While in Syria, he earned fame as a boxing champion and professional soccer player. Frangieh attended graduate school in the United States, and received a Ph.D. in Arabic literature from Georgetown University in 1987. After receiving his doctorate, Frangieh taught Arabic at Georgetown for several years before accepting a position at Yale University.
Frangieh's journey involved him becoming a renowned boxer and soccer player in Syria before pursuing higher education in the United States. He earned a Ph.D. in Arabic literature from Georgetown University, after which he taught Arabic at Georgetown for several years before accepting a position at Yale University.