Educational Opportunity Program

Assistant Director, EOP Academic Services
State University of New York Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service
Chair, Professional Staff Caucus
 

Adjunct Faculty

- Mathematics Department
- Muriel A. Howard Honors Program
- Curious Minds Learning Community

Abdi Hajikandi is currently the Assistant Director for Academic Services in the Educational Opportunity Program at Buffalo State. Hajikandi is also an Adjunct faculty in the Mathematics Department and Muriel A. Howard Honors Program.  He graduated with honors, obtaining dual Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from University at Buffalo in Theoretical and Applied Mathematics, as well as Electrical and Computer Engineering.  Since 1984, he has worked in various capacities to provide academic support for students in higher education.  With thirty seven years of experience teaching mathematics, Hajikandi has presented on mathematics and related topics at several local and regional conferences.  He is active in the campus community, and has served as a member of the President's Strategic Enrollment Steering Committee and its Recruitment Subcommittee, International Student Advisory Council, McNair Scholars Program Advisory Board and its Recruitment Subcommittee, and the President’s Council on Equity and Campus Diversity. He is currently serving on the President's Civic Action Plan Implementation Committee and chairing its Subcommittee on Staff Recognition for Community Engagement Workgroup. 

He is the recipient of several awards including SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service, the EOP Staff Merit Award, student-nominated Instructor of the Year and Outstanding Faculty awards, and the McNair Scholars Program Instructor of the Year Award.  As part of his service to the community at large, over the last few years, Hajikandi received several mini-grants by the Center for Development of Human Services (CDHS) to work on projects related to mentoring foster care children and to training foster care caseworkers. He has also received recognition for his Outstanding Service to the CDHS Partnership Program.

Hajikandi is passionate about teaching mathematics, its applications in the Real World, and in assisting his students succeed, not only in his courses, but also in their overall academic endeavors.  He has been involved with Learning Communities at Buffalo State, both as a Staff Liaison and as a faculty teaching mathematics, and finds it to be particularly rewarding to work closely with other faculty and staff members in various Learning Communities in achieving common goals.

Hajikandi is proud to be associated with the Educational Opportunity Program, a Program dedicated to helping students reach their full potential and become productive and contributing members of society. He finds it truly gratifying to see students transition from high school to Higher Education, navigate through its challenges, and graduate.