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 طالب سوداني-غير تقليدي- يتخرج بدرجة البكالريوس من جامعة نبراسكا " الصور لاحقا"
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Nontraditional student proves 'education is accessible to everyone'
By KEVIN ABOUREZK / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Saturday, May 8, 2010 8:00 am
Tonight, he will sing and dance to songs from his homeland.
His children and wife, cousins and friends will dance beside Abdelhafiz Gumeel as they celebrate his accomplishment -- a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
So what has kept the 64-year-old Sudanese man going as he's navigated full-time work, raising three children and attending classes for three years?
"I am optimistic, and that is all," Gumeel said, sitting in his west Lincoln living room recently. "I am a real believer."
It helps that he enjoys reading. In fact, he calls it his favorite hobby, though he calls gardening a close second.
A father of two daughters and a son, Gumeel has always considered education important. In 1970, he earned a degree in forestry from a university in England and worked for the Sudanese government and other organizations in his country for more than 30 years.
He was given asylum in the United States in 2001. He doesn't say much when asked why he sought asylum, though he said his reasons for leaving Sudan weren't political.
"I can't stay there," he said.
For the first two years while studying at UNL, Gumeel worked full time as a sterilization technician at Pfizer, retiring in summer 2009 and starting classes as a full-time student that fall.
"I just can't imagine what his daily life is like, just fitting all that stuff in and then coming to school," said Jenni Brost, Gumeel's academic adviser at UNL. "I just think that's phenomenal."
She said Gumeel's success in college, getting good grades and staying focused, serves as a lesson to all nontraditional students.
"No matter where you come from, no matter what your story, education is accessible to everyone," she said. "If you put the time and effort in, you can be successful."
Next year, Gumeel expects to finally gain his U.S. citizenship. He said he'll be "50 percent American, 50 percent Sudanese."
He's remained devoted to Islam and Nubian culture, which is an ancient culture in Sudan. A print of an 11,000-year-old painting of a Nubian celebration hangs above Gumeel's television; a copy of the Quran rests on a table in his living room.
His devotion to his culture, in part, explains his interest in history.
"The present is something derived from the past," he said.
Gumeel plans to pursue a master's degree in poetry from UNL after he graduates today. He hopes one day to teach, write poetry or translate Sudanese poetry into English.
He said he's never felt out of place at UNL, despite being old enough to be a grandfather to many of the students.
"It is pleasant to be with younger people, especially beautiful girls," he said, laughing, as his wife, Lyla, cooked lunch in the kitchen nearby. "I feel at home when I go to UNL."
He has reserved a room in the new Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center at UNL from 9 to midnight tonight for his graduation celebration. His celebration will feature a Nubian musician from Washington, D.C.
"Music is very important in our culture," he said.
While he's able to visit Sudan when he wants, he said, he stays in Lincoln because he's built a life here. He's raised three children -- his oldest daughter graduated from colleges in Arizona and Sudan, his youngest daughter graduated from UNL and his son is taking classes at UNL.
He's created a sort of shrine to his family's educational successes in his living room on a table covered with framed photos of his daughters' graduations and his youngest daughter's framed diploma.
"Lincoln is a quiet place," Gumeel said. "Life is easy in Lincoln."
http://journalstar.com/news/local/education/article_5ab...a3-001cc4c03286.html
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Marouf Sanad
فيس بوك
تويتر
انستقرام
يوتيوب
بنتيريست