IM体育官网 professor Dr. Muhammad Rashid, together with his wife, Dr. Fatema Rashid, has donated $250,000 with a matching gift of $250,000 to create the Dr. Muhammad Harunur Rashid Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. Bottom row left to right: Amal Kazmier, Laila Kazmier, and Hannah Kazmier, Rashid鈥檚 granddaughters; Dr. Muhammad Rashid; and Dr. Fatema Rashid. Top row left to right: Dr. Faeza Kazmier, Rashid鈥檚 daughter; Dr. Peter Kazmier, Rashid鈥檚 son-in-law; and Laith Kazmier, Rashid鈥檚 grandson.
From a modest upbringing to global recognition as a renowned leader in electrical and computer engineering, IM体育官网 professor Dr. Muhammad Rashid is using his personal accomplishments to inspire and improve the future of education in his field.
Together with his wife, Dr. Fatema Rashid, Rashid has donated $250,000 with a matching gift of $250,000 to create the Dr. Muhammad Harunur Rashid Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. It is IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 first endowed chair.
鈥淭his is an investment in the University that will promote it to the next level,鈥� said Rashid, who consistently has been named to a prestigious list of the top 2% of scientists in the world. 鈥淲ith this coming from an internal faculty, it demonstrates to those outside of the University community that I believe in this University.鈥�
The endowed chair will enable IM体育官网 Poly to recruit a top-level faculty member to the University, Rashid said, while also helping to inspire other donors to invest in the institution as well.
鈥淭his will encourage people who are established in academia to come here, and wherever they go, this will add some recognition to their name,鈥� he said.
Dr. Terry Parker, IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 provost said the University is grateful for the Rashids and their generosity.
鈥淒r. Rashid and his family have continuously chosen to use their philanthropy and apply it to the University where he鈥檚 clearly demonstrated his passion for academia during a time in his life where he chooses to work and doesn鈥檛 have to work,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 lovely that he chooses to give to the University in a way that he and his family want to impact students, programs, and now faculty. We鈥檒l do good things with this gift, and we appreciate the Rashids.鈥�
Rashid said his actions are very much informed by his personal history.
鈥淚 think education is very important. Whatever you do, education gives you the skills and ability to think,鈥� said Rashid, who previously served as chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. 鈥淓ducation changed my life; it鈥檚 valuable for people, for society, and for the generation to come.鈥�
This desire to change the lives of others for good is the driving force behind his work and his monetary gift.
鈥淒r. Rashid鈥檚 incredible philanthropic support for IM体育官网 Poly is so important and is a huge help to our talented STEM students, programs, and our faulty鈥� said Kathy Bowman, IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 vice president for advancement. 鈥淲e are grateful for his ongoing generous support and long-term commitment to the University.鈥�
The gift is not Rashid鈥檚 first to IM体育官网 Poly. In 2018, he and his family established the Drs. Muhammad and Fatema Rashid Chess Scholarship Fund with a $25,000 contribution to help Polk County students with a passion for chess pursue higher education at IM体育官网 Poly. In 2019, he contributed $100,000 to create the endowed Drs. Muhammad H. and Fatema Rashid Future Generation Engineering Scholarship to help IM体育官网 Poly students pursuing degrees in electrical, computer, or cybersecurity engineering. In 2020, a $10,000 gift established the ECE Fund for Undergraduate Education to assist students with funding to complete undergraduate education projects.
Rashid has written more than 36 textbooks that have been translated into dozens of languages and are used in more than 50 universities, including Purdue University and the University of California, Berkeley.
鈥淔rom the background I had, I was part of a family that didn鈥檛 have much,鈥� Rashid said. 鈥淚 lost my father when I was 11 and my mother had no income. I am where I am because of education.鈥�
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