AUIS Faculty: Dr. Isaac Cowell
Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliber, and future of an individual. If people remember me as a good teacher, that will be the biggest honor for me.
Dr. Isaac is an instructor at the American University of Iraq, Sulaymaniyah, who joined AUIS in January, 2019. He is from Rochester, New York. He completed his four-year Bachelor’s degree at Bowdoin College in Maine (U.S.), majoring in English in 2009. He earned his Master’s Degree and PhD in literature at Rutgers University in New Jersey, from 2011-2015 (Masters) and from 2015 -2018 (PhD), respectively, studying 19th century British literature. Before joining AUIS, he taught literature at Rutgers University.
Dr. Isaac says that, he had not heard about AUIS before seeing it on a job list, but after reading more about it, he saw it as a chance to come to this part of the world because it was his first time in the Middle East. Coming a long way from the United States to Iraq, Kurdistan was not easy for Dr. Isaac. Getting away from the family and friends for a long time was initially challenging for him. He also faced difficulties because of the language. He also needed to get used to the hot weather.
Dr. Isaac is one of the English Department instructor at AUIS and has taught different classes. He has taught English 101 Argument, English 203 Research. Currently, he is teaching Literature of the Oppressed and English 102 Critical Reading and Writing.
The thing that he likes the most about AUIS is that its students are friendly and welcoming, and he feels comfortable being at AUIS. He said that since his first semester at AUIS, he has always been impressed by the student because they really go out of their way to make a faculty feel welcomed. He likes the fact that AUIS is a very diverse university with students from many backgrounds. After four years of teaching at AUIS, he has gained a better understanding of the university and people in Iraq and especially the Kurdish people. Moreover, he now has better ideas of what students like and dislike in class, what they want to read, and what kind of assignments work better for them.
Dr. Isaac’s journey through the region was a thrilling adventure! He explored the history and culture of the area by visiting museums, churches, and other tourist attractions. In Duhok, he visited the ancient Lalish and the Alqosh Museum, as well as the Zawa Mountain. He has also explored Darbandikan Dam, Karadag village, and the serene Sirwan River. Of course, he has not miss out on visiting Rawanduz, Shaqlawa, and the stunning Ali Beck Waterfall. As if that wasn’t enough, Dr. Isaac’s final journey took him to the awe-inspiring Horaman, the majestic Ahmed Awa Waterfall, the charming Tawila Village, and the poignant site of Halabja. What a journey!
- Hashim Haji Mousa