Amina Sillah, otherwise known as Dr. Sillah, began her journey in education about five years ago. Before she went into teaching, she was a formal case worker for ten years. Dr. Sillah began her teaching career at University of North Texas. It was there where she also received her doctorate degree. Her passion for teaching was something she always had in herself. Dr. Sillah mentions that she “always loved showing people how to do things.” This passion has molded her into the urban government and metropolitan studies professor she is now. When asked why people, preferably students, should care about such subject matter, she discussed the significance of the reasoning and process of how things are built, which ultimately influences communities directly and indirectly. Urban and metropolitan policies have a lasting effect on every one of us so it’s important that we realize those effects in order to take action. Students should “understand the connection between them and the flow of resources.” Dr. Sillah left me with some great tips on how to get involved: volunteer, speak to your policy makers and city planners, and take action. The best piece of advice Dr. Sillah would give her undergraduate self is to “come to college with an open mind” and to not be so fixated on what exactly you believe you want to do when you first enter college.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Towson chapter.