University of Central Oklahoma is a family affair
For brothers and medical professionals Soleman and Yosef Haque, the University of Central Oklahoma is synonymous with family and support, the two things the Haque brothers attribute their success to most of all.
“It’s so tempting to say ‘I got here on my own, through my own hard work’ but that’s just not the truth. Without my parents' support and the support I got at UCO, my life would have turned out completely different,” Soleman said.
Soleman works as a dentist in Pennsylvania while Yosef works as a radiation oncologist in Kansas.
“Our parents were always there for us,” Yosef said. “I don’t have a childhood memory without them in it.”
Their parents, Ehteshamul and Lisa Haque, met at Oklahoma City Community College before marrying nearly 40 years ago. The couple later transferred to UCO where Ehteshmul earned his degree in computer science and Lisa earned hers in business administration.
“Education is so important to us,” Ehteshamul, who currently serves as a System Analyst for the United States District Court in Oklahoma City, said. “But we were working full time and financing our education on our own so affordability was equally important. We were also parents to young children so we wanted to make sure we attended a university that offered flexible class schedules.”
The flexible class schedules, including evening classes, that UCO offered Ehteshamul and Lisa meant the couple could devote time to making lasting memories with their children.
The family recalls gathering every Wednesday evening to watch the latest episode of Survivor from the time the boys were six and seven years old.
Together, they visited Bangladesh, where Ehteshamul immigrated to the United States from.
At home, Lisa would help Soleman and Yosef with their English and history homework while Ehteshamul would help the boys tackle math and science.
They became devoted Dallas Cowboys fans and traveled to see games together as a family whenever possible.
To ensure their children understood the value of hard work, Ehteshamul and Lisa encouraged Soleman and Yosef to get jobs before graduating from high school.
They started out with their own car washing business, Haque Brothers Car Wash, when they were in junior high, Lisa said. They would print out flyers and post them all around the neighborhood. They would wash and dry cars for five dollars, she recalled.
In high school Soleman worked as a grocery store cashier at Albertsons while Yosef worked as a ride operator at Frontier City. The boys attended Deer Creek Public Schools where they were on the wrestling and football teams.
While the confidence their upbringing and parents' support gave them prepared the Haque brothers to attend college anywhere, they had their hearts set on UCO.
“It was close to home, and it was affordable,” Yosef said.
“Plus, we both got in,” Soleman added. “And I wanted to go to school with my brother, he’s my best friend.”
They received the same unwavering support their parents had experienced at UCO.
Soleman recalled how UCO’s Pre-Health Professions Committee helped him gain the confidence he needed to apply to dental school.
“The committee is made up of professors who know what the admissions process is like and help you prepare in every way possible, from helping with applications to setting up mock interviews,” Soleman said.
The brothers graduated together in 2015 before Soleman attended dental school in Arizona and Yosef attended medical school at The University of Oklahoma. They have future plans to use their medical degrees while volunteering in Bangladesh and to start a new family tradition: attending at least one UCO alumni event each year as a family.
“We’re kind of a package deal,” Ehteshamul said.