Dr. Emran El-Badawi joins College of Liberal and Fine Arts as new dean

BY BROOKLYN MCKINNEY / Multimedia Journalist

Dr. Emran El-Badawi  took over as Dean of Tarleton State University’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts Aug. 5, 2024. 

“I’ve never been a hyper-specialist. I’ve been more of a jack of all trades. I can master things, but I enjoy the jack of all trades,” Dr. El-Badawi said. “And I think in order to lead a large team and a large college, you have to have that quality.” 

“Now I’m responsible for over 300 faculty and staff. In my old job, my team was about 50 so it’s quite a jump,” Badawi said. 

El-Badawi earned his bachelor’s degree in both computer science and religious studies from Rutgers University in New Jersey in 2002. He then completed a Master’s in religious studies from Temple University in Pennsylvania, and a doctorate with honors in Middle Eastern and Islamic History at the University of Chicago in 2011. 

During his time at the University of Houston as Department Chair of Modern and Classical Languages, El-Badawi also founded the Arab Studies program. Before his previous position at the University of Houston, El-Badawi taught Arabic at the University of Chicago for five years, and religion at Temple University for three years. 

El-Badawi’s academic research focuses on topics ranging from civilization in the Middle East and North Africa, to modernity and religion, energy and sustainability, Quran and Bible, and gender and classical Islam. His work has been translated into many different languages and is featured in several well-known publications such as the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor and Forbes.  

El-Badawi made the jump to Tarleton because he is eager to boost the university’s growth on a national scale. 

“We need to do a better job in the college of promoting everything that’s happening here. We have over 200 performances in the performing arts and the world does not yet know about us,” El-Badawi said. “So yes, Tarleton is the best kept secret, but not for long. That’s really what I get excited about.” 

El-Badawi also intends to help Tarleton grow academically. In particular, he mentions the university’s doctorate program in criminal justice as well as public and applied humanities. 

“We’re making sure that faculty have the support and resources, and students have the support resources they need to succeed, including internships, study abroad, etc.,” El-Badawi said. 

Having been raised in an expatriate family, education has always been an important part of El-Badawi’s life. 

“The one thing that kept us together was, ‘How are we going to build a future?’ And the answer to all of our problems was education.” 

El-Badawi was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His father was a surgeon from India and his mother was a dentist from Egypt. 

“The best teacher is adversity, as you may know,” El-Badawi said. “So, I think all of these experiences really being in very multicultural populations in one society compelled me to be very broad minded; have a deep sense of empathy and a lot of curiosity.” 

After his father’s death, El-Badawi moved to Egypt with his family at a young age. Eventually, they immigrated to the U.S. and lived in New Jersey. 

“Growing up, we had a hard life, but I didn’t feel it because I grew up in a family that was full of love,” El-Badawi said. 

It is clear that he expresses that same love to his family today. 

“I love to play basketball with my kids. And for me, that’s sacred because my older brother was like a father figure, he engaged with me in a way where he was in control, and I was able to give him that authority was in basketball,” El-Badawi said. 

In addition to playing basketball, El-Badawi also enjoys swimming, chess, ‘80s and classical music and cooking. 

“I was working in the kitchen since I was seven. That’s child labor for you right there,” El-Badawi said jokingly. 

Overall, El-Badawi is passionate about taking on this new role as dean of COLFA at Tarleton. 

“I am in the business of education, especially when it comes to being inclusive. Tarleton is the place to do that,” El-Badawi said. 

El-Badawi has not only expressed his excitement for the future of Tarleton, but the qualities its students currently possess. 

“Tarleton students are really extraordinary. They are on one hand, vivacious, exuberant, lots of energy, lots of enthusiasm. On the other hand, they’re extremely courteous and very dutiful,” El-Badawi said. “And I love that balance, to be able to have fun and show that kind of respect. I think that’s really commendable, and I think it bodes well for our future and our country’s future.” 

For more information, visit: https://www.tarleton.edu/news/tarleton-state-names-dr-emran-el-badawi-dean-of-college-of-liberal-and-fine-arts/.