Get to Know HFC: Saidah Obad is one of 7 siblings who attended HFC
When she graduated from Fordson High School, HFC Academic Advisor for Pre-Health Careers Saidah (pronounced “SAY-da”) Obad followed her older siblings to HFC.
“All of them started at HFC. Being local was important to our parents,” said Obad, a lifelong Dearborn resident. “We’re all first-generation college students who began our college journey at HFC.”
Working with refugees inspired her to pursue education
The youngest of seven, Obad’s parents immigrated from Yemen before she was born. During her time at HFC, Obad, who speaks fluent English and conversational Arabic, was a member of the Yemeni Student Association (which she now advises) and worked as an educational tutor at ACCESS in Dearborn. She earned her associate degree from HFC in pre-secondary education.
Transferring to the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Obad earned her bachelor’s degree in behavioral science. This fall, she will begin graduate work at UM-Dearborn, working on her master’s degree in education with an endorsement in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
“Before coming to HFC, I worked as a refugee career coach at ACCESS. I worked alongside refugees who were from Afghanistan and knew no English,” said Obad. “I just enjoyed seeing their smile of learning about American culture and learning a language they’ve never experienced before. That’s what inspired me to go into education.”
“First-generation students, like I was”
Obad worked at ACCESS in this position for three years, then joined HFC in mid-June of 2024. She reports to HFC Assistant Director of Academic Advising Amal Qureshi.
“Saidah has been an invaluable member of our team,” said Qureshi. “Her dedication to student success and her excellence as an academic advisor have made a meaningful impact on our campus. I truly appreciate her contributions and look forward to seeing her grow and make a difference in the lives of our students.”
Obad’s duties include:
- Advising students about programs in the School of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Outreach to students
- Encouraging students to register early
- Vetting transfer credits
- Attending conferences
- Supporting her fellow academic advisors
“I really enjoy seeing students smile when I reassure them that they’re doing the right thing, taking the right classes, and are on the right path,” said Obad. “A lot of them are first-generation students, like I was. Many adult learners are returning to college with Michigan Reconnect. Seeing their success and happiness means a lot.”
Plenty of positive changes at HFC since she was a student
Obad says many things have changed at HFC since she was a student.
“I enjoy being part of something I was part of before,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d ever be an employee where I was once a student. Just seeing how different things are now and how much more support students have is incredible. A lot of changes have happened since I was a student. Just seeing that there’s been plenty of positive changes has been great.”
Obad credits her academic success to HFC.
“The guidance the College provided me as a first-generation student has been invaluable. The academic guidance and support from HFC faculty and staff prepared me for UM-Dearborn, so I wouldn’t be thrown into a situation I wasn’t familiar with if I attended a four-year university right out of Fordson,” she explained. “HFC is a great starting point to get into a good university, especially with all our transfer initiatives.”