Omar Sweiss

The knowledge and experience that Prof. Omar Sweiss brings to the classroom doesn’t just come from his extensive education and work in business and law, but also from his upbringing. Born in Amman, Jordan, Sweiss grew up in the small Christian village of Fuheis. As an Orthodox Christian, this experience brought diverse opportunities to learn about and to embrace people of different faiths and backgrounds, while also creating an opportunity of growth for unity in shared values. His family then immigrated to the United States for economic opportunity, and found a home in the inner city on the South Side of Chicago, a community of diverse people from different religions and ethnicities.

As a teacher, lawyer, and businessman, Sweiss’ long-term goal is to reinforce the proposition that business decisions and religious values are not mutually exclusive. “For me, it becomes about identifying teachings the secular world promotes that conflict with my personal values, and to consciously reject and convert those which are not aligned with my faith,” said Sweiss. “To effectively prepare students for this reality, I believe in making the classroom the laboratory for experiencing real-world business situations and for making real-time business decisions.”

Sweiss attends St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church and St. Mary Orthodox Church, both in Palos Heights, Illinois. At St. Spryidon, Sweiss coached the grammar school basketball team. At St. Mary, Sweiss served as Sunday School director, revamping the Sunday school curriculum and co-instituting an athletic program to strengthen the involvement of the youth in the community.

American Bar Association
Chicago Bar Association
Illinois Bar Association