From an early age, Anara Akhmetova knew her dream: She wanted to teach.
Now, she’s living out that dream — and recently won an Excellence-in-Teaching Citation from MSU for her incredible contributions and accomplishments regarding it.
The dream started 10,000 miles away in a small village in Kazakhstan. Akhmetova grew up in a challenging political and home environment, including living in a house where rain would drip through the roof onto Akhmetova. School was an escape, and she couldn’t wait to come home to teach her friends what she had learned. She earned perfect scores throughout school (even earning a golden medal, a token of academic accomplishment in Kazakhstan). Her test scores provided her the opportunity to choose any professional path she wanted.
For Akhmetova, the answer was clear, even if the choice perplexed others: She was going to be a teacher.
She taught for 12 years in Kazakhstan, contributing to the schools’ and her students’ success through serving in administrative, teaching and accreditation capacities, sometimes concurrently. She earned her bachelor’s in Foreign Language Studies (Eurasian National University), and master’s in Educational Studies (University of York) — and somehow also found time for a bachelor’s in Computer Science (S. Amanzholov East Kazakhstan State University), something she did just for an extra learning opportunity, which gives a sense of Akhmetova’s motivation to learn, to grow, to succeed.
Finding MSU
Then came a chance meeting: Akhmetova wanted to earn a Ph.D. to understand educational theory and to scale her contributions to improving education. When working with a center in Kazakhstan that helps individuals find higher education placements in the U.S., she met Professor Doug Hartman from the MSU College of Education. As he was walking Akhmetova through paperwork, he mentioned MSU’s top-ranked graduate programs in education.
That got Akhmetova interested.
What got her hooked was the collegiality and camaraderie of MSU College of Education faculty like Professor Anne-Lise Halvorsen and other international students who supported and encouraged her. She joined the Curriculum, Instruction and Teacher Education program in 2021, bringing her three children with her to the U.S.
Over the course of five years, she taught 11 courses (including four graduate-level courses), mentored students, organized and led with student groups and cultural celebrations, led professional development workshops, presented and published peer-reviewed papers ,and contributed to curricular changes at MSU.
Along the way, Akhmetova earned several certificates and licenses, including a Qualitative Research Methods Graduate Certificate and an English Language Learner Education Graduate Certificate, both from MSU (she also earned several others from non-MSU entities).
Student testimonials
“Anara Akhmetova exemplifies the very best of what the Excellence-in-Teaching Citation seeks to recognize,” Hartman wrote in a nomination letter. Hartman is also Akhmetova’s academic advisor. “Her teaching bridges theory and practice with creativity and depth; her scholarship advances understanding of multilingual and global education; and her service fosters collaboration, belonging, and professional growth across the College of Education. Anara’s record demonstrates exceptional skill, integrity and dedication to humanizing education in all its forms.”
Akhmetova’s students enthusiastically echo Hartman’s remarks. “This class [TE 101: Social Foundations of Teaching and Learning] was undoubtedly the most rewarding educational experience I’ve had thus far,” an undergraduate student wrote. “Not just because of the material, but because of the way [Akhmetova] taught it. ... She exemplifies the kind of educator our society needs.”
A graduate-level student remarked how Akhmetova “worked diligently to create a learning environment that is both rigorously challenging and profoundly supportive” in TE 801 and 803: Professional Roles and Teaching Practice. “She cultivated a vibrant professional community where we were motivated to support one another and celebrate each other’s successes. [Akhmetova] ... pushed everyone to grow as both scholars and practitioners. The sheer volume of practical strategies and ideas shared in her classroom was invaluable.”
Throughout her work — including her teaching and scholarly contributions, like her contributions to redesigning academic projects in the syllabi for TE 801 and 803 — Akhmetova routinely drew upon her upbringing and experiences in Kazakhstan.
What’s next
Looking back on her journey, Akhmetova sees the Excellence-in-Teaching Citation as an acknowledgment that her dedication was all worth it.
And it really has paid off: Akhmetova recently landed a tenure-track faculty position. She will start as an assistant professor in Fall 2026.
“From where my family started to where I am now, finishing my studies at one of the best university’s in the country ... I have tears in my eyes,” she said. “This means so much to me.”