Yehia Omar

Professionals - Evening
Current Industry/Job: Industrial Manufacturing - Sales Engineer
From: Cairo, Egypt

Favorite quote and why:

I am not a quote kind of guy, and don't know who said it first, but recently I have come across this quite a bit, and I truly believe that it is true, it is why we work so hard to experience amazing things:
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor and why?

My dad, Dr. Mohamed Fouad Omar. Despite having faced various challenges throughout his life, he alway put his family and our future first, making sure he lead by example, explained the reasoning behind decisions he made and lessons he taught us, and has always been there for his extended family and friends. Since moving to Texas on my own in 2006, I have only come to appreciate my father even more for all the sacrifices he made and lessons he taught me, and the strong network of loyal friends around the world that will stop short of nothing to serve him and his family. I find it hard to look past my dad on what it is like to be a smart, passionate, sincere, funny and hard working leader.

Best memory from your first year in the MBA program:

I had several favorite memories, but if I had to choose one, it would be the Owl Bowl Charity Flag Football Tournament. The camaraderie, team work and endless laughs we had that day made the minor heat stroke a small price to pay.

What story does your family always tell about you?

Growing up in the middle east, homeowners and tenants seldom did handy work around the house. Something as simple as changing a light bulb would be called in to have the work completed by a handyman. My mother always tells stories about how I looked forward to things breaking down for us to call handymen to come fix things, only for me to shadow them, crowd them with curious questions, become friends with them and try to fix things myself before I even turned 10. That "how does this work" curiosity and begging to drop Biology in 7th grade eased the pressure of having to follow my father's footsteps of becoming a doctor, even the neighbors knew I was going to be an engineer before I could grow facial hair.

What advice would you like to provide incoming students?

Going into this experience, many feel they're prepared for the added workload and responsibilities. While that is important, one must really find the core motivation for embarking on such a journey. You will enjoy plenty of great moments, the classes are extremely relevant and engaging, and fellow professionals only help enhance an already special experience, but ultimately, things come up with work, family, and life in general, and they tend to conveniently happen during your busiest time at school. At first, it may seem impossible and disheartening, however, reverting back to the core drivers that lead to this endeavor and the support system you will build around you will always ensure you will prevail successfully.

Any additional unique facts you would like to share:

I am Egyptian who grew up going to a German School in the UAE, decided to study mechanical engineering at Texas A&M in College Station, earning the Outstanding Senior Engineer Award, and moved to Houston in 2010. I love traveling (visited over 25 countries), sports, food, making people laugh and serving others, particularly Refugees and Children with Cancer.