It is an early morning workday and Muhye Hammattah packs in meetings to assist as many students as possible. He checks on them whether it be in academics, sports or personal life situations and he equips them with the tools they need to be successful. He sometimes works without pay to make sure all students’ needs are met and will map out a plan for their years attending Texas Wesleyan University.

Guidance is given by five academic advisors with the assistance of faculty advisors. Hammattah knows all the students he advises on a first-name basis. To Hammattah, academic advising is more than registering students for classes. “It’s that relationship we build with the student where you’re invested in their success because your success is my success,” Hammattah said. “I want to see you walk across that finish line…. I’ve done some things for students that aren’t a part of the job description, but I am happy to do them,” he said.

Hammattah works for the student more than the school. He works after hours and does more to help the student grow in whatever way he can. Being an academic advisor has impacted Hammattah, and he continues to work hard and help others. He has a heart for helping in any way he can and does things to the best of his ability. “I stay here because I get to mentor students…. It makes me emotional when I see you all walk the stage at graduation,” he said. He considers himself a “student advocate.”

Hammattah cares about the student’s interests. One thing he has in common with many students at Wesleyan is his love for football. In the U.S., football is a sport to bring people together and excite students at various universities. According to sportsrecruits.com, Texas Wesleyan is no exception as they offer athletic scholarships for football and on average, 34% of all student-athletes receive athletic scholarships.

Hammattah is an assistant coach for the Football team. He was a football player recruited in Fall 2016 as a transfer student-athlete when the football program began again with Joe Prudhomme as head football coach. Since then, he has been very involved with athletics, specifically football.

He has a love for the sport, but a deeper love for the people. In Spring 2017, Hammattah had his fifth or sixth concussion. Both he and Coach Prudhomme felt it was in his best interest to no longer play as a student-athlete. Instead, Hammattah joined the staff. Once again, adding another mentoring role to his life. He attends games and makes sure he does what he can to prepare the players for game days to continue showing his support.

Hammattah cares for the football players in their performance not only in the game but also in academics. He oversees Tuesday and Thursday night study halls for the football team to assist them academically as well. “He goes above and beyond on helping them…. It’s almost like he’s an uncle to them… they know they can go to him; they trust him. He does anything they need. I am just in awe of his work,” Coach Prudhomme said.

Hammattah has impacted Coach Prudhomme’s time at Wesleyan to refocus the goal of helping the students and impact them for life. “He is one of the few people that I can say I see acts of God through him… He does things that are just amazing. I just think he is truly gifted and put on this earth to do special things and he does it,” Prudhomme said.

Coach Michael Rosas joined the football program on May 1, 2016. Currently, he is the chief of staff, linebacker coach as well as the strength and movement coordinator. Unsurprisingly, Hammattah has also made an impact on Rosas. “He has continued to find himself in the service of others…. He is always willing to go the extra mile for the students… with the ultimate well-being of the student in mine,” Rosas said. Rosas mentioned that Hammattah cares deeply about meeting the needs of others in their current situation.

Hammattah, while assisting students’, touches the lives of those he works with. Hammattah is never forgotten by the players. Collier Ricks, a senior and football player at Wesleyan, has grown very close to Hammattah during his time on campus. He joined Wesleyan in 2018 and noticed everyone called him Uncle Muhye. “He is like an uncle to everybody and helps you out… putting you in the best position to succeed,” Ricks said.

Hammattah has the ability to address someone’s needs before they even know what to ask for. Hammattah set up tutoring appointments for Ricks without him asking after a conversation Ricks and Hammattah had regarding his academics. “I was falling behind in my second year, and he got me in the class I needed and the credits I needed,” he said.

According to Ricks, Hammattah is a great motivator and has kept him on track regarding academia and athletics. Hammattah has been there for Ricks and other students during personal and struggling times. Hammattah made a connection and bond with Ricks. “Muhye is a very goofy guy, he always knows how to make me laugh,” he said, “there have been times when I just wanted to give up and throw it all away and he pushed me through.”

Continuing to assist students, Hammattah has begun teaching two ASE classes at TxWes, preparing freshmen with resources and how to use them. He wants to do his best in whatever job he undertakes. Hammattah even promotes becoming involved in communities with similar interests as the students.

Hammattah has an eye to find who needs help and where. There was a wall that needed to be painted at Texas Wesleyan. Hammattah had the time and knew he could help, so he did. Something small, but further proves his dedication to helping at Texas Wesleyan University and helping others. “I take pride in everything that I do,” he said. “I wouldn’t feel right if I just went home at 5:00 P.M… but it’s always been because I want to.”

Hammattah was a student of Dr. Hand, a faculty member and chair of the psychology department at Texas Wesleyan, and currently interacts with Dr. Hand in the academic advising department. Hammattah “always knew how to prioritize connections with people, making him successful as a student and in the professional world. He also is incredibly positive in how he goes about his day,” Dr. Hand said.

Dr. Hand mentioned how organized and responsive Hammattah has become to the needs of others as he takes on more roles at Wesleyan. “He is doing multiple things, he doesn’t have to do all those things,” said Dr. Hand. Even when off the clock, he will respond quickly. He went through college, had an injury in football, became an assistant football coach, is an academic advisor, getting his MBA and he is “truly an example of what we can accomplish when we have some goals we’re shooting for,” he said. It is truly inspiring to see how Hammattah is willing and able to make time for those who need help.

Hammattah has not stopped making goals for himself either. “My biggest goal is to make sure that all the students are taken care of and that our graduation rate increases from that 30th percentile. My personal goals are to finish my MBA Program…. I graduate in December, and I want to pursue a sports psychology Ph.D. Program. Eventually, I would like to be a professor,” he said.

Hammattah has made a difference in the lives of students, faculty and staff at Texas Wesleyan University and even his future goals will impact others: more graduates and one day inspiring students by teaching them as a professor. Hammatah is full of potential and helps others become aware of their own potential too.

“I think the most rewarding part of being here is actually seeing the student follow through on their plan and graduate. It took a lot for me to graduate, and I had a big weight off my shoulders when I did. I like helping students find the relief of knowing that they did it. I love seeing the sense of pride that they get. It makes everything we deal with here worth it. My bottom line is student success and that is what gets me through,” Hammattah said.