From his time as a young student and scholar in Tunisia, to pursuing his lifelong dream of education as a professor, Dr. Salah Ayari continues to inspire his students to explore the Arabic- speaking world through language and culture.
Ayari was originally born in Tunis, Tunisia, where his childhood teachers sparked his lifelong passion for accessible education. They took on the role of his second parents, ensuring he had the necessary support when he was struggling with a subject, and inspiring him to be the same guiding figure for his own students.
“There was no library in my school in Tunisia,” Ayari said. “So, my third-grade homeroom teacher brought his own library to the school and provided us with short stories that helped develop my love for reading. When I became a teacher, I could always relate to those students who sometimes struggled with learning because I had been there before. I remember how it took a gentle nudge from a caring and supportive teacher to help me move forward and always hoped to be that for someone else.
“From my sixth-grade math teacher who provided us with free after-school tutoring sessions, to my high school language arts teacher who created a debate club to help us improve our communication skills to my American literature professor who expanded my horizon through the extra reading materials and the great selection of novels, they all helped to bolster my love for learning and played a big role in my decision to become an educator.”
This same teaching aspiration led Ayari to receive his bachelor’s degree in English and German in 1988 from the University of Tunis. Afterwards, he studied at the University of Vienna for one year, before moving to the University of Minnesota in 1989, where he completed his Ph.D. in second languages and cultures education, sparking the beginning of his teaching career.
He has taught students across K-12, where he molded himself to fit the needs of each group of students. This included working as a school principal for seven years, serving as a consultant for Concordia Language Villages and conducting Arabic program evaluations for schools. Throughout each of these stages, he embodied transformative education as he pushed students to understand how his lessons extend beyond the classroom into everyday life.
“During my teaching experience at an elementary school, I learned the importance of creating a welcoming environment and building relationships with my students to facilitate learning,” Ayari said. “My teaching in middle school was challenging, but it taught me the importance of empathy, patience and resilience. At the high school level, it was important to help students see the relevance of language learning for their future. The biggest lesson that keeps me on the road to continuous improvement is the idea that teaching excellence is a journey, not a destination.”
Studying abroad is one of the best ways to understand the Arab world and deconstruct misconceptions. Many students stay in touch with their host families, and some even travel back to Tunisia and Morocco to visit these families again.
A Career Rooted in Transformative Teaching
His early childhood influences and teaching experiences encouraged Ayari to begin serving as an instructional professor of Arabic and Arabic studies and director of language instruction in the department of global languages and cultures at Texas A&M University, where he teaches Arabic to college students, pushing them to understand the world through a new lens.
“Many students come to my Arabic language and culture classes unaware of how diverse the Arab world is, ethnically, religiously, linguistically and even geographically,” Ayari said. “As a teacher, my job is to design rich and deep learning experiences inside the classroom and beyond.”
Ayari has been conducting faculty-led, study abroad programs to Tunisia, Jordan and Morocco since 2009, providing Aggies with the chance to study diverse cultures from within. Forming part of the team that first built these programs, he has been instrumental in providing students with cultural immersion experiences abroad, as they explore valuable landmarks, practice their language skills and connect with locals. He explained how the study abroad program provided students with opportunities for linguistic and cultural immersion, as they reckoned with the stereotypes and misconceptions regarding Arab culture.
“Studying abroad is one of the best ways to understand the Arab world and deconstruct misconceptions,” Ayari said. “The most memorable moments are the days when students say goodbye to their host families. Those are emotional moments for the students and the host families because both sides have learned so much about each other and developed positive attitudes. Many students tell me that they stay in touch with those host families, and some even went back to Tunisia and Morocco to see their host families again.”
He emphasized the journey of self-discovery students experience as they learn not only about the host country, but also themselves, as they question their understanding of the world and develop tools to cope with challenges. He encouraged all Aggies to go abroad if given the chance.
“Regardless of a student's major or career path, learning another language is a great asset both at the professional and personal levels,” Ayari said. “This language immersion is especially impactful if you have a chance to go abroad. Research findings show that on average, students who studied abroad earn more in their first job after graduation than those who did not. There is compelling evidence that learning another language and gaining international experience will set you apart.”
Where Dedication Meets Recognition: Ayari’s Continued Impact
Recognizing his dedication to teaching excellence, Ayari received the 2025 College-Level Teaching Award from The Association of Former Students for his dedication to high expectations, academic rigor and student development, serving as a testament to his commitment to this same language learning and transformative education over the past 15 years.
“Receiving this award was a great honor,” Ayari said. “At the same time, it was an opportunity to reflect on what makes our teaching impactful and how to make it more so moving forward.”
He was also invited by the Forum on Education Abroad and the University of Mohammed V in Morocco to present at the Rabat Regional Seminar on Education Abroad last May. He shared Texas A&M’s innovative teaching and learning practices with university faculty, program providers and government representatives. He hopes to encourage more students and faculty to support study abroad opportunities and become invested in the Arab world.
“The opportunity to be part of building the Arabic language program at Texas A&M University from the ground up has been a great honor,” Ayari said. “It is one of the accomplishments that I am most proud of, and I am thankful for all the institutional support that has contributed to its success. The program has allowed thousands of Aggies to take Arabic classes, while learning about the cultures of the Arab region inside the classroom and beyond. Hundreds of students completed their minor in Arabic studies, while hundreds of others were able to study in different Arabic-speaking countries.
“Many of those graduates whom I am still in touch with are now lawyers, teachers, government employees, engineers and successful businesspeople. I am confident that their language and study abroad experiences have served them well. Hopefully, more students will take part in our study abroad programs and take advantage of these opportunities for a transformative education.”
