Pictured above is Mohammad Omar during the opening of the Wicked musical at Ovens
Auditorium in Charlotte.
Mohammad Omar was born and raised in Egypt where he graduated high school and attended Ain Shams University in Cairo. After studying at Ain Shams, he relocated to the states where he took his education very seriously, concentrating on the public service field. "I always wanted to serve in the military and as a police officer, and I have done both," said Mohammad. "I served as an active-duty soldier in the US Army from 2000 to 2004, and then started my career as a police officer with Charlotte Mecklenburg in April 2005. I love what I do and have a passion for public service. I want to continue to serve the public after I retire from policing," he explained.
Mohammad graduated from Stanly Community College (SCC) in 2010 with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice Technology (3.9 GPA). He was nominated for the Criminal Justice Outstanding Graduate that same year, and was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. In 2019, Mohammad earned his Associate in Arts degree from Stanly, again earning a 3.9 GPA. His educational journey did not stop at Stanly. In 2021, Mohammad graduated Summa Cum Laude from Western Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency and Disaster Management. Currently, he is studying at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke for his Master in Business Administration.
Mohammad says that SCC is an excellent college with excellent instructors. "I was introduced to SCC and the Criminal Justice program by Mrs. Kim Hammett of the Criminal Justice Department. She met with me and my police recruit class shortly after our graduation from the police academy. Because I had an excellent experience and education at SCC while pursuing my Criminal Justice degree, I decided to return to SCC and get my Associate in Arts degree many years later when I was ready to continue my education.
I chose to get two degrees at SCC because it is, and will always be, the best school I have ever attended! I am not exaggerating. This is truly what I believe. My education at SCC provided me with the necessary foundation, especially in research and writing, to succeed at Western Carolina University (WCU). I could tell that many of my fellow students at WCU did not have this strong foundation because their research and writing were not on the same level."
When asked about his experience studying at SCC, Mohammad said, "The instructors were outstanding! All of them were excellent. As I said before, SCC was the best school I have ever attended. The instructors made me feel very welcome and like I was a member of their family. Their number one goal was to see all of us succeed. They prepared us academically so we could succeed once we transferred to a university to get a bachelor's and/or master's degree. I still talk to some of my instructors from SCC to this day, such as Kim Hammett, Claudia Gresham (who is now retired), and Taffy Graham. I keep them updated on my educational progress."
Mohammad wants potential students to know that if they are looking at colleges to attend that SCC is an excellent college with excellent instructors. "I grew up overseas in an Arabic-speaking country and attended SCC as an adult learner with a family and a full-time job and succeeded, so can you. You have to take your studies seriously and put in the effort. SCC will provide you with an outstanding foundation to start your career or to transfer to a university to pursue a bachelor's and/or master's degree or higher. If you decide to study online and it is your first time studying online, do not be scared. I took my first online class at SCC, and I love online education. It is very convenient. I believe you also learn more in online classes because no one is shy to share their true opinions backed with evidence during discussions. Online education allowed me to get my degrees. It is very difficult for an adult learner with a family and full-time job to go to a college campus to get their degree," explained Mohammad.
In his spare time, Mohammad enjoys watching movies, hiking, swimming, and listening to music.
For more information about the Online Criminal Justice programs at Stanly Community College, contact Kim Hammett at (704) 991-0164 or khammett8505@stanly.edu.