A little bit about me

Hi, I’m Sahar Mari, and I’m a seasoned learning assistance professional and academic advisor. In my current role as Academic Adviser at Northwestern University in Qatar, I guide a diverse student body (roughly 120 advisees) with their academic planning and course selection. I assist students in interpreting academic policies and procedures while also supporting their overall student success.

In my previous role as Multimedia Consultant at the Center for Teaching & Learning at Texas A&M University at Qatar (2017–2022) I created holistic and effective-learning experiences for students. I worked with engineering students on document design, presentation skills, and multimedia projects. I coordinated in-class workshops and taught a two-credit university introductory course to conditionally-accepted and first-year students. This course focused on adjusting to university life, professionalism, organizational skills, email etiquette, time management, and study strategies. I was also the primary Academic Coach and advised 10–20 students per semester. I love to share my knowledge and model the thrill of life-long learning which helps me connect with students and enrich their learning experience. It is one of the most gratifying parts of my profession. 

Besides my regular job, I used to instruct a community course in Islamic pattern construction at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, my alma mater. I enjoy creating intricate patterns and then exploring a variety of color combinations to showcase the flexibility of a single pattern. I earned an M.F.A. in Graphic Design And Visual Experience from Savannah College of Art and Design and a B.F.A. in Graphic Design and Fashion Design with a minor in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar. While pursuing my bachelor’s degrees, I founded an interactive reading club and was the first student at the Qatar campus (while also competing with 32,000 students from the Richmond campus) to receive an esteemed leadership award for academic excellence, leadership, and service to the community.