CAES Morocco: Leading Across Differences

     One identity category that stood out to me during my time in Morocco is how social class and access to education shape opportunity, specifically through differences between private and public school. This idea came to my mind during our visit to the École Nationale d’Agriculture, where we learned about the highly competitive admissions process and spoke with students about their educational backgrounds.      During the tour, we were told that the school receives over 10,000 applicants but accepts fewer than 200 students each year. The admissions process is based on high school academic performance, followed by an additional standardized exam for selected candidates. This was especially interesting because it differs from systems like the United States, where admissions may include essays, recommendation letters, and standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT. In contrast, the Moroccan system felt more specialized and focused on academic performance, whi...

  While in country, I have been intrigued by the range of languages spoken by the Moroccans we have interacted with. Whether it be tour guides, students, or local vendors, most of the people I have met know at least three distinct languages. This inspired me to dive deeper into language ability in Morocco and how that plays a role in social status and mobility.  Morocco has two official languages: Arabic and Amazigh. However, other languages commonly found in the country include French, English, and Spanish. A study conducted through surveying students in Casablanca found that most of the students speak Arabic at home but still incorporate varying degrees of other languages; however, 75% of the students never speak Amazigh. It also showed that besides Amazigh, most students found high importance in knowing the other languages - Arabic, English, and French (Bouziane, 2020). This research indicates there is a general positive outlook on understanding and speaking other lan...

  While in Morocco, we have visited several cities that have history seeping through them. These cities consist of downtown areas like we experienced in Casablanca and Rabat, and we also experienced medinas in Tangier and Fez. When walking through the Medinas, you get to see a glimpse in people’s daily lives. Medinas are a pinpoint of historic significance that contain bustling traffic, narrow walkways, fountains, and mosques. To us, it’s a tourist attraction. To residents of Morocco, it is how they make income, feed their families, and sleep in their homes. Since I am able bodied, I had little to no issue navigating the pattern of the city or overcoming physical obstacles. However, I began to think while we were touring the Medina in Fez how it must be difficult for someone with a physical disability to be able to do the basic necessities of life while living in the Medina.  Medinas have been a vital part of Morocco since it was first established. The word “medina” transl...

During my experience in Morocco, one of the identities that has stood out the most was religion, specifically Islam and the role it plays in Moroccan culture and everyday life. Islam is an monotheistic abrahamic religion that Muhammad founded after receiving revelations from an angel in a cave   (Rahman et al., 2018).  Coming from a loosely Christian background, I've noticed how deeply religion is woven into daily routines, leadership styles, agriculture, family life, and community relationships. Observing this has helped me better understand how identity can shape an entire society's values and priorities.  About 99% of Morocco's population identifies as Muslim (Morocco-United States Department of State, 2024), with Islam playing a major role in social and cultural life. Religion is not only practiced privately like it is in America, it's also reflected publicly through daily calls to prayer, Ramadan traditions, customs, and community expectations. The values emphasi...