Glen Ellyn, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - April 25, 2025) - College of DuPage Arabic Instructor Dina Khoury is the Collegewide Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Representing the Liberal Arts Division, Khoury said she is honored to receive this recognition and grateful to be part of a supportive academic community with colleagues and students who inspire her.
"This also means a lot to me, as a Palestinian woman, getting this recognition from one of the largest community colleges in the Chicago area," she said.
Born and raised in Bethlehem, Palestine, Khoury remembers being surrounded by shepherds' fields, ancient olive trees and rich history and culture that deeply influenced her perspective.
"Growing up, I learned the importance of resilience, heritage and family in a place that has known so much hardship," she said. "Like many young Palestinians, I dreamed of something more - more opportunities to grow and to study."
In 2005, Khoury moved to the United States and began her master's degree program at National Louis University. It was her first time in the U.S., and everything felt new-different people she didn't know, an unfamiliar college system, and a language she still wasn't confident speaking.
"I didn't know anybody, but I tried to connect with my instructors," said Khoury. "Once they knew where I was coming from and how excited I was to start the program, they were very helpful and supportive, talking to me before and after class."
She recalled how after returning to the U.S. after visiting her family on a break, a professor who she had taken classes with asked about her visit and cared about how she was doing. That professor's thoughtfulness encouraged her to do the same with her students.
"That connection gives them that sense of trust, and I feel helps them to push through more." Said Khoury.
Khoury began teaching Arabic at COD in 2013. Several years into teaching, she was continually struck by how little students knew about the Arab world. After speaking with the dean and a few other professors, she designed a course for teaching Arabic culture, which she now encourages her students to take with the hope of creating a more complete picture.
"You can't separate language from culture," she said. "Arabic culture is incredibly rich. Arab people are known for their generosity, their hospitality and their warmth. They go above and beyond to make others feel welcome. There's so much beauty in the Arab world that I want to share with my students."
Along with learning the Arabic language and culture, Khoury hopes that her students learn to support and connect with each other. She strives to create an environment where students feel safe and feel bold enough to practice speaking Arabic more and to connect culturally, especially with students coming from troubled countries like Syria, Iraq and Palestine.
"They come here with no friends or family-just for their education," she said. "At first, they feel lonely. But after they connect with me and with each other, they make friends and have someone to talk to. Many students tell me those were their best semesters."
Khoury became chair of the Middle East Committee in 2023 and has since organized a field trip and invited several guest speakers to COD to educate students about the Middle East and the Arab world. She also serves as advisor to COD's Arab Student Association. Founded in fall 2024, the organization provides Arab students opportunities to connect with each other, hold events and socialize.
"I carry my Palestinian identity with me as a source of strength, and the challenges I faced have fueled my drive to pursue my education," said Khoury, who is now working on her Ph.D. "I make sure everything that I do for my children and my students models perseverance and kindness. I want to show them that they can grow in their difficulties."
College of DuPage Arabic Instructor Dina Khoury is College of DuPage's Collegewide Outstanding 2024-2025 Adjunct Faculty Member
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Contact: Cat Pastoor
pastoorc@cod.edu
(630) 942-3059
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