Professor admitted to ‘National Deans List’

     GCSU got a huge boost on Nov. 2 when it was announced that accounting professor Dr. Mehenna Yakhou would be featured in this year’s “Who’s Who among America’s Teachers.” The national award selects the top five percent of educators nominated by former students in “The National Dean’s List.”
     Unfortunately, Yakhou does not know the student who nominated him but is grateful for his or her appreciation.
     Yakhou said he feels no different than other professors despite the accolades.
     “I work hard and take things seriously, but I’m not better than anyone else,” Yakhou said. “It makes you feel good that students appreciate you.”
     Originally from Algeria, Yakhou joined GCSU in 1994 as a full accounting professor.
     Even though Yakhou could not attend, he was invited to sit at the Oxford Round Table held at Oxford University in England in 2004. This worldwide forum for education policy only selects 40 people each year.
     This recent national recognition follows up his 2006 GCSU Excellence in Research and Publication Award.
     Yakhou decided to travel to the United States in the 70s even though he could not speak a word of English.
     Two quarters of English lessons in Washington, D.C. and Boston acclimated Yakhou to the U.S. before he returned to Algeria to fulfill his mandatory three years of military service.
     Yakhou returned to complete his MBA at the University of California at Riverside and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Irvine. Prior to arrival at GCSU Yakhou taught at Michigan Tech.
     “My wife at the time didn’t like it in Michigan and I was looking for a different environment,” Yakhou said.
     Yakhou likes his job and the area having lived in Milledgeville for 13 years.
     His students respect the national attention and his teaching style.
     “I believe the national recognition he got for his teaching excellence is a well-deserving one,” Kh. Ahmed, a graduate student, said. “His teaching method is tremendous and commendable in every regard.”
     Our current resources of textbooks, computer labs and learning centers are much different than Yakhou’s experience in Algeria.
     “Students today have everything handed to them,” Yakhou said. “When I went to school we didn’t have access to textbooks.”
     Yakhou teaches two undergraduate and one graduate course this semester. Sometimes non-accounting majors in his undergrad courses need more encouragement to work harder.
     “Sometimes you have to beg students to work,” Yakhou said. “Accounting is the language of business. You need that information no matter what your major.”
     Inspiring students to work harder and achieve their professional dreams keeps Yakhou going.
     “My students challenge me and I enjoy that,” Yakhou said. “As an educator, I continuously strive to assist students.”
     Ahmed said Yakhou is a good person whose hard work in his profession has paid off with the “Who’s Who” feature.
     At 56-years-old, Yakhou recently remarried this summer and has two children. Yakhou puts no timeline on the length of his teaching future.
     “Basically, as long as I can walk and my health allows me to teach,” Yakhou said.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 16 2007. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry