Dr. Zak Sabry dedicated his career to teaching and to the world of nutrition and public health. As a young man his pursuit of education took him from his native Egypt to the United States, and then his career took him back to the Middle East and to North America again. Dr. Sabry pursued his goals of learning, research, and teaching in a colorful and international environment, ultimately arriving at Berkeley School of Public Health, where he served as Professor and later as Associate Dean of Students from 1984 to his retirement in 2004.

Dr. Sabry recognized early on the value of mentoring in training the next generation of public health leaders and cultivated a special talent for it. He especially treasured the diversity of students at Berkeley — having spent his early years in the United States as a graduate student with limited English skills, he understood the challenges faced by international students and fellows, and was committed to helping them succeed. Many of his students went on to become highly respected scientists, educators, and practitioners in diverse locations around the globe.

Upon his retirement in 2004, Dr. Sabry was awarded the Berkeley Citation. Additionally, in recognition of his years of mentoring students, alumni from across the world came together to create a mentorship award — the first of its kind on the Berkeley campus. The Zak Sabry Mentorship Award celebrates and honors a member of the School of Public Health faculty who displays exemplary mentoring skills. This innovative award institutionalizes mentoring as a core value for student success, and serves as a model for schools that wish to elevate the value of mentoring to enhance the lives and careers of their students. Students who have experienced personal and societal challenges particularly benefit from faculty mentoring.

Your gift will contribute to the annual recognition of a faculty member who displays strong mentorship skills, and will support the continuation of this award and the legacy of strong mentoring left by Dr. Sabry. The award is not only a tribute to the professor whose name it bears, but to all faculty who are committed to the growth and well-being of their students.

Read more about Zak Sabry.

In order to preserve the spirit of the purpose of the fund, and the intent of the original donors who established it, new donors who make gifts to this endowment understand that changes may be made to the fund in the future if it ever becomes difficult to spend. Any future changes will be consistent with the original purpose as written here. As such, new donors agree upon making their gifts that any future potential change to the endowment purpose may be made without their consultation.