Yasmine Mukahal

An Unstoppable Dream: From Family Matriarch to First Generation Graduate

Haslam’s EMBA—SL program is celebrating its 30th anniversary by sharing 30 alumni stories like Yasmine’s.*

At six years old, Yasmine Mukahal and her family immigrated to the U.S. as refugees. This life-changing move set the course for her journey, one defined by resilience and courage.

“It was an amazing but also a terrifying experience,” Mukahal shared. “It helped to build our character and shaped who we are today as Palestinian Americans.”

Mukahal’s mother encouraged her to pursue the education previous women in her family had missed out on due to cultural norms. “Education was very important to my mom,” Mukahal said. “Her hope for me was that I would prioritize getting an education.”

While she would face her share of challenges, Mukahal’s determination fueled her journey, turning obstacles into stepping stones toward her goals.

Putting Family First

Life once again changed for Mukahal when her mother passed away, leading her to drop out of high school to take care of her younger siblings.

“It was heartbreaking as a 16-year-old, thinking about all the things that I didn’t get to experience, but I became a mom to my siblings,” she said.

Mukahal went on to enter an arranged marriage and have a child as a young adult. She later ended the marriage, caring for her daughter as a single mother. Despite all the challenges life handed her, Mukahal continued to hold onto her educational dreams.

Pursuing a Dream Delayed

Mukahal worked tirelessly to build a career, raise her daughter, and finally achieve her dream of pursuing higher education. She enrolled in an undergraduate program and challenged herself by taking on heavy course loads each semester, all while working full-time. Ultimately, she realized her hopes and earned her bachelor’s degree.

“My mom would have been so proud that her daughter now has a higher education,” Mukahal said. “And it’s a huge accomplishment for my daughter to see that her mom earned a bachelor’s degree.”

Earning a Graduate Degree, Finding Support

In 2021, while in a leadership role at Nashville’s HCA Healthcare, Mukahal decided it was time to pursue the next step in her educational journey and earn a graduate degree. After researching programs, she decided on Haslam’s Executive MBA—Strategic Leadership (EMBA—SL).

“As a Palestinian woman, I didn’t have the family or community scaffolding to understand how to navigate corporate America,” she explained. “Making those connections and learning from my classmates’ experiences was so valuable.”

Midway through the program, Mukahal’s daughter faced intense mental health challenges that affected her well-being. Mukahal was prepared to drop everything to care for her daughter, but her EMBA—SL faculty and peers stood beside her with unwavering compassion, supporting her as she balanced her family commitments with her goals.

“What makes the program truly special is the element of humanity,” Mukahal said. “The EMBA community helped me through one of the toughest periods of my life, and that made all the difference.”

Going for It

Mukahal graduated in December 2022 and stays closely connected to her program community. Her advice to those considering pursuing education is, “Go for it. It pushed me and challenged me to step out of my comfort zone, but it was all to my benefit,” she explained. “I wanted the challenge, and I wanted to learn. This program gave me all of that.”