In his eighteen years teaching at Saint Mary’s, Antar Salim, MBA, DBA, has always prioritized student success. As a professor in the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) program, Dr. Salim teaches courses in economics, statistics, ethics, and risk management. With every assignment, he makes sure to promote effective learning while helping his students learn more about themselves and how they navigate the world.
Dr. Salim didn’t always know his calling was in teaching though. He graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1997. From there, he worked for Lincoln Electric as a technical sales representative. While working in this role, he completed his MB from South Illinois University – Edwardsville. It was during this time he discovered his penchant for teaching, and began working as an adjunct professor and customized sales representative at Dakota County Technical College. Several years later, he served as an instructor for a variety of schools, one of those being Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. After receiving his DBA from Argosy University in 2013, he joined the Saint Mary’s faculty as a full-time associate professor and was recently promoted to full professor.
Dr. Salim has greatly enjoyed his time at Saint Mary’s and appreciates the opportunity to fulfill his life’s purpose: helping students change their lives and communities.
“Learners will be challenged with the goal of not just becoming better professionals,” he said. “The goal of a Saint Mary’s education is to aid students in becoming better people.”
Dr. Salim makes this goal a reality within his classroom through his assignments and instruction. One assignment he gives is the Virtue in Action assessment. Students complete the assessment in about twenty minutes and the results show the students their top five character strengths.
“The assignment is multifaceted,” explained Salim. “The most intriguing aspect is when learners share with the rest of the class the degree to which they agree or disagree with the findings and why.”
His approach to teaching is grounded in his dissertation work, which focused on emotional intelligence and teacher effectiveness. From his research, he learned the importance of engaging each student and being aware of the various learning styles a student might possess. From there, he works to create a welcoming learning environment where students can receive continuous feedback that helps them grow as professionals and people.
Outside of teaching, Dr. Salim likes to spend time with his wife, three daughters, and two dogs. He also enjoys reading, working out, and running.
