Jabril Shabazz has many titles – paramedic, academic, grandfather, former Marine and Barry alumnus, to name a few. This fall, he’ll begin his journey to pursuing yet another title: Ph.D.
Shabazz, who has worked as a paramedic for the past 25 years and previously served in the United States Marine Corps, made the decision to enroll as a first-time college student at age 30, inspired by his passion for history, his life-long quest for learning and his desire to one day earn a Ph.D.
“School is a love for me,” Shabazz said. “Since obtaining a Ph.D. degree is one of my ultimate goals, I knew it started first with earning my bachelor’s.”
Upon earning a bachelor’s degree in history from Florida Atlantic University in 2009, Shabazz enrolled in Barry University’s Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MLS) program, eager to explore his love of history from the various perspectives that the MLS program provided through its diverse mixture of interdisciplinary courses.
“The MLS faculty at Barry University was phenomenal with a genuine concern for dissemination of knowledge,” Shabazz said. “I was searching for a program that offered a different understanding of historical topics; this program gave me that opportunity.”
His experience in Barry’s MLS program continues to motivate him academically, he said, and has allowed him to form a broader perspective while exploring historical topics.
Shabazz, who will enter the Ph.D. in History program at Florida International University this fall, plans to focus his research on the topic of how culture and religion influenced Ancient Greek and African societies.
Once he earns his Ph.D., he hopes to teach at the college level and, eventually, teach abroad. Regardless of where his career takes him, his quest for learning will continue, he said.
“Education is a form of continuous growth,” Shabazz said. “The more you learn, the more you grow. Learning and educating yourself is a lifelong process in which I intend to stay.”
For more information about Barry’s MLS program, visit https://www.barry.edu/liberal-studies/