Zeena Faulk, a doctoral graduate with over a dozen published translations, brings her background in translation and language to Oregon State University as the Ettihad Cultural Center director.

Faulk grew up in a small Iraqi town about an hour and a half south of Bagdad. As a child with nine brothers and sisters, life was busy, but fun. She and her siblings were always together and, as an athletic family, they would frequently play soccer among other activities. 

“(We were) always busy, always planning and creating things. I never felt alone, and I never felt there was something I couldn’t do,” Faulk said. 

Faulk lived in Iraq for 27 years before deciding to move to the United States. She had been working for the Los Angeles Times in Baghdad as a reporter and translator and wanted to get her Master of Arts in journalism. 

After receiving a Fulbright scholarship, she moved to the U.S. and began studying journalism at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. After receiving her M.A., she realized there was something more she wanted to do. Although journalism is what brought her to the U.S., Faulk wasn’t sure she wanted to further pursue a career in it. 

“When I came to the U.S. I didn’t have something specific in mind. I didn’t know what I was good at other than English literature,” Faulk said. 

Wanting to explore other paths, Faulk started working with patients as a freelance interpreter. She then expanded her freelance work into medical and legal interpreting, and she soon realized her passions lay in interpretation.

“I developed a passion for literary translation,” Faulk said. 

In order to pursue her newfound passion, Faulk enrolled in a technical translation program at Kent State University where she received her master’s in Arab translation. She then went on to get her doctorate in literary translation at the University of Warwick in England in 2022.

When Faulk first discovered the new Center Director position being offered at Oregon State University, she was living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but was still an active cluster lead for the Migration, Identity, and Translation Network at the University of Warwick. 

Faulk said that MITN focuses on the mobility of populations due to conflict and unrest, and its impact on languages and the translation industry. One particular area of interest for Faulk is on the changes that happen in languages as people move from one place to another, and what role translation plays in these dynamics.

As an original contribution, in her doctoral research, Faulk uses translation as a context for exploring identity representation in post-war Iraq.

It was this work she was doing when the new role was brought to her attention by her supervisor who said she would be great for the position. After reviewing it herself, she agreed and decided to apply. 

Since moving to Oregon, Faulk said that she is still transitioning and is awaiting the arrival of her partner and children so she can finally feel settled. In the meantime, she has already been learning a lot and is excited about what she will be bringing to the Ettihad Cultural Center as its new center director. 

Faulk is currently enjoying getting to know her environment and her student staff. She said she is looking forward to bringing her life and professional experiences to the role of director, bonding with her team and working together to exceed expectations and find what works best for the center.

“I would like to create an environment that is accepting, inclusive, and open to all cultures and people,” Faulk said.