Dr. Tarek Sobh President of Lawrence Technological University

In this encore episode, we spoke to Dr. Tarek Sobh, President of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield Michigan. Dr. Sobh, a licensed professional engineer, was named President on January 1st, 2022. He received a Bachelor of Science in engineering with honors in computer science and automatic control from Alexandria University, Egypt, and a Master of Science and Ph.D.  We discussed with Dr. Sobh the increasing number of foreign-born scholars leading U.S. Universities. We also discussed his mentors along the way and what lessons he learned from them about being a university leader. 

What is HigherEd PodCon?

For years, higher education professionals involved in podcasting have asked the same question: Why isn’t there a podcast conference just for our community? My colleagues and I decided it was time to do something about it and take the leap to create a conference just for higher ed podcasters.

On Saturday, July 12, 2025, we invite all higher ed podcasters to attend the inaugural HigherEd PodCon, the first national conference exclusively for podcasting and digital media creators in higher education. Located at the University of Illinois, Chicago, this one-day event brings together faculty, staff, tech specialists, and communicators who are shaping the future of audio storytelling on campus.

With 15 sessions, 40+ presenters, and participation from over 25 institutions throughout the United States—including Purdue, Stanford, Brigham Young, Penn State, and Austin Community College—this is the perfect opportunity to explore how colleges are using podcasts to engage students, alumni, and the broader community. Please go to www.higheredpodcon.com