"In the Know" with ACCT

Whether you’re a community college trustee, a president, a policymaker or someone with a passion for the community college movement, ACCT’s podcast is designed to get you in the know. Listen to provocative, informal conversations with visionaries and sector leaders in a portable format that’s more radio show than classroom.

Tala Alahmar is a Syrian immigrant who migrated to the United States following a civil war outbreak in her home country. Upon relocating to the United States, Tala enrolled herself in Oakland Community College (OCC), an ACCT member college. There, she earned her Associate of Arts degree and transferred to the University of Michigan (U of M).

During her time at the university, Tala was appointed the 2021-2022 International President of the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, representing the organization as a keynote speaker at ACCT's 2022 Leadership Congress (as pictured in the photo). In addition to her work with PTK, Tala took on a number of leadership positions in her undergraduate years, serving as a U of M transfer ambassador and assisting other community college peers in their transition to a four-year university.

Tala graduated from the University of Michigan in the fall of 2023 and made the decision to continue her academic journey. In 2023, she became a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholar, and she is currently enrolled at Georgetown University, studying international relations with a concentration in human rights and diplomatic relations.