Hello! I am Guillaume Faddoul
Optimistic Information Systems Instructor and Mentor!
Ah, that is a really good question !
My professional journey began with a Bachelor's and Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Virginia Tech (GO HOKIES !). Those years were a lot of fun and filled with programming challenges, building circuits, and sleepless nights.
But amidst all the technical excitement, one question kept lingering in my mind:
“Who is going to use this? What do users really want?”
This curiosity led me to pursue an MBA with a concentration in Information Technology (IT), where I discovered the perfect bridge between technology design and user needs.
IT focuses on understanding people first, then designing tools and systems that truly serve them. I LIKED THAT ! And I liked it so much that I decided to pursue a PhD in Information Systems and Technology at Claremont Graduate University, in sunny California.
Exactly ! It is one thing to have a passion, acquire knowledge and then apply it, but it brings a totally different level of satisfaction to be able to share such passion and knowledge with students.
I have had the pleasure to teach and mentor students for many years. I got my first teaching experience as an adjunct at Glendale College, near Los Angeles, while finishing my doctorate. There, I discovered a real liking in sharing my knowledge with students. I am now an associate professor at San Francisco State University where I teach undergraduate and graduate students about data management and data analysis.
Watching students grow, seeing them apply their knowledge, share their skills with peers, and develop confidence, is incredibly rewarding.​​
But mentorship isn’t limited to the classroom. It’s about fostering connections, bridging knowledge between generations, and empowering individuals to succeed. Whether in academia, the workplace, or everyday life, mentorship is about planting seeds for growth and collaboration.
I believe it is selfish to know something and not be willing to share it. Sure, it is an important responsibility, but sharing is also part of growing as a person and the satisfaction of seeing someone benefit from your insights is unmatched.