Samar Issa, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance

About Dr. Issa

Samar received her Ph.D. in Economics from The New School for Social Research, with a focus on macroeconomics and financial economics. She formerly completed an MBA, an MA and MPhil in Economics. Her research interests include the effects of leveraging in the banking industry. She taught courses in Economics, Quantitative Reasoning and Finance.

Samar worked for ten years at U.S. corporations, at the United Nations, and overseas. She is fluent in English, Arabic, and French, and conversant in Spanish. The variety of experiences that she gained from living and working in a multitude of countries, coupled with her belief in the potential of every student, help her develop teaching strategies in educating diverse learners to realize the educational excellence she hopes for them.

“I believe that teaching should extend from providing knowledge to stimulating critical and analytical thinking. Although transferring knowledge to students is crucial, it is also of great importance to trigger their curiosity and to help them acquire the skills necessary to achieve their quest for additional knowledge. Therefore, I try to provide them with the set of tools they need in order to learn how to learn, following the concept of the Chinese proverb: give a man a fish, you feed him for one day; teach him how to fish, you feed him for life! When I teach, my goal is to maximize the information my students retain through listening and engaging in class discussions, rather than focusing on the delivery of course material. Moreover, I believe that learning should be interesting and fun, especially when it comes to fields that are regarded by many students as boring or hard, such as economics or finance. I tend to use humor in my classrooms to catch the students’ attention and break the tension, turning the classroom into a lively friendly environment.”

Career & Accomplishments

Degrees

  • The New School, Ph.D, M.Phil, and M.A.

  • Lebanese American University, MBA

  • Notre Dame University, B.A.

Accomplishments

  • Professional trainer for diversity and women's leadership business workshops

  • Good student evaluation and excellent rapport with former students

  • Five year work experience at the United Nations and ten years overall

  • Director for the Center for Leadership Studies

  • Mentor for the CFA Research Challenge

  • Advisor for the Student Management Investment Fund