Doctoral Student Focus | CDR Youssef Aboul-Enein, USN

I published letters to the editor in The American Philatelist, the flagship magazine of the American Philatelic Society, but it was not until my 2022 retirement from the U.S. Navy that I submitted my first article on the fate of the Egyptian Royal Collection.

The editor pushed me to write a more expansive article on Egyptian stamp collecting, and this required me to conduct a year of research, writing and thinking as well as seeking help from Hood College’s Beneficial-Hodson Library and Learning Commons, and in particular, Marcella Genz, Ph.D., who was instrumental in the success of the article.

I often say, as an author of several books on conflict in the Middle East, you cannot write articles and books without the help of great research librarians. I was featured on the front cover feature of the January 2024 edition of The American Philatelist. The editor has been forwarding me fan mail from Texas, New Jersey, Canada and Massachusetts.

I have been a stamp collector or philatelist since childhood, specializing in Egyptian postage stamps of the monarchy, the period from 1866 to 1953. In addition, I am on my 20th year as a member of the American Philatelic Society.

While in college and during my 28-year active-duty military career, I have always been on the lookout for Egyptian stamps and came across some real finds traveling across the world and even in the United States. These finds include stamps worth hundreds of dollars and postage stamps once owned by Egypt’s King Farouk and his father King Fouad.

I learned about Hood College through my son Omar, who earned his M.S. in computer science at Hood in 2021. In our case, the legacy is reversed.

While driving him to classes, I made time to meet Kathleen Bands, Ph.D., and later, Nisha Manikoth, Ph.D., and Jennifer Cuddapah, Ed.D., to find the perfect fit. Hood College’s DOL program fits my needs geographically and financially, and the program is designed for working leaders and professionals, meeting on weekends.

It also helps that Hood College is minutes away from Fort Detrick, a full-service military base, as well as my American Legion Post.

I enjoy the weekly intellectual engagement with my classmates and the professors as well as being introduced to diverse perspectives. Even though I have published books and articles, any writer will tell you that one must keep mastering the craft of writing and speaking.

Hood College’s DOL program satisfies that constant need for me. It is refreshing to engage in true discourse during class, and that is the best part about being at Hood. Another enjoyable aspect is my dissertation committee, led by Corey Campion, Ph.D., who is shaping me to think of my topic in different ways, in an environment in which feedback is never ever failure.

I continue to train, advise and consult federal agencies on the Middle East, and Hood College has made me a better writer and speaker and continues to sharpen my critical thinking skills. I also have another secret weapon in the research librarians at Hood’s Beneficial-Hodson Library and Learning Commons.

My dissertation is on one of Saddam Hussein’s generals, who ranks among the most intellectually thought provoking and whose writings have never been introduced to an English-speaking audience. Hood College helped me understand my intellectual fascination with this Iraqi general; he is my mirror image. He made it his business to introduce Iraqi officers to American works of military significance, and I did the same in reverse with Arabic works of military significance for U.S. military officers and enlisted leaders.

I intend to use his written work to train the next generation of America’s military leaders, and the Hood College DOL cohort and faculty played a role in helping me develop these future seminars I will be delivering on this Iraqi general.

9/11 changed the course of many lives, but with me, it impacted me personally and professionally.

Personally, I was waiting outside the Pentagon for the 0940 shuttle to take me to Bolling Air Force Base, when American 77 impacted the building at 0937. This then professionally created a desperate need for Arabic linguists on active duty, and I was privileged to answer the call. I am also a documentary addict, watching PBS, BBC and even Arabic documentaries on TV, and love docudramas.

Finally, to quote our DOL professors, “Trust the process.” Earning a doctorate is about the journey, a journey of your own intellectual self-improvement, where you educate yourself, others and your professors.

Inspired by Youssef’s story to #GOFURTHER in your educational & career pursuits? Learn more about Hood College’s Doctorate of Organizational Leadership by clicking here.