Ella Kitchens, Asst. News Editor–

Dr. Hanada Al-Masri, an associate professor of Arabic, started at Denison University in 2012 and has worked in past years as chair of the Modern Language department and continues to work as part of the Middle East & North African (MENA) concentration, all while juggling her research.

Starting fall semester 2025, Al-Masri is taking a year-long sabbatical to focus on research. One of her projects is on linguistic and cultural analysis of students’ cultural portfolios.

“I really want to highlight how important the free choice is for students to build their own critical cultural competence,” said Al-Masri. “How can we be global citizens in alignment with our mission here on campus without really having that competence?”

Her second research project focuses on sociolinguistics, more related to her original research, and she will be exploring social media storytelling in Arabic linguistic varieties.

Like her research, her teaching also takes an interdisciplinary approach. However, Al-Masri did not always know she wanted to be a professor.

“Starting ninth grade, this is when I decided I wanted to study English language and literature because I was fascinated by different cultures early on,” said Al-Masri. “I did my BA in English language and literature and I did my master’s in linguistics.”

After getting her bachelor’s degree from the University of Jordan, she initially worked as a K-12 teacher for English but decided to go back to school for her master’s degree.

“After I got my master’s, this is when I started thinking that I want to become a university professor, and this is what confirmed that I really find joy in being in the classroom,” Al-Masri said.

Her teaching career started as a graduate student, but she went on to get her PhD in English Linguistics at Purdue University. Her first teaching position as a professor was as assistant professor of English in Jordan.

She switched to teaching Arabic when she moved to the U.S. from Jordan and joined Middlebury College in 2006, a small liberal arts college in Vermont. After this, she taught at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in the Near Eastern Studies Department, also teaching Arabic across all levels. In 2012, Al-Masri came to Denison.

“What really drove me and really attracted me to Denison is the relational approach, the culture,” she said. “This is part of my style as a teacher, as a professor, interactivity and the relational aspect.”

Al-Masri teaches Arabic across all levels, as well as a Culture of the Arab World course in the MENA concentration.

“My teaching style, if I could summarize it in a few words, I would say integrational and relational,” said Al-Masri. 

Her teaching style not only crosses over from her field to other fields on campus through the many cultural enrichment opportunities she provides but also allows for variation within classes. Her class combines the teaching of Fusha (standard) Arabic and Amea (spoken) Arabic. This is a new approach that few schools in the U.S. offer. She also integrates the four skills of reading, speaking, writing, and listening in every class.

“That kind of integration is holistic in giving my students the idea that language is alive,” said Al-Masri. “It’s an integrative action that should be enhanced throughout.”

 Alec Gau ‘25 started learning Arabic during his first year and took beginning to intermediate Arabic. He is now a TA for two sections of Beginning Arabic II.

“Something about Dr. Al-Masri really drew me in,” said Gau. “Her passion for the language really shone through when she talked about her passion for teaching and being a helpful educational force.”

“I feel like she makes an effort to actually engage people with the material in class, but she doesn’t do it in a way that singles students out,” said Sara Amjad ‘28 who is taking Al-Masri’s beginning Arabic class. “She will go around the room asking everyone the same question or a different question, but she makes the class feel like a family. And so we know that it’s okay to be wrong and that we’re able to learn and relearn.”

In addition to engaging students in the classroom, Al-Masri also works to organize cultural enrichment opportunities beyond the classroom. She has worked with other departments to bring in speakers from across the U.S. and from the Middle East. She also has organized trips to the Noor Islamic Center in Dublin, Ohio, and the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

“I think Dr. Al-Masri does a really good job on integrating US college students into a new language and culture that’s very removed from most people’s backgrounds here,” said Gau. “Her overall demeanor makes it easier to come back to class every day and want to keep learning.”

While her students learn from her, Al-Masri learns from them, too.

“I learn from my students one thing every single day,” said Al-Masri. “I learn about the cultural changes. I learn about this generation’s interests. I enjoy talking, having these mini informal conversations before we start class.”

Al-Masri also learns about how students see the world, particularly in her class  entitled Culture of the Arab World, where there are discussions about bigotry, Islamophobia, anti-Arabism, and anti-Americanism.

“I’m really very hopeful about this generation of students. I think they’re active. I think they’re aware,” said Al-Masri. “I’m not trying to change anybody’s perspective or ideology. I’m just trying to introduce the other perspective and that opens up a conversation where I listen to them and they listen to me. I think this is where learning happens.”

Amjad said her discussions with Al-Masri have helped her feel at home at Denison.

“Coming into a predominantly white institution and not really feeling like I had a community at Denison, having someone from my own culture and background as a professor and also a friend has really helped me find my space on campus,” said Amjad.

What makes Al-Masri passionate about her career is seeing her students every day. 

“The happiest moments were when I would go into my class and start teaching my students,” said Al-Masri. “No matter how sad or tired I am, the moment I enter class, I get my energy from them.”

Editor’s Note: The professor spotlight is a recurring feature. Email [email protected] if you would like to suggest a professor to be featured.