Hassan Hadjilou

Student

“Ms. Maddox is a good teacher for any foreign student. Even though my English was a little slow, I got it! I understood poetry!”

He was born one day after the Iranian revolution that toppled a dynasty and brought the Muslim clerics to power. “And then the family left when there was a war between Iran and Iraq,” recalls Hassan Hadjilou of his tumultuous childhood. “I actually grew up in Nice, France, after that.” Hassan’s uncertainty about his disruptive life followed him all the way to SMC, where his circumstances finally began to mellow and develop.

“I remember that, when I first came to SMC, I was totally lost. I didn’t know English, and I didn’t have any friends,” recalls Hassan. “But then I met another student, who took me around on Orientation Day and showed me what I needed to do. And I felt so relieved and welcome,” says the young future entrepreneur, who is hoping to transfer to USC. “I found out that I had so many options at SMC. I could even change my major, which is something I could never do in Iran, where there are millions of students competing just to study anything. It’s a country where there is very little opportunity at the moment,” Hassan continues. “But here—in California—everything is growing. Construction, business, tourism…everything!” And Hassan, who plans on having an MBA in his future, is growing right along with his adoptive new country.

“SMC has completely opened up my mind and my thinking about everything there is to do in America,” says Hassan. “Like this teacher I have for History right now…oh, my God! He’s fantastic! His name is Mr. Stromberg, and it’s unbelievable how he mixes humor, history, pictures, and anecdotes all together. Even though you’re tired, you suddenly open your eyes, because he’s given you all this excitement with a blend of jokes and reality. Honestly,” adds Hassan, “sometimes I’m not even aware that I’m learning!”

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