PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (September 22, 2021) – Mohammad Shahab Uddin, who graduated from Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) in 2017 with a master’s degree in accounting, has received the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship, allowing him to continue his studies in the United Kingdom (UK). The Bangladesh native is pursuing a doctorate in entrepreneurship and circular economy at the University of Essex’s Business School.
“Entrepreneurs are change-makers. They move the economy of a country in the right direction,” Uddin said. “My research is designed to motivate entrepreneurs to invest in a circular economy (CE). A CE tackles global challenges, such as climate change, waste and pollution. As this is a new concept to many entrepreneurs, we need to make them understand what CE will bring them, how the environment and country will benefit from CE, among others. The end goal is to transform the linear economy (which is where you extract raw materials from nature, make, consume and waste) into a CE (which uses recycling to close the loop) through entrepreneurship. Even before producing a product, we need to design it so the product will not harm the environment at the end or after waste.”
After Uddin graduated from PVAMU, he became an associate professor in the Department of Management at the University of Chittagong in Bangladesh. Years later, he said he still thinks of PVAMU fondly. “I am grateful, grateful to PV [for] the opportunities that they have given,” Uddin said, who was named PVAMU’s Graduate Student of the Year in 2017.
The Commonwealth Scholarship is highly prestigious and competitive. According to the British Council’s website, it’s awarded to around 800 students each year from 54 countries around the world that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. The goal is to help these students pursue postgraduate degrees at universities in the UK.
“The competition for the scholarship is intense,” Uddin said. “In Bangladesh, thousands of researchers applied from both public and private universities. From the public universities, two faculty members, including myself, were selected based on academic results, research publications and English skills.”
Uddin said he believes his time at Prairie View helped him receive this opportunity.
“In my nearly 20 years as dean, Shahab stands out as someone who made a visible impact on many of his professors and fellow students,” said College of Business Dean and Professor Munir Quddus, Ph.D. “He is an earnest young man with a compelling story. A new dad, he had to leave behind his family for nearly two years as he pursued his dream of higher education in America. It was difficult for him to be separated for so long from his family and face financial challenges. Yet, he persevered and even prospered, given his positive attitude and growth mentality. He truly represents the Panther spirit of service.”
That “spirit of service” goes back to Uddin volunteering to take care of a disabled student for two years at PVAMU, including taking notes for the student in his classes because he could not write for himself. “Helping students is a life-changing experience so that you feel how blessed you are,” Uddin said. “You’re in good health. You can do whatever you like. You can run. You can walk. You can do work with your hands. You’re blessed.”
After graduation, Uddin continued volunteering in Bangladesh and established an organization in 2018 called 1/24 Social Movement. Since its creation, the non-profit has provided free medical treatment, paid for students’ educations, provided educational materials to needy students and many other acts of service.
Uddin said he believes his volunteer work helped differentiate him from other applicants for the Commonwealth Scholarship. He also said he learned those principles about standing out from others during his time in the United States. “Think out of the box. Don’t be traditional. Don’t go with the flow. Do something different,” he said.
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