Dr. Akif Aydin has a Bachelors degree in Economics from Ankara University Department of Political Sciences.

He received his Master degree from the FSU Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and PhD from Clemson University department of Economics. Dr. Aydin teaches Economics at USC Upstate and also Islam at OLLI Furman University.

Dr. Aydin has several small businesses in Florida and South Carolina. He is serving as the President of Atlantic Institute of South Carolina. He is married with father of three children.