If someone told me ten years ago that I would one day become Dean of Student Affairs, I wouldn’t have believed them. When I was a university student in Canada, I don’t remember having a Student Affairs office. I went to class, completed my assignments, and graduated. Like many students, I never thought about everything that happens behind the scenes to support students throughout their university journey.
When I joined Rabata, I wasn’t thinking about a career in Student Affairs. I wanted to learn. After my first term as a student, I decided to volunteer, so I became a course admin. A little while later, I became a student advisor, and that’s when everything really began. That’s when I realized how much I loved walking alongside students, answering their questions, encouraging them through challenges, celebrating their successes, and supporting them throughout their journey.
In 2022, Anse Tamara asked me to step into the role of Dean of Student Affairs. At the time, Ribāṭ University wasn’t being planned. She believed this role was a good fit for me, and looking back, I can see why. It is a natural fit for me. I already loved supporting students, advocating for them, and finding ways to make their educational journey a little easier. When the decision was made to establish Ribāṭ University, that role grew into building the Student Affairs department from the ground up. I never imagined I would have the opportunity to help create that kind of student experience.
Anse Tamara also encouraged me to pursue my master’s degree in Higher Education Administration. After I graduated, my late father, Allah yarḥamu, asked me, “So, when are you getting your doctorate?” A few weeks later I applied and got accepted to a doctoral program in Higher Education Administration with a focus in Student Affairs.
One of the things I appreciate most about my doctoral studies is that I don’t have to wait until graduation to apply what I’m learning. Every course, every research paper, and every new idea immediately makes me think about Ribāṭ University. I constantly find myself asking, “How can we make the student experience better?” Those ideas quickly become conversations with our team and, in many cases, become part of the services and systems we are building for each of our students.
Over the years, I’ve realized Student Affairs isn’t about policies or answering emails. While policies and emails matter, they’re not what students remember. Students remember how you made them feel when they were overwhelmed, unsure of themselves, or wondering if they could keep going. One of the greatest blessings of this role has been the students themselves.
People often think my role is to encourage students, and it is. What many people don’t realize is how much our students have encouraged me. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know women who continued their studies while grieving the loss of a parent, caring for a sick family member, going through a divorce, raising children, working full-time, or carrying struggles that very few people around them know about. They didn’t wait for life to become easier before seeking knowledge. They kept moving forward because their goal was greater than the challenges they were facing.
When I think about them, I picture someone walking toward a destination with their eyes fixed ahead while everything around them is chaotic. Life doesn’t stop. There is grief, uncertainty, responsibility, and hardship, but they continue walking because they know where they want to go. That image stayed with me throughout my graduate studies. During difficult moments, I often find myself thinking about our students. Their strength reminds me that perseverance is about trusting Allah enough to keep taking the next step, even when life feels heavy.
I don’t think many of them realize how much they have shaped me. While I hope I have helped make their educational journey easier, they have strengthened my journey in ways they will probably never know.
That is why Student Affairs has never felt like just a job to me. Behind every email, every conversation, every policy, and every service we build is a real person with a story. Every student is carrying something we may never fully see, yet they continue showing up because they have a goal that is bigger than the challenges they face.
As we prepare to welcome the first students to Ribāṭ University, I hope we build more than excellent academic programs. I hope we build a community where students feel known, supported, and encouraged to continue their journey, no matter what season of life they are in. If Student Affairs can play even a small role in helping students keep moving toward their goals and, closer to Allah, then I know we have fulfilled our purpose.
Your Dean of Student Services,
Maha Gaafar