Dr. Sami Abdel-Salam begins his first year overseeing the Academic Mentoring Program for the athletics department in 2023-24. He succeeds Dr. Tammy James, who headed up the program from its inception, and will work with academic mentors to assist student-athletes with their progress towards degrees.

Dr. Abel-Salam joined the WCU Department of Criminal Justice faculty in 2013. Prior to beginning at WCU, he worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Center for Drug and Health Studies at the University of Delaware. At the Center, he served as Project Director for a national study involving the implementation of evidence-based practices for substance abuse treatment in correctional settings. This research culminated in a number of significant publications in numerous criminal justice and substance abuse journals. His other interests include comparative penology and prison reform. His current research is focused on evaluating the Norwegian correctional system, specifically with regards to its humane and rehabilitative approach to incarceration. As a result of this research, Dr. Abdel-Salam has participated in multiple national and international conferences, including the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, to share his findings. He continues to work with Norwegian and U.S. correctional officials to promote the benefits of a Scandinavian approach to prison reform.

Abdel-Salam brings experience working in athletics with the peer mentoring program and working with student athletes while at the University of Delaware where he taught study skills to student athletes during their summer enrichment program.