Leadership
Aisha El-Amin, Executive Associate Vice Provost for Student Success and Belonging Heading link
Dr. Aisha El-Amin leads a dynamic team of 12 units that cultivate the sense of belonging and academic success of UIC’s beautifully diverse student body. She has served in a variety of leadership roles at UIC including Associate Provost & Chief of Staff, Associate Dean of Students, and Associate Vice Chancellor for Equity and Belonging.
Dr. El-Amin is a UIC alumna and holds a PhD in Policy Studies of Urban Education. As a servant-leader and a US Army Veteran, Dr. El-Amin has received numerous accolades both internal and external to UIC. These awards most recently include the:
- 2022 UIC Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Blacks History Makers Award,
- 2020 Chancellor’s Academic Professional Award (CAPE),
- Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. 2022 Community Leader of the Year Award.
Dr. El-Amin believes in honest communication, that smiles are infectious, every problem has a solution and an organization’s greatest resource are its people.
Aginah Muhammad, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Success Heading link
Dr. Aginah M. Muhammad, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Success at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), is an advocate for student success. With over 25 years of experience in public service and education, Dr. Muhammad is passionate about ensuring that students have the necessary tools to achieve success and a sense of belonging. An alumna of UIC, Dr. Muhammad began her career at the university in 2013 and has held various leadership positions, including Executive Director of the Council on Teacher Education, Inaugural Director of the Office of First Year Initiatives, and Assistant Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Summer College.
Dr. Muhammad is a servant leader who is committed to her community and has received numerous awards and recognition, both internal and external to UIC, including the 2023 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Those Who Excel Community Volunteer Award of Excellence, the 2022 UIC Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Blacks History Makers Award, the 2021 PLAN4Success Community Image Award, and the 2020 UIC Award of Merit.
Dr. Muhammad earned her BA and MEd from UIC and PhD in Organizational Leadership from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. For Dr. Muhammad, the core principles for success are gratitude, integrity, and persistence.
Maya Gabriel, Director of Operations Heading link
Maya Gabriel, Director of Operations, is the Human Resource and Fiscal Officer for UIC’s Success College, overseeing operations for its 12 subunits. With a background in English and Humanities, she is dedicated to providing a humanistic approach to leadership in higher education business settings.