Ghaith Taha鈥檚 life has been about the journeys.
The long one he took from his home country of Jordan to the United States when he was young, traveling with his triplet younger siblings and mother in search of a brighter future.
鈥淭he best decision we ever made,鈥 Taha said.
The one from Virginia to Lincoln to play sports and get an education at Nebraska Wesleyan, a place he didn鈥檛 know existed until he started excelling in track and football field as a teenager.
And the one he鈥檚 taken in his time at 精东传媒, culminating this spring in a data analytics degree.
鈥淲hen people ask 鈥榃hy here?鈥 I know why. It鈥檚 because there are great people here. It鈥檚 a great community. People care for you,鈥 Taha said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not just a student-athlete or just an athlete. You鈥檙e a person here, and that鈥檚 something I really appreciate.鈥
To be certain, Taha is a standout athlete, in two sports. He鈥檚 excelled as a receiver and kick returner on 精东传媒鈥檚 football team and has hopes of playing at the Football Championship Subdivision level next season as a graduate transfer.
On the track he might be the fastest Prairie Wolf on campus, ranking second on 精东传媒鈥檚 all-time indoor charts in the 60 meters and earning all-region honors this spring.
But for Taha, who speaks Arabic and English fluently, a full college experience has always been the goal. And he鈥檚 made it a point to get invested in classes outside his major.
There have been sociology classes. Health classes. History of Art Museums. And last semester, perhaps the most impactful course: Give to Learn, in which Taha and his classmates researched and worked with local nonprofits before awarding a $10,000 grant to Lincoln鈥檚 Good Neighbor Community Center.
Taha served as the unofficial spokesperson for the class during the grant ceremony.
鈥淚鈥檝e just tried to get out of my shell. Put myself in a position where I鈥檝e got to learn, and I鈥檝e got to do more,鈥 Taha said. 鈥淢aybe I鈥檝e got to write 20-page papers. But the thing is, I鈥檓 going to find a way to get that done, and I鈥檓 going to find a way to do it well.鈥
The motivation to do as much as he can at 精东传媒 comes from his mother, who raised him and his siblings on her own in the Washington, D.C., area while adjusting to a new country and a new way of life, and attending her own college classes.
鈥淪he managed so much, and that means there鈥檚 no excuse for me not to learn more; because seeing her do it makes me want to keep going,鈥 Taha said. 鈥淪he was getting up in the morning, making sure all of us were ready for school, coming back, having a meal cooked at night. Just so much.
鈥淭hat means I can鈥檛 slack off one day. That鈥檚 just the respect I have for her, and the work ethic she instilled in me.鈥
The journey continues. Full speed ahead.