The Returning Alum: A Profile

Most students return to their alma mater as visitors, but Amir Farokhi has returned to lead Galloway during one of its most significant transitional periods. As a Galloway alum and former Atlanta city council member, he stepped away from politics just a few months ago to come back to the halls he once walked. Even in such a short time, it’s clear that he’s focused on the success of the school, whether it's building community, supporting athletics, or guiding students. Mr. Farokhi doesn’t fail to recognize where change is needed.

When I got the chance to sit down with him, I aimed to ask questions that aren’t typically asked within an interview, hoping to gain a different perspective on leadership and life. With that being said, the interview began with the question: What is one quote that has shaped how you lead? As I believe every individual carries around a quote or multiple, that they have gained through their experiences. The one that came to mind for Mr. Farokhi, was a Japanese proverb, “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” For him it’s his way of approaching challenges, risk, and growth from failure. The proverb he shared coincidentally led to two other following questions, regarding: What has been something you had to let go of in the past? And what's one thing you have learned from a past failure? He shared experiencing plenty of setbacks in the past, but he says the key to the inevitable aspect of life, failure, is the preparation one does for it. “If you fail after preparing well, that's okay. You did everything you could,” he told me,  following it again with the Japanese proverb. 

Now I don't want it to go unrecognized that leaving politics wasn’t easy, as Mr. Farokhi spent most of his youth pursuing his political dream, becoming a political science major and attending Duke  law school. He expected that rebuilding the community after a tough year would be his main priority entering the role, but he was pleasantly surprised at how quickly students and faculty can come together and face challenges. Giving him the space to focus on other projects, such as the construction of the new building. When asked about what’s on the minds of us all, the Chastain construction, he was particularly excited for students to experience the courtyard and senior mural, imagining students throwing a football, studying outside, or just enjoying campus in ways that weren’t possible before.

When mentioning the future of education, I asked: What is one change within education that is long overdue? He shared the topic we often think about, AI. Though, he holds different values and beliefs when it comes to technology, rather than the typical harsh critic. Mr. Farokhi recognizes that it's out there in the world, it's easily accessible and has attractive capabilities, but students and faculty need to learn how to adapt and draw their own lines. Overall, hoping students will be able to use the technology responsibly while still developing their own thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Now when I asked him what advice he’d give his high school self, he didn’t hesitate to say, take risks, try new things, and be courageous. “Life is richer when you go for it,” he shared. That philosophy isn’t just one he follows, but one he encourages for the whole school. And if you take away one lesson, perspective, or quote shared from Mr. Farokhi, it's this. When it's time to take a chance, please don't hold back.

“Just put your foot on the gas pedal and go” - Amir Farokhi