超级通勤者

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Posted on 2024年3月25日

兰斯克劳福德

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It’s not unusual for 学生 to commute to the University of 南 Alabama campus to get their education, but Noah Farhadi and Danny Navarrete fall into the super commuter 类别. 

Both are enrolled in Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration 的程序 Mitchell College of Business and are pursuing a business analytics concentration. While the program includes some online sessions, 学生 attend classes in 移动 approximately three times per semester and a total of 20 weekends over the duration of the program. They arrive on a Thursday before leaving Sunday.

That’s where it gets tricky for Farhadi and Navarrete. They commute to 移动 from other continents. Farhadi makes the journey from Cairo, Egypt. Navarrete resides in 基多、厄瓜多尔.

“I wouldn't be able to do it if I didn't love what I am currently learning,” Navarrete 说. “Every time I must go to the airport and say goodbye to my wife and 6-year-old daughter, I wonder, ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ And the answer is always a 大是的!”

To make the trip, Navarrete leaves on a Wednesday evening, boarding a midnight flight from Quito to Atlanta. He does his best to get some sleep during the five-hour flight, otherwise it turns into a 36-hour day. 

Farhadi’s journey to 南, crossing eight time zones, is even more arduous. 他必须 fly through major European hubs such as Frankfurt, Paris or London on his way to the U.S., landing in either Atlanta or Charlotte before making his final connection to 移动. 

 “Staying organized and keeping a clear focus on my 目标 enables me to utilize my time efficiently, whether I'm in the air or on the ground,” he 说. “另外，我爱 南’s facilities and learning environment. After a long flight, I feel fresh and energized whenever I enter our facilities.”

While Farhadi and Navarrete travel the furthest of anyone in their cohort, more than half of their classmates commute from the West Coast of the United States. 

Dr. Joe Hair, the program’s director and Cleverdon Chair of Business, understands the commitment all 学生 make and what they bring to the program.

“I love teaching these 学生 because they are highly motivated, intellectually curious, and have the unique ability to combine practical business knowledge with the theoretical foundations and analytical methods they are learning in our Ph.D. program,” he 说. “Of course, we also have many 学生 from Alabama and this region that stimulate and enhance the discussions overall.”

Farhadi knew Hair personally prior to entering the program. Hair was also Farhadi’s professor and mentor in 2008 when he was pursuing a doctorate in the United Kingdom. 

“Dr. Hair is truly a global icon in data science and analytics,” Farhadi 说. “ Ph.D. program's emphasis on diversity and collaborative inclusion were key factors in my decision to attend 南, aligning perfectly with my academic and professional 目标.”

With more than 420,000 citations of his research and scholarly accomplishments, Hair is well-known in academia and a major reason Navarrete chose 南.

“Dr. Hair has so much knowledge and is recognized all over the world. 我甚至用过 his book before meeting him,” he 说. “He really cares about the program and its 学生. He is simply amazing.”

Ph值.D. in business administration is designed as a three-year program. Navarrete and Farhadi both expect to complete their degrees in 2026, so many more long flights are in their future.

“My experience so far has been nothing short of transformative,” 说 Farhadi. “平衡 rigorous academic research with practical teaching applications has enhanced my understanding and approach to finance, making this journey highly rewarding.”

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