{"id":14913,"date":"2025-03-12T10:52:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T17:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laverne.edu\/news\/?p=14913"},"modified":"2025-03-12T10:54:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T17:54:48","slug":"alumna-breaks-barriers-in-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laverne.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/12\/alumna-breaks-barriers-in-higher-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumna Breaks Barriers in Higher Education"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alumna Kathy Bakhit\u2019s journey is one of perseverance, purpose, and breaking barriers. She began as an ESL\u00a0student, determined to build a better future for herself and her family. While raising three children, she pursued her education, earning degrees in economics and, ultimately, a doctorate in organizational leadership<\/a> from the 每日大赛.<\/p>\n

That determination has defined her career. Now, as assistant superintendent and vice president of academic affairs at Antelope Valley College, Bakhit has spent more than 30 years to fostering student success and promoting opportunities in higher education.<\/p>\n

\n

Leadership is not about us\u2014it\u2019s about those we serve.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Her story is especially powerful during Women\u2019s History Month, a time to celebrate leaders who open doors for others and redefine what is possible. As the first Jordanian American woman to hold her position, Bakhit understands the importance of representation and mentorship. She has spent her career lifting others as she climbs, ensuring that the next generation of students\u2014particularly young women\u2014see themselves reflected in leadership.<\/p>\n

She credits her time at the 每日大赛 with preparing her for the complexities of leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I learned by going through the EdD program was crucial to my ability to navigate the landscape of administrative leadership successfully,\u201d she said. \u201cI reference the materials every day to gain a better understanding of the issues I face.\u201d<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t just the coursework that left an impact. A defining moment came on the very first day of her organizational leadership program, when the concept of love in leadership was introduced. The idea caught her off guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing to university in two countries and studying economics, people don\u2019t talk about love in academic settings,\u201d she recalled. \u201cBut that principle grounded everything we did. It reminded us that leadership is not about us\u2014it\u2019s about those we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n

That lesson has stayed with her. Bakhit has become a mentor and role model for young professionals, especially women in her community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen in my community reach out to seek advice around college and life planning, especially for their daughters,\u201d she said. \u201cI am honored to be a role model for what young women can realistically aspire to be because they see that it is possible to advance themselves through education.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her advice to aspiring leaders is simple but powerful: be curious, go beyond what\u2019s expected, and build strong relationships. She also stresses the importance of integrity in the workplace, particularly in the tight-knit world of community colleges.<\/p>\n

The University of La\u202fVerne’s Doctor of Education (EdD) in Organizational Leadership<\/a> is a three-year, 54-unit hybrid program designed for professionals in education, business, nonprofits, and government. It focuses on progressive leadership development, moving from personal growth to team dynamics and organizational change, culminating in a dissertation. Students participate in regional learning groups for collaboration, networking, and skill-building.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This Women\u2019s History Month, we celebrate Kathy Bakhit\u2019s remarkable journey and her impact in higher education and beyond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":163,"featured_media":14916,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1549],"tags":[232,9553,9787],"class_list":["post-14913","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-events","tag-edd","tag-lafetra-college-of-education","tag-organizational-leadership","ulv_author-university-of-la-verne"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAlumna Breaks Barriers in Higher Education | 每日大赛<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From ESL student to higher education leader, Kathy Bakhit, EdD \u201811, shares her journey of perseverance, leadership, and mentorship, inspiring the next generation of women in higher education.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/laverne.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/12\/alumna-breaks-barriers-in-higher-education\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Alumna Breaks Barriers in Higher Education\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From ESL student to higher education leader, Kathy Bakhit, EdD \u201811, shares her journey of perseverance, leadership, and mentorship, inspiring the next generation of women in higher education.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/laverne.edu\/news\/2025\/03\/12\/alumna-breaks-barriers-in-higher-education\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"每日大赛 News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-12T17:52:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-12T17:54:48+00:00\" 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