by Dora Galván
Assistant Editor
Sometimes the memories that stick are those of youth and independence. Adham Chehab, the new associate professor of business administration, embarked on the journey of his life at 17 years old.
Born and raised in Kuwait, Chehab describes his childhood as “very smooth, very comfortable. There were no surprises or things going on.”
His father owned the Cultural and Publishing Bureau in Kuwait and his mother was an informal employee in the offices, as well as a liaison with the Kuwait government.
Chehab’s parents wanted him to go to college after high school and he remembers always wanting to earn a Ph.D.
After graduating from high school he packed up his luggage and flew to London to start college life at Brooklyn College, where he earned an associate degree.
The oldest of four, Chehab was the first in his family to leave Kuwait for a better future.
He remembers arriving alone at the Heathrow airport with little luggage and wondering where he would sleep that night.
“I was completely cared for in my parents’ house and became completely independent overnight,” Chehab said.
He had to look for a place to sleep the first night he arrived in England. After walking around the airport he remembers looking for maps, which made his stay easier.
Once completing his education at Brooklyn College, he decided to attend school at Queen Mary College in England, where he received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.
Chehab moved to the United States, where he worked as a computer engineer at the National Cash Register Company for a year and a half, but did not feel content with his life.
“Engineering makes a great hobby, but a lousy job,” Chehab said.
Work became routine, so he decided to change his career and began working on a business degree.
“Business is the building block of the economy. Without it there wouldn’t be an economy, it drives manufacturing, engineering and all other fields,” Chehab said.
He worked on his master’s in business administration at the University of Steubenville in Ohio, but knew his schooling could not stop there.
At the University of New Orleans, Chehab earned a master’s in economics and worked on his Ph.D. in economics.
After receiving his degrees, he taught at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.
Chehab kept in contact with his parents and never let anything get in the way of his dreams.
When Iraq occupied Kuwait in 1990, Chehab’s parents lost their business. All of the office equipment was destroyed and they had little hope to rebuild.
“After the liberation of Kuwait, the economy in Kuwait was slow,” Chehab said. “My parents decided to retire rather than rebuild, so they joined my brothers and sister and I in the United States.”
His parents came to the U.S. in 1992. His father died in 1993, and his mother lives in Virginia with one of her sons.
Chehab’s siblings have earned college degrees. Chehab said he made sure he prepared them for the troubles they would encounter when moving to a new country to attend college.
Chehab is part of the assessment committee at the University of La Verne and teaches financial management for undergraduates and graduate students. He also teaches financial institutions management for M.B.A. students.
“He’s very good at assessing and directing me on the right path to graduation. He’s quick to answer my questions and is always available when I need academic advising,” said freshmen Chelsea Estrella, a business administration major.
In the future Chehab hopes to continue to build his research record and improve his teaching.
Dora Galván
