome from the village children on his first day in the Moroccan village in the High Atlas Mountains, where he served with CorpsAfrica in 2014.
He also hopes to work on a language application that creates a more equitable approach to language education and helps people learn world languages and cultures.
"I believe language is the key to accessing the world," he added.