Rami Maysami provides students with opportunities for success
Rami Maysami knew he wanted to become an educator from an early age. Drawn to the American entrepreneurial mindset as well as to the collaborative culture and democratic system, he emigrated from Iran to the United States to pursue his educational career.
"As a minority and first-generation college student, I certainly appreciated the outstanding education I received and the nurturing learning environment I experienced at Iowa State University," recalls Maysami, who now lives in Los Angeles. "I decided to pay it forward and to help provide other students similar opportunities to succeed in higher education."
Maysami's commitment to give back propelled him on a professional journey into academia that has led him to California State University, Los Angeles, where he began serving as dean of the College of Business and Economics in August 2017.
U.S. News & World Report ranks the business program in the college as one of the top 10 in California among public institutions. Maysami's vision is to enhance Cal State LA's market-relevant, technologically-advanced business education by offering more opportunities for internships and engagement in experiential and service learning.
Students succeed when they are given the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in today's workforce, says Maysami.
"Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for upward social mobility of students and we will continue our contribution to this achievement," he continues.
The University's location in the nation's second largest city, its diverse student body, outstanding faculty and staff, and close proximity to downtown Los Angeles, make it ideal for business students.
"I have no doubt that we will move the college to the next level of excellence in order to address the needs of employers and the business community [in Los Angeles and beyond]," Maysami says. "Our college is an engine that prepares students, in particular those who are underrepresented and first-generation college students, to become well-trained, global-ready business professionals."
Maysami comes to Cal State LA after spending 13 years in the South, serving in academic and administrative positions. At Jackson State University in Mississippi, he served as dean of the College of Business and led their successful reaffirmation of accreditation by the Association for Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs.
"Only six percent of business schools worldwide are accredited by AACSB and Cal State LA is among such elite peers," says Maysami.
At the University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Maysami held several administrative positions. He served as dean of the School of Business, leading its initial AACSB accreditation process to success. He also served as chair of the Department of Economics and Finance and was the founding director of the university-wide, multi-college, Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree program.
"Dr. Maysami brings extensive administrative and leadership experience to this role. He also brings a history of participation in shared governance," said Cal State LA's Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lynn Mahoney in a campus announcement.
Maysami received his B.S. in interdisciplinary studies and his M.S. and Ph.D. in economics from Iowa State University. He spent nine years teaching in Singapore's highly-ranked triple-accredited Nanyang Business School, where he also provided consulting services to financial institutions and government agencies.
A prolific researcher, Maysami has published more than 100 journal articles and presented more than 150 conference papers. His research interests include regulation of financial institutions, personal finance and entrepreneurship.
By Cal State LA, Patch Poster | Jan 9, 2018