Spotlight on CASL Staff Member Michelle Rahman

May 10, 2023

Enjoy the following Q&A with Michelle Rahman, Administrative Assistant, Department of Natural Sciences.

Name:  Michelle Rahman
Position:  Administrative Assistant, Natural Sciences
Years at UM-Dearborn: 4.5 -- 3 in NSCI, 1.5 in CCJ/.5 in Center for Labor and Community Studies (concurrent)

What does a typical workday look like for you? 

I begin by checking my calendar to plan out my day and prepare for any scheduled meetings. Then I answer emails/requests that came in overnight and get to work on ongoing projects. Impromptu meetings almost always occur, and last-minute tasks are continuously shuffled in. Also, spreadsheets – LOTS of spreadsheets!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love that every day is different. Although the general responsibilities typically stay the same, how each day plays out always differs.

What was your first job?

When I was 16, I had three jobs! I catalogued books and artifacts for one of America’s leading private dealers specializing in Abraham Lincoln memorabilia, worked as a front desk receptionist for an accounting firm, and cleaned my mom’s office building on the weekends.

What do you do to relax?

I love to watch movies. We even have a ceiling mounted projector and theater seating in our office at home so that we can pretend to go to the movies, but we don’t have to actually leave!

If you could have any one skill or talent that you don’t already have, what would it be?

I would love to be able to speak multiple languages. I took French in high school, Arabic in college, and my husband’s family speaks Bengali, but I have a terrible time catching on or retaining enough to be able to communicate efficiently.

What’s the proudest moment of your life?

Earning my Master’s degree is probably one of my proudest moments. I am a first-generation college graduate, so I was proud to even attend graduate school. In a year and half, I worked full time, attended grad school full time, got married, raised my daughter, AND maintained a social life (there may have been more hours in the day back then)!

If we were to create a UM-Dearborn playlist, what song would you want to include?

Layla by Eric Clapton

What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

I have been asked several times to serve as the proofreader for scholarly reports and publications. Most recently, I merged and made final edits to a white paper that was drafted by researchers, scholars, and law enforcement officials nationwide to be presented to the Biden/Harris transition team at the White House in 2021.

What’s one thing you wish you had known when you were a teenager?

Plans change. It’s good to have plans for your future, but it’s also good to understand that life happens, plans change, and that’s ok. The change itself isn’t nearly important as how you adapt to it.