Selim, Professor Mohamed Ali, Ph.D. died on December 20, 2015 at the age of 91. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt on July 9, 1924, the fifth of fourteen children of Ali Abdo Selim and Khadija el Shafei. He received his B.A. from Cairo University in 1952. A year later he immigrated to the United States and received his M.A. and Ph.D, both in economics, from the University of Minnesota. He was a professor of Economics for 50 years, first at the University of Minnesota from 1954 to 1959 and then at the College of St. Thomas from 1959 to 2004 during which time he taught thousands of young minds, served as department chair for twenty-two years, and founded the Center of Senior Citizens' Education, in addition to countless other accomplishments and recognitions. In 2004 Reverend Dennis Dease, President of the University of St. Thomas, conferred upon him the title of Professor Emeritus, praising Dr. Selim as a "mentor in myriad ways to his colleagues" and for "pushing faculty to give students the best possible education. His concern was obvious." In 2010, in honor of its 40th anniversary, the Center for Senior Citizens' Education was renamed The Selim Center for Learning in Later Years. Back home in Egypt, Mohamed was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings, Abdo, Ahmed, Fawzia, Etedal, Faiza, Mahmoud, Hassan, and Moustafa. He is survived by brothers Abdel Salam and Said, and sisters Nawal, Amal, and Nagwa and scores of nieces and nephews who live in many countries around the globe. In Minnesota, Mohamed is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Evelyn Niemeier Selim, their three children, Ali (Robin Engstrom), Ramy, and Mona (Ralph Lindell). He has five beloved grandchildren, Maximilian Selim, Alexander Selim, Octavia Selim, Jackson Lindell, and William Lindell who carry on his legacy of multi-culturalism and life-long education. Mo Selim has asked that any memorials be directed to the Selim Center for Learning in Later Years at the University of St. Thomas. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, December 23, 2015, 2 PM with visitation 1 hour prior at: Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996 West 50th St. & Hwy 100

Published on December 23, 2015


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