Spring — 2012

Sam Salar Rahbarpour

Policy Planning and Development

“SMC is a great and wonderful school, and it’s very local for me. Plus, the transfer rate is very high, and a lot of my family members are alumni.”

“I have a night class with Professor Goldstein, who teaches communication, and he is an excellent teacher,” says Sam Salar Rahbarpour. “Although I sometimes feel tired in that class—I’m definitely a morning person!—he somehow always keeps my attention at high levels and feeling engaged. He talks a lot about the diversity and the evolution of our society, and how it’s grown and continues to change. And through his lectures,” Sam continues, “he points out how very important it is for all people to have their human rights—throughout the world, as well as in our own nation. And I believe him when he speaks, because Professor Goldstein is all about justice.”

Sam is the second generation of his family to come to SMC, and he’s entering a new program here that other family members didn’t have a shot at. “Policy Planning and Development is a program that teaches how to get involved with making public policy, or how to plan and develop a real estate firm or a nonprofit corporation and the like.” But Sam’s intent is to focus primarily on the ‘development’ portion of this equation. “In the long run, I want to have a minor in real estate development, and then go on to law school to become a real estate attorney. This sort of program should teach me a lot about the critical issues of real estate, such as buying it, owning it, selling it, developing it, and starting and finishing it. I think this will take me many years of studying in law school.”

Sam plans on a “transfer to USC, because that’s the only college that offers my major. And I’ve learned a lot about being a student and getting ready for that at SMC. This is not a test here. It’s a challenge to see how successful you can become. And for me, that’s what being a student is all about.”

Back