1. Zahra Ahmed CV
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Zahra G. Ahmed
949-929-4454 zahra.g.ahmed@gmail.com 6314 Archway Irvine, CA 92618-8836
Summary of Qualifications
Over 20 years’ experience in the fields of higher education administration, university teaching, and community
organizing. Demonstrated commitment to service learning, experiential education and other forms of
community building work.
• 10 years university teaching experience in various disciplines including Political Science, African American
Studies, and Women’s Studies.
• 20 years’ experience creating and implementing civic and community engagement initiatives.
• Experience organizing with diverse student and community groups.
• Expertise in the design, implementation, and assessment of student transition and engagement programs.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science)
University of California, Irvine 2010
Master of Social Work (Community Partnerships)
Georgia State University 2001
Bachelor of Arts (English Literature)
Southern University and A & M College 1995
Experience
Director, Civic & Community Engagement
University of California Irvine – Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)
2011 – Present
• Founding Director of the Civic and Community Engagement (CCE) Office. Designed, implemented and
assessed a strategic vision for the office, growing it into a campus unit within the Division of Undergraduate
Education.
• Fiscally responsible for $100,000 programmatic budget.
• Recruited, trained and supervised 66 student staff along with three professional staff.
• Designed and promoted student learning outcomes pertaining to all programs, services, and opportunities
for personal and professional development.
• Created the International Peer Group program as part of UCI’s transitional student services to strengthen
student engagement and retention through academic and social support. Designed and facilitated staff
diversity training, which focused on intercultural communication and peer mentoring. Served over 700
participants annually.
• Developed a 3-course service learning series on civic and community engagement which created a
partnership with a local non-profit to educate students about the civic mission of higher education and help
them develop and implement their own justice-oriented engagement projects with underserved
communities.

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• Served in various leadership positions including Chair of the International Transitions Work Group, High
Impact Practices work group, and the Chancellor’s Transitional Student Experience Task Force to support
engagement and internationalization on our campus.
• Organized multiple curricular and co-curricular community engagement activities each year addressing
several issue areas areas including: Intercultural Communication, Diversity & Justice, Global Engagement,
Conflict Resolution, Civic & Community Engagement, and Health & Wellness.
• Facilitated interactive, high impact workshops focused on increasing awareness of diversity and inclusion
issues and creating dialogue between diverse student groups. Workshop topics included “How to be an
Ally”, “Gender Stereotypes”, “Social Justice Career Paths” and “Activism 101”.
• Established student leadership opportunities by creating and supervising Student Coordinator, Program
Assistant, and Volunteer Lead positions which allow student activists to hone their skills by helping the CCE
Office while also developing and implementing their own community engagement projects.
• Collaborated with UCI’s student government to establish the “Artlab” project, which created on-campus
spaces for students to display and comment on both visual and performative artistic works.
Project Manager
Ersoylu Consulting
2009–Present
• Provided specialized technical assistance to over 50 community-based organizations in the Orange County
and Los Angeles areas.
• Facilitated monthly meetings with underserved communities in Watts, West Athens, and Compton, CA in
order to guide the planning and implementation of the First 5 LA Best Start community plan.
• Built rapport with community members and created a governance model wherein all residents could
contribute to an open dialogue.
• Conducted site visits to youth-serving organizations involved with The California Endowment’s Building
Healthy Communities project. Utilized these visits to determine the range of services provided for youth in
Long Beach, California.
• Led qualitative and quantitative data collection with youth residing in Long Beach, CA. Used data to draft
recommendations for programmatic and policy change to Long Beach community organizations and The
California Endowment.
• Designed and delivered evaluation products in partnership with each grantee based on their specific
program needs including: logic models, evaluation plans, strategic plans, and research briefs.
• Created both qualitative and quantitative assessment tools including focus group protocols, stakeholder
interviews and pre and post-tests designed for specific conferences, trainings and workshops.
• Synthesized policy advocacy research to produce an evaluation resource guide and a matrix of policy
advocacy evaluation frameworks which were disseminated to all grantees.
Program Representative III, Re-imagining Field Study Initiative
University of California, Irvine – School of Social Ecology
2010-2011
• Collaborated with faculty and staff in the School of Social Ecology to revisit the philosophy underlying field
study and incorporate an ethos of civic and community engagement into the program.
• Created an online civic and community engagement module which included information on the history of
civic and community engagement, sample syllabi, student learning outcomes, student assignments, and
critical reflection.
• Conducted case study analysis with program stakeholders, including students, faculty, and community
partners. Evaluated the experiences of each group through in-depth interviews, observations, and focus
groups.

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• Created an action plan to re-orient community partner organizations to the field study program as co-
educators with specific areas of expertise.
Founding Staff Member, Collaborative Conversations on the Continent
University of California, Irvine
Summer 2010
• Supervised a group of 20 students on a trip to Ghana to collaborate with dancers at the University of Ghana,
Accra.
• Monitored student research projects and held weekly one-on-one consultations to ensure that they were
meeting their academic goals while in Ghana.
• Served as production assistant to the lead professor; collaborated with University of Ghana staff to organize
capstone dance project.
• Facilitated reflection sessions exploring student identifies in the international context of our visit to Ghana.
Teaching
Sankofa Project
Division of Undergraduate Education - University of California, Irvine
Spr. 2012, Spr. 2013, Fall 2013, Spr. 2014
• The course exposed students to foundational intercultural communication concepts and approaches as a
means of facilitating their understanding of cultural situatedness and various cultural perspectives.
• Applied the flipped classroom model, wherein students reviewed all course materials outside of class,
leaving class time to explore and apply key concepts.
• Organized students into Sankofa Teams consisting of 4-5 members. This allowed students to apply and
strengthen their knowledge of and respect for their cultural traditions and those of their peers.
• Experiential component required students to deconstruct a real intercultural conflict and apply course
concepts to identify alternative paths to help mediate or avoid future conflicts.
Introduction to Civic & Community Engagement
Division of Undergraduate Education - University of California, Irvine
Fall 2013, Wtr. 2014
• Developed the course in partnership with a local community based organization with the goal of
familiarizing students with democratic theory while developing civic skills in an experiential context.
• Course content to explored efforts to address the social, economic, and political interests of community
members in local, regional, and global contexts.
• Service learning component incorporated student leadership of a Day of Service project in the Orange
County area.
Bridges to Success
Division of Undergraduate Education - University of California, Irvine
Summer 2012
• Designed the course around an international curriculum which prepared students to perform academically,
professionally, and socially in a multi-cultural context.
• Course content integrated lectures, discussion, writing labs, and small group activities - all designed to
provide students with comprehensive insights that will help identify and strengthen the skills, resources, and
talents needed to achieve and have a positive experience at UCI.
• Experiential component of the course required students to create an Action Plan to guide their first year
experience.

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Comparative Minority Politics
Program in African American Studies, Political Science Department - University of California, Irvine
Spr. 2011
• The course analyzed key socio-political characteristics and contexts of four American ethnic groups including
American Indians, African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian / Pacific Americans.
• Created opportunities for dialogue regarding differences and similarities in the experiences of each ethnic
group studied in class.
• Students produced both written and oral reports comparing two ethnic groups along several dimensions,
including: demographics, political representation, social movements, partisan identification, and social
policy impacts.
• Service learning component of the course required students to engage in a social action which addresses an
issue of relevance to an ethnic group of their choice.
African American Politics
Program in African American Studies, Political Science Department - University of California, Irvine
Fall 2009
• Critically reviewed and analyzed several examples of scholarship relating to Black politics with a focus on
education, crime and punishment, and health issues as they impact the Black community.
• Course content included lectures and group discussion as well as the integration of poetry, film, and song
which contributed to a richer understanding of the contours of Black political life.
• Service learning component required students to investigate one social issue and its implications for Black
political life in collaboration with a community based organization of their choice.
Critical Political Theory (Upper Division Writing Course)
Political Science Department, University of California, Irvine
Summer 2007, 2008
• Examined critical pedagogy as one aspect of critical political theory. Guided students’ investigations of
gender, race, and sexuality issues as they pertain to formal schooling practices.
• Facilitated development of writing skills by allowing students to write, edit, and discuss their thoughts in the
context of analytical papers, peer-review sessions, panel discussions, and the creation of a final paper which
synthesized concepts covered in class.
Analytical Thinking, Reading, and Writing
Political Science Department, University of California, Irvine
Summer 2008, 2009
• Enhanced verbal and written communication skills of first-generation undergraduate students through an
intensive six-week program designed to prepare them for the rigors of graduate education.
• Provided students with extensive training and feedback through academic debates, book reviews, and the
creation of analytical essays.
Introduction to American Government
Political Science Department, University of California, Irvine
Fall 2005, Summer 2006, 2007
• Examined the foundations of our governing system, the major federal governing institutions, political
ideologies, elections, the media, and interest groups.
• Created a project-based course design which allowed students to apply key concepts within the context of a
social issue of their choice.

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ACT for Leadership
Center for Educational Partnerships, University of California, Irvine
Summer 2009, 2010
• Coordinated recruitment process across three community colleges to identify 60 first-generation college
student participants.
• Created a course curriculum, which exposed participants to principles of leadership, social change and
community engagement. Engaged students through the process of creating and presenting community-
based proposals which addressed concrete social issues of their choice.
The U.S. Congress
Political Science Department, University of California, Irvine
Summer 2006
• Examined the role of a legislature in a democracy, as well as the influences within and around Congress that
shape its policies.
• Led students in small and large-group activities including peer-review sessions and mock Congressional
speechmaking.
Latinos and the 2004 Elections
Political Science Department, University of California, Irvine
Fall 2004
• Analyzed academic and community-based perspectives regarding the strengths and challenges of American
electoral political institutions as they relate to Latino participation.
• Provided individualized guidance and feedback for students to strengthen their understanding of key issues
and assist them in creating individual research projects.
Sociology of Popular Culture: Politics & Hip Hop
Sociology Department, University of California, Irvine
Fall 2006
• Examined socio-political and economic issues, including racism, discrimination, education and employment
inequality, persistent segregation patterns, and voter disenfranchisement through a popular culture lens.
• Led large group discussions regarding the intersection of popular culture and politics by examining the
origins, development, and political implications of hip hop culture.
Introduction to Social Psychology
Sociology Department, University of California, Irvine
Spr. 2004, Wtr. 2004, Wtr. 2005
• Investigated ways that the social environment influences one’s thoughts and behaviors about self and
others.
• Created classroom handouts and activities to help students apply social psychological theories to their lived
experiences.
Reproducing & Resisting Inequality
Program in Women’s Studies, University of California, Irvine
Wtr. 2007
• Analyzed the various movements, theories, and practices created to enable women to resist oppressive
gendered practices.
• Applied student-centered educational strategies to engage students with the complex course lectures and
readings.

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Research
Primary Investigator, “Engagement Practices & Motivations at UCI”
University of California, Irvine
June 2015 – Present
• Purpose of study: This project allows the Civic and Community Engagement Office to identify the types of
engagement opportunities that interest the campus community. We plan to use the data for fundraising
and to develop sustainable civic and community engagement initiatives.
• In-depth study investigating civic and community engagement practices and motivations among five
stakeholder groups: undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, staff, and community partners.
• Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected from each stakeholder group in three phases: Fall: faculty
and staff; Winter: undergraduates; Spring: graduate students; Summer: community partners.
• Currently in Phase I of project.
Graduate Student Assistant Researcher
University of California, Irvine – Graduate Division
March 2010 – June 2010
• Conducted background research to assist the Graduate Dean with drafting the UC IDEA proposal. This
proposal focused on recruiting and retaining underrepresented minority students in the Social and
Behavioral Sciences at UC Irvine.
• Produced literature review to provide supportive documentation for UC IDEA proposal.
• Systematized evaluations for the Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program, a
diversity program designed for student populations identified by the National Science Foundation as
traditionally underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.
• Created exit surveys for AGEP and Competitive Edge programs and published the surveys to collect feedback
data from participants.
Graduate Intern
Campus Compact /National Service Learning Clearinghouse (NSLC)
Jan. 2007 – Jan. 2009
• Reviewed service learning syllabi according to the degree to which they embodied service learning
principles.
• Conducted research on philosophy and practice of service learning for publication in the NSLC service
learning fact sheet series.
• Provided informational workshop entitled, “Service Learning and Engaged Scholarship” for graduate
students at University of Minnesota.
• Created service learning syllabus database to be utilized as a resource for engaged students, faculty, and
staff.
Graduate Research Assistant, “Political Socialization Among Latino Immigrants”
University of California, Irvine
Jan. 2006 – June 2006
• Investigated political socialization outcomes among junior high and high school students in the Orange
County, CA area.
• Reviewed and edited survey instrument and focus group discussion questions to be used in the study.
• Produced literature review examining political participation among Latinos and other relevant research in
the field of Latino politics.

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Primary Investigator, “Community Service as a Pathway to Political Engagement”
University of California, Irvine
Sept. 2005 – Dec. 2005
• Collaborated with a local high school in Costa Mesa, CA to determine impact of community service programs
on students.
• Facilitated focus groups with 9th
-12th
grade students to discuss their service activities and their political
interests.
• Analyzed focus group data according to research themes of civic engagement and attitudes regarding
political participation.
• Produced research paper detailing study findings and recommending increased alignment between purpose
of high school community service requirements and students’ actual service activities.
Graduate Research Assistant, “Let Every Voice Be Heard”
Georgia State University & The Atlanta Women’s Foundation
Aug. 2000 – June 2001
• Contributed to collaborative effort between Georgia State University, the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, and
over 25 community-based organizations in the Atlanta area.
• Facilitated seven focus groups and analyzed data according to theme of what it means to be a woman or girl
in Atlanta, GA.
• Produced report which created multiple narratives based on the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative
research findings from each of the seven focus groups. Report was distributed throughout the state of
Georgia.
Graduate Research Assistant
Urban Atlanta Coalition Compact
Aug. 1999 – Aug. 2000
• Created and facilitated parenting workshops for parents and students in the Fulton County school district of
Atlanta, GA.
• Organized and facilitated community-based conferences which brought together teachers, principals,
parents, and students to create strategies for school success.
Publications
• In progress: Ahmed, Zahra. 2015. “Abandoning the Civic for the Political: A review of Ben Berger’s Attention
Deficit Democracy”. Review of Attention Deficit Democracy by Ben Berger. In National Political Science
Review, Keisha N. Blain, editor. Transaction Publishers.
• Ahmed, Zahra. 2012. “A Step in the Right Direction.” Review of American Government in Black and White
by Paula McClain and Steven Tauber. In Charting the Range of Black Politics, David Covin and Michael
Mitchell, editors. Transaction Publishers.
• Ahmed, Zahra. 2011. “A New Perspective on Interest Group Politics.” Review of Affirmative Advocacy:
Race, Class, and Gender in Interest Group Politics, by Dara Strolovich. In Black Politics in a Time of
Transition, Michael Mitchell and David Covin, editors. Transaction Publishers.
• Ahmed, Zahra. 2010. “Strengthening Democracy through Service Learning”. Joint Education Project
Newsletter, University of Southern California, Fall, 2010.
• Ahmed, Zahra, Liz Hutter, Julie Plaut. 2008. “Reflection in Higher Education Service Learning”. Scotts Valley,
CA: Learn and Serve America’s National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, 2005/2008.
http://www.servicelearning.org/instant_info/fact_sheets/he_facts/he_reflection/index.php

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Presentations
• “Supporting Students Through Peer Mentoring: Four Program Models That Work”. Association of
International Educators Annual Conference. May 2015.
• “Global Engagement: A value added to traditional civic and community engagement programs”.
Continuums of Service Annual Conference. April 2015.
• “Service Learning for Social Justice: The creation of the Engaged Student Leaders Program at UCI.”
University of California, San Diego Experiential Learning Conference. January 2014
• “Building Community through Critical Pedagogy”. University of Denver Pedagogy of Privilege Conference.
June 2009
• “Underprepared, Underrepresented, and At-Risk: Education, Cultural Alienation, and their Impact on
Students of Color”. National Conference of Black Political Scientists. March 2009
• “Values and Visions of Democratic Citizenship: Exploring Democratic Values Within Service Learning
Practice”. American Political Science Association – Teaching and Learning Conference. February 2009
• Chair: The Methods Café - Western Political Science Association. March 2008
• “Investigating Civic Engagement and Political Participation among California Colleges and Universities”.
Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Institute. June 2007
• “The Politics of Engagement: Locating the Citizen and the State in Civic Engagement Policy”. Western
Political Science Association. March 2007
• “From the Classroom to the Community: Reconsidering Service-learning in a Critical Pedagogical Context”.
American Political Science Association. Sept. 2006
• “Engaging our Youth: Interrogating Contexts for Civic and Political Engagement Among Students”.
Association of Pan-African Doctoral Scholars. July 2006
• “Considering Political Socialization Among African American Youth”. Midwest Political Science Association.
April 2006
Awards
• 2013 – National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) – Bronze Excellence Award -
Supporting Student Success through an International Transitions Committee
• 2008 - Celebration of Teaching Award - UC Irvine Teaching Learning & Technology Center
• 2006 - Pedagogical Fellow - UC Irvine Teaching Learning & Technology Center
• 2010 - Research Fellowship - Center for the Study of Latinos in a Global Society
• 2010 - Graduate Dean’s Dissertation Fellowship
• 2009 - UC Irvine Political Science Summer Funding Award
• 2009 - UC Irvine Dissertation Writing Fellowship
• 2009 - Graduate Assistance Scholarship - National Conference of Black Political Scientists
• 2008 - UC Irvine Warmington Endowed Chair Fellowship
• 2007 - UC Irvine Center for Law and Society Fellowship
• 2007 - UC Irvine Political Science Summer Funding Award
• 2006 - Promising Graduate Student Award - Association of Pan African Doctoral Scholars
• 2006 - UC Irvine Pedagogical Fellows Award
• 2005 - Chancellor’s Pre-dissertation Fellowship
• 2004 - UC Irvine Political Science Summer Funding Award
• 2003 - UC Irvine Political Science Departmental Fellowship

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Service
• Campus-wide Search Committee: Cross Cultural Center Program Associate
• Campus-wide Search Committee: Student Affairs Director of Assessment, Research & Evaluation
• Chair, International Transitions Work Group
• Chair, Black Leadership Advancement Coalition Planning Committee
• Chancellor’s Task Force on International Student Outreach & Retention
• Chair, International Education Week Committee
• Founding Staff Member – Collaborative Conversations on the Continent
• Chair, Civic & Community Engagement Network
• Office of Equal Opportunity & Diversity Affinity Group Representative
• Student Life & Leadership Interview Committee: Cross Cultural Center Program Assistant
• Student Life & Leadership Interview Committee: Assistant Director of New Student and Leadership Programs
• Student Affairs Interview Committee: Director of Assessment, Research & Evaluation
• Student Life & Leadership Interview Committee: International Center Program Assistant
Certifications & Professional Affiliations
• Certified: Conflict Mediation
• Certified: Diversity & Inclusion
• Certified: Course Design
• Trainings: Civic Engagement Leadership, Virtual Team Management, Transformational Team Leadership
• Member: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
• Member: National Conference of Black Political Scientists
• Member: National Association of International Educators
• Member: International Association for Research on Service-learning and Community Engagement
• Member: American Political Science Association
References available upon request