Zeinab Amin: Success Will Come Knocking

By: Shahd Rashad
@ShahdMRashad

Zeinab Amin, Associate Provost for Assessment and Accreditation (APAA), is a perfect example of a woman who is breaking down barriers and excelling in a male-dominated field.

Amin holds a PhD in statistics, is an associate of the American Society of Actuaries (SOA), and is a certified actuarial expert at the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA).

She has taught and designed a range of courses in statistics, applied probability, life contingencies, construction and evaluation of actuarial models and enterprise risk management.

Amin said that her position as APAA involves working very closely with the Provost, school deans, department chairs, program directors, faculty, and staff to construct and support a culture of assessment that promotes excellence in scholarly undertakings and enhances the students’ educational experience at AUC.

She acknowledged that while gender and power are inextricably related, “the quality of your job, not your gender, counts only in well-developed societies that treat individuals with decency and respect,” she said.

“I know that our Egyptian society often makes distinctions between men and women, but I personally have not experienced any form of discrimination at home, school, university, or work; on the contrary, I always felt respected and valued for doing good work,” adds Amin.

Amin told The Caravan that in rare cases, a career woman may have to deal with people who use intimidation, aggressiveness, or a manipulative attitude to deter her from implementing the change she wishes to achieve or to keep her away from tackling or questioning certain issues.

“These individuals rely on your suffering. Therefore, you must remain focused on the institution you are working in and its well-being,” she said.

“I come from a family that highly respects women and values their opinion, a family in which all spouses encourage their partners to grow, a family that understands that a person’s worth is associated with his/her true value and as a mother of boys, I used the same values in raising my children,” added Amin.

She said that she is devoted to investing time, effort, appropriate professional and ethical expertise, and transparency in order to bring value to her workspace.

“I do that not to keep my job, but to maintain my respect for myself and continue to be proud of myself even after I leave my position,” she told The Caravan.

The advice that Amin would give to women who want to be in power is to always stay true to themselves.

She believes that women should not let the amount of work put into a task be influenced by the reward expected from completing it. A tiresome and demanding activity may result in a relatively modest payoff, whereas a very small amount of effort may result in a great reward, she explained.

“Don’t chase success. Put forth your best effort and success will come knocking at your door,” Amin said.

Women are increasingly appreciated for their efforts and achievements. As a consequence, the world has taken the next step toward achieving gender equality.

“As a leader, I want my knowledge and expertise, my inclusive communication, my inspiration to others, my respect for them and my transparency to be my source of power, not my orders, commands, or decisions,” Amin told The Caravan.

Alumna Habiba El Toukhy, who graduated with an Actuarial Science degree, fondly remembers Amin as one of the most influential professors on campus.

“Honestly, she used to explain to us in a way where we all understood, and whenever we had questions, she was very patient with us,” says El Toukhy.

Amin’s colleagues in AUC administration also find working with her to be an enriching experience.

“Her keen attention to detail and her in-depth knowledge of many functions within the university are always welcome and helpful,” says Rachel Awad, Senior Director of Academic Affairs Projects at the Office of the Provost.

“For example, in addition to her own work on accreditation and assessment, she was extremely helpful and added great insights as we recently revamped the faculty profile pages and the new faculty orientation program. I learn something new from Dr. Amin with every interaction,” she added.