Kaleidoscope Central

In honor of Arab American Heritage Month, check out our latest guest blog by Nick Hussein. Nick Hussein earned his Undergraduate Degree from Northwood University and his Master’s Degree from Central Michigan University. Spending over 30 years in the hospitality industry with 12 years in professional sales, Nick Hussein wrapped up his career in the hospitality industry as a Director of Sales and Marketing for a Marriott property. Nick earned the Michigan Society of Association Executives Supplier Diamond Award in 2013 & Supplier of the year 2012 Michigan Chapter of Society of Government Meeting Professionals. Nick is a Hospitality & Professional Sales Instructor at Central Michigan University and the Internship Director for the Hospitality Service Administration along with the Director of Corporate Relations for the Sales Program. He is the RSO Advisor for Hospitality & Tourism Association and Pi Sigma Epsilon Zeta Nu (CMU Chapter). He is actively involved in the workforce seeking opportunities to connect students with the corporate world. Nick Hussein is passionate about helping the student body develop and prepare for the workforce. His dream is to help students discover their passion, so they get to go to work and not have to go to work. If you have any questions or comments regarding Nick’s blog, please feel free to email him directly at undefined husse1nk@cmich.edu.

Thank you.

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To be Arab American today is both challenging and rewarding. The Challenging is constantly concerned about how you are viewed by so many. The rewarding is living a pure clean and humble life and be willing to educate when asked about a culture that is misconstrued today by some. I am very fortunate to be where I am, however it was not handed to me. I worked hard in the corporate world to be able to pay my bills and feed my family. While working hard I had a collage of pictures in my head that was my driving force. I pictured my father who worked hard the minute we arrived in the United States back in 1974. I pictured my mother who worked hard to make sure that we never forget our culture of who we are. My brothers and I were raised in a Middle Eastern home and the minute we stepped outside of our home to play with the neighborhood kids were stepping into a Westernized Civilization. I pictured my wife and children who are bi racial (our children) to show them that hard work is worth the investment.

I was a guest speaker at CMU in 2008 and I fell in love with the students. I felt like it was my calling when I was able to share with the class my career path and industry experience. I found it rewarding to share with them my leadership style and challenge them to find theirs. I pictured myself in my cap and gown as I saw myself working on my degree while working full time to be able to earn the opportunity to teach the next generation of leaders and share with them my experiences in life. I find myself today sharing with my children that the world is not fair, but do not let the world dictate who we are. We may come across some that may not like us and that is okay, that is the beauty of the United States of America. The ability to be at peace, free, and forgive those that just do not know. I believe being different is okay and is the recipe to excitement. I truly believe that we choose our day and do not let our day be chosen for us.

I love seeing all the different cultures on campus today. Our campus is warm and welcoming to all and what an amazing feeling for someone that was the first in my family to go to college and earn a degree to be able to give back to the next generation of leaders.

To be Arab American is to be American with a different background to bring to the stage. We are all on stage every day of our lives. Similar to being on the big screen, if you were on the big screen what would you want the subtitles to say. I was asked once about the Gulf War and what was my take. It was simple for me; ask yourself if your mother and father were to get into an argument. Whom would you want to win? My reply was no one; I just want them to stop. Well we all have a motherland and the United States of America is the fatherland. You do not want to see the argument, you just want them to quit and get along. It is your choice to be you, be proud of you and as Simon T. Bailey would say, be the CEO of U Incorporated, if you cannot be proud of yourself, how can others be proud of you.