Each year, the LAU community celebrates the brightest minds among its student body, acclaiming the success of hundreds of students who have achieved a cumulative average (GPA) of no less than 3.5 and, as a result, were declared members of the university's Honor Society.

More than 800 members―some returning, others newly inducted―gathered at ceremonies in Beirut and Byblos where deans from all seven schools handed certificates and pins to each and every one of them in celebration of their hard work and dedication to academic excellence.

“The true value of this ceremony does not lie in receiving the award as much as in earning the award,” said Hagop Jamkojian addressing his fellow students and the hundreds of proud family and faculty members in the grand courtyard of the Byblos campus.

“LAU is a multicultural space of integration and coexistence that molds together different students from different places and backgrounds so that it looks like a mini-world,” added Jamkojian. The engineering student―who has maintained a GPA of 4.0―spoke of the education and enlightenment he and his peers had received at LAU that had prepared them to be leaders of the future and promoters of peace.

Stephanie Semaan, another Byblos-based student with the highest GPA at the School of Business, echoed the sentiment. “The world needs creators, innovators, and we are tomorrow’s game changers. Our decisions today and capabilities should definitely lead us to a place where our LAU will be forever proud.”

In his address, LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra expressed great pride and urged both graduating and continuing students to keep working hard and to contribute to the much-needed development of Lebanon and the region. “You have been an enriching element in our community. Imbued with the values and ethical standards you have learned here, you will go out … and serve society with determination… to say no to sectarianism, to corruption, to say no to the destruction of our institutions that have brought us to the brink of disaster. You need to make a difference … and we have faith in you,” he enthused.

Those students who, by their activism and determination, have already shown dedication to their community and society are recognized each year through the Riyadh Nassar Leadership Award and the Rhoda Orme Award. This year the awards went to Hanan Ghamloush and Sarah Kaddoura respectively in Beirut and Jason Nasser and Carol Najd respectively in Byblos. Also acknowledged was student of computer science Anthony Nahoul who received the Sara Khatib Inspiration Award, named after the former LAU student who lost her difficult but inspirational battle with cancer in 2014.

Pride and hope were the dominant emotions throughout the ceremonies, well expressed in the address of Provost George K. Najjar: “Soon enough you will transition from being students to being alumni, but your achievements will stay behind you. You will leave behind an example for generations that are yet to come. You will leave behind a standard to match, and some standard it is.”

Byblos celebrated students surrounded by their deans and university officials.

“Serve society with determination,” President Jabbra told the students.

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul,” American modern dancer and choreographer Martha Graham once said. Fadi J. Khoury, artistic director and choreographer of FJK Dance would agree. With each and every performance, he brings a bit of his soul to the stage which those present at LAU NY on April 28 were fortunate enough to behold.

In an evening entitled, “Connecting through Dance: The Art of Fusing Various Dance Styles,” Khoury, his collaborator Turkish dancer Sevin Ceviker and nine other members of the company lit up the floors of the New York Academic Center. In between dances, Khoury talked about the origins of the dances, and how his Middle Eastern background inspired him to combine folkloric dance with more classical dance forms.

Born in Baghdad where his father was the artistic director of the National Iraqi Ballet, Khoury, who is Lebanese, was exposed to many folkloric dances of the Middle East. At 13, he moved to Beirut, where he trained in classical ballet and folkloric dance, but also in modern, jazz, and ballroom. With time he started experimenting with combining dance methods.

“As we are mostly performing before a Western audience, it is important that they create the link between what we do and where we are from,” he said. “If you give a little bit of background of where these ideas originate, the audience becomes more engaged.”

After a brief demonstration of Dabke, a traditional Arab dance in which men dance shoulder to shoulder, he spoke about its origins: “If you go into the background of what shoulder to shoulder means, it is sort of like building a fence. The movement has echoes of security, empowerment, and creating an armor.”

It is these messages about Middle Eastern culture that he wants his audience to understand. Associate artist and principal dancer Ceviker did. Instantly.

“When Fadi and I started dancing, it was a mutual feeling of, ‘Oh my God―this needs to be a company.’ I had danced ballet, modern and jazz, and he did it all in one. It is every dancer’s envy,” she said.

Some of the other dancers struggled with what Ceviker calls the “ornaments” of Middle Eastern dance: the snake-like articulation of the body, the rotation of the hands, the participation of the fingers, and the ability to isolate the upper spine from the lower spine. But they quickly learned and brought their own expertise to the table. The company’s dancers come from Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Cuba, Mexico, Columbia and the U.S. They dance to music ranging from classical, Latin, tango and jazz, to contemporary Oriental.  All of the choreography is original.

Longtime Vanity Fair correspondent Amy Fine Collins, who attended the event, said she became a supporter after seeing one performance. “I was moved by the talent, refinement and originality of the company. FJK offers something fresh aesthetically. It is experimental, but very respectful of tradition.”

The event was co-sponsored with the Consulate General of Lebanon in New York

The evening opened with Arabesque, set to to music by Samer Ali and the closing dance called Dum Tak was set to music by Hossam Ramzy, Mario Kirlis and Johnny Farraj.

Accompanied by the gentle notes of a saxophone, students, faculty and the whole LAU community gathered on May 9 to celebrate the outstanding performance of the Adnan Kassar School of Business and its recent accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

“Normally it takes seven years for a school to be accredited, we have done it in four,” said Interim Dean Said Ladki. “What an achievement!”

Such a result was made possible, according to Ladki, by the hard work of both students and staff, who rolled up their sleeves to bring the institution in line with the 15 pillars that constitute the criteria for accreditation.

“Your skills have been instrumental in fulfilling the promise of the Adnan Kassar School of Business,” said Ladki.

The AACSB accreditation is the most prestigious accreditation for business schools and programs in the world. The association has rigorous standards for evaluating educational quality, all of which were met by LAU during the latest AACSB Peer Review Team visit that took place in mid-March. 

The official result, communicated to the school in April 2016, recognizes LAU’s school of business as being among the best 5 percent worldwide. 

During the ceremony, LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra recalled the moment in which he received the notification from the accreditation body. “It was so rewarding to read the report,” he said. “At the end of each evaluation I read: standard met. What a source of pride for all of us!”

The achievement was welcomed by the Minister of Education and Higher Education Elias Bou Saab, who praised LAU’s commitment to positive change within its community and defined the achievement as an accolade for the whole country.

His view was shared by Raida Daouk, who spoke on behalf of Adnan Kassar, congratulating “LAU for gaining a place of honor at the international level.” 

While this is an important milestone in the history of the university, it is by no means the end of the journey. As Provost George K. Najjar underlined, “this accreditation comes with a challenge: keep on performing as a top business school.” However, the support shown at the ceremony―as well as throughout the four years building up to the accreditation―is proof that the LAU community is committed to working together to maintain this standard. “With such support,” said Najjar, “the success of the Adnan Kassar School of Business can only grow.” 

For President Jabbra the accreditation is a demonstration of LAU’s commitment to innovation and excellence.

Minister Bou Saab addressing the audience.

A diverse group of students, academics and civil society practitioners gathered at LAU to attend a talk about human trafficking and prostitution in Lebanon.

The talk―the latest offering from the Food 4 Thought series organized by the Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World―was presented by head of KAFA’s Trafficking and Exploitation Unit Ghada Jabbour, and drew on the recent indictment of members of a trafficking ring that had been enslaving no less than 75 women in Jounieh for many years.

The talk provoked a lively discussion among attendees and began with Jabbour highlighting the stark difference in people’s perception of prostitution and trafficking. “Prostitutes are not seen as victims. Society and media coverage talk as though prostitutes gave their permission, but these women don’t make a choice. They are faced with a lack of choices that force them into a decision to enter prostitution.”

Jabbour went on to pinpoint the impact a prevalent misogynistic culture has on the acceptance of the abuse of women for financial gain. “A community that considers women sexual objects that exist for male satisfaction develops a culture that encourages trafficking and prostitution,” said Jabbour, noting that while trafficking involves exploiting women through prostitution for profit, it is demand for paid sex that fuels the industry of sex slavery.

As part of KAFA’s ongoing efforts, Jabbour interviewed 55 male sex buyers and produced a report for KAFA in 2014 that outlined their motives. Many referred to sex as their natural right, equating it to food and water.

“This is not to say that these men are bad,” said Jabbour in her talk. “It is the culture. You see it in their rationalizations. They believe that by paying for a woman, it is as though they rented her for an amount of time.” 

Despite the efforts made by police and its human trafficking and vice team last month after four of six-dozen women held captive in a sex-house in Jounieh escaped and sounded the alarm, many criticize the complacency of the authorities who turn a blind eye to super night clubs and other venues populated by pimps and prostitutes.

Moreover, though the women from the house in Jounieh are now safe in shelters, the law in Lebanon does not automatically recognize them as victims. A decades-old law that criminalizes prostitution equates the women with pimps, and an anti-human trafficking law passed in 2011 regards them as victims only if they can prove they had been forced into prostitution.

“We are pushing the authorities to adopt the Nordic model, which considers prostitution a form of gender-based violence,” said Jabbour of KAFA’s ongoing campaign. “The sex industry must be banned and the notion of one gender servicing another eradicated.”

KAFA is pushing the authorities to adopt a model which considers prostitution a form of gender-based violence, Jabbour told the audience.

The Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World’s trustee and founder Cherilyn Murer gave a talk about the challenges facing women in leadership to a roomful of scholars and professionals at LAU’s Beirut campus last week.

As Provost George K. Najjar noted in his introduction, Murer is amply qualified and experienced in the topic, having founded and presided over premier legal-based healthcare management consulting firm Murer Consultants since its foundation in 1985.

“I entered law school as a mother of two young children. Some of my so-called friends at the time said I would be neglecting my children,” she said, recounting one of the many hurdles that faced ambitious women in the previous century. “Twenty-five of the 125 students in my class were women, and 20 of them were divorced or divorcing.” Society and men were not ready to support women in business back then and those who succeeded often did so at great personal cost.

Murer considered herself fortunate in that her husband was supportive and saw her as an equal. “Equality does not mean replication of the male but understanding that we are equal in strength and capability,” she remarked, referring to a period when women used to dress and behave like men. “The strongest women are those who understand that softness is a component of their strength,” she said, adding that she enjoys helping other women reach their goals and being a role model to her highly accomplished daughter.

Though the challenges she and her daughter faced climbing the ladder were defined by different socio-economic contexts, Murer said, they were still hard to surmount. Many of the obstacles she had to overcome no longer presented themselves to women. “Basic critical issues have been acknowledged but … we have hit a plateau where some issues are more difficult to discuss,” said Murer, referring specifically to pay disparity and promotion opportunities for women at senior management levels.

The audience was composed of highly accomplished professional women, and in response to one in particular who thanked Murer for the much-needed boost she offered through her talk, the speaker expressed her admiration for the women she had come across during her visit. “There is extraordinary strength and grace in the women I have met here, almost to a fault.” Addressing the ability and willingness of such women to take on a multitude of roles, and while acknowledging the importance of the presence of men in the room and in the discussion at large, Murer added: “Women are ambitious and will take it all on, but it is their partners who will relieve that burden.”

Reverting to her native U.S., Murer acknowledged the likelihood of Hillary Clinton winning the presidency. Clinton, she believes, would most probably bring women’s equality to the fore, and would represent a historical visibility of women in leadership, like Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and President Pratibha Patil of India before her. “The world has seen many strong examples of women in leadership, but they have been like meteors, sporadic, and now we want a constellation of them.”

Thirteen organizations from seven countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea came together in 2012 to develop a touristic/cultural itinerary that highlights the Umayyad history shared by their countries.

Among them was the Urban Planning Institute at LAU, which this month hosted representatives of all the project partners, as well as Lebanese tour operators, for a presentation of the itineraries produced during the past three years of collaborative work.

Founder of the institute and LAU coordinator for the Umayyad Route project professor Rachid Chamoun led the presentations by highlighting the importance of local partnership. “The ministries of culture and tourism played an active and important role, as did our long-term partners the Safadi Foundation and the municipalities of Byblos and Anjar.”

Assistant Provost for Special External Projects Wassim Shahin emphasized the enterprising nature of the project in his welcoming address. “LAU’s new strategic plan highlights a decision to reposition itself as an entrepreneurial university. This involves the development of university-business relationships and has a direct impact on community engagement,” said Shahin, underscoring the Umayyad Route project as a clear demonstration of this ambition.

The primary goal of the project, made possible through a grant of over four million euros from the European Commission, is to improve Mediterranean territorial cohesion by implementing an integrated strategy that enhances the cultural heritage of the Umayyad dynasty.

Abdallah Kahil, associate professor at the Department of Architecture and the director of the LAU Institute of Islamic Art and Architecture, gave the audience an overview of the Umayyad dynasty which dominated in the Middle East between 661 and 750 AD and in the Iberian Peninsula (al-Andalus) between 756 and 1031 AD.

“There is no one way to interpret a period of history. The Abassids wrote about the Umayyads in one way, the Spanish in another. Now we view the region they held as a basin of development of all cultures,” said Kahil, citing the Umayyad era as the first to introduce the dynastic system of political governance and a time of great cultural exchange between Europe and the Muslim countries of the Middle East. “The touristic routes developed reflect not only sites held and built by the Umayyads, but also areas through which they travelled and which were impacted by their legacy.”

Following presentations of the various routes, itineraries and packages developed for tourists in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Tunisia, Jordan and Egypt, Assistant Professor of Ancient and Classical Archeology at the Lebanese University Wissam Khalil expounded on those devised in Lebanon. In addition to one- and two- day itineraries, a seven-day tour not only takes in Umayyad sites but also prominent Roman and Byzantine ruins.

The route includes the Umayyad mosque in Baalbek and the well-preserved Umayyad City of Anjar, as well as landmarks in Beirut, Sidon, the Chouf, the Cedars, Tripoli, Anfe and Byblos. “Different styles of architecture can be seen across the route,” said Khalil, pointing up the reuse of Roman elements in various places, the Byzantine techniques evident in Anjar and the majestic Baalbek with its many architectural remains.

The crown jewel of the Umayyad Route project, apart from the splendor of Umayyad architecture, is to be built in the coming months in Anjar where the local municipality has agreed to host an Umayyad museum.

Read more about the museum and the various Umayyad themed itineraries developed in the seven Mediterranean countries at http://umayyad.eu

The Umayyad city of Anjar was constructed in the first half of the 8th century.

To promote a smooth transition from passive to active learning, undergraduate students at LAU’s Department of Industrial and Mechanical Engineering are being initiated into professional research through collaboration with faculty members.   

“Research experience teaches you to ask yourself the right questions,” says Hussein Bassma, a graduating student at LAU who has been working alongside assistant professor Charbel Mansour. Their research, entitled ‘Adaptive Energy Management Strategy for Hybrid Vehicles Using Energetic Macroscopic Representation,’ is successfully formulating a new hybrid vehicle that consumes 20 percent less fuel than the ones currently on the market. 

“I had to learn to be very accurate, because the results will be published,” says Bassma. His goal is to enrol in a master’s degree program in automotive engineering at the University of Birmingham. “The publication will kick off my career and could make all the difference on my CV,” he says.

This is what happened to his former colleague Walid Baroud, who was accepted for a master’s in powertrain engineering. “If it hadn’t been for the research I conducted at LAU, I would probably not have gotten into one of the top schools in France,” says Baroud, who also received a scholarship to continue his studies.

According to Baroud, hands-on research taught him that information which might seem irrelevant at first glance could prove valuable later on. Delving deeper into the complexities of different kinds of engines also honed his knowledge of the field he would later specialize in.

“Research is a fundamental aspect of education,” says Michel Khoury, associate professor at and chairman of the department and is himself a tutor in undergraduate research. “I believe we are among the few, if not the only ones in Lebanon, to engage our students in such endeavors, giving those who are interested in pursuing a master’s degree a head start over their peers.”

Among the topics researched at LAU are wind turbines, ambulation methods for patients with spinal injuries, dynamic programming and others. Each final year student with a minimum GPA of 3.0 has the opportunity to be considered for collaboration with a professor conducting a study of interest, and who will be responsible for one-on-one tutoring and distributing assignments.

“I believe this is why LAU is excelling in research,” says Bassma, “because faculty members and the student body join forces to produce the best possible outcome.”

Click here for more information about the undergraduate student research topics.

“Getting help isn’t a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.” So said Director of the LAU Writing Center Paula Habre last week, quoting First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama who, in a recent speech, advised students to “get yourself to the writing center.”

Habre was addressing two dozen school and university educators and administrators. They had gathered at the Beirut campus to receive their certificates for completing a tailored training program delivered through separate sessions over the past two months by Habre, writing center tutors, and a guest speaker who made her presentation and interacted with the participants through Skype from LAU’s New York headquarters.

The certificates were handed out by LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra. “You can’t be excellent without being able to write, communicate well and express yourself,” he said. Jabbra highlighted the impetus behind the writing center, launched in Beirut in 2010 and at the Byblos campus in 2014, and its desire to implement the practice throughout schools in Lebanon.

“The LAU program was a generous one,” said Rose Lindgren, the cultural attaché at the U.S. embassy in Lebanon which funded the training following an open call for proposals. “It did not focus on expanding itself but reaching out to others all over Lebanon.”

The program offered an insight into the theoretical and pragmatic components of the schools’ writing centers. It afforded participants the opportunity to hear and learn from the experiences of tutors at the LAU writing center, and enabled educational institutions to foster connections.

Among the trainees who benefited from the course was Diana El-Hariri, an English instructor at the Lebanese International University. “I first proposed opening a writing center at LIU a year ago, after I became aware of the concept at LAU. They loved the idea, but now, after this training, I have something more tangible to present that will help create more excitement and hopefully lead to the necessary resources being made available,” said El-Hariri.

As the budget of UNRWA schools is very limited, writing centers would be considered a luxury. Nevertheless, Mohamad Khatab, the principal of an UNRWA school in Sidon, said that training and discussions held at LAU would have an impact. “Our overall strategy and focus is to help students within the curriculum, not outside it. Writing centers are part of a new approach, and I intend to translate it in a way that is practical for our schools to implement.”

Khatab’s appreciation for the opportunity, knowledge and materials presented by LAU was echoed by all the participants, while Habre was pleased with the chance to reach out to schools nationwide. “We are proud of what we have achieved and happy to be able to share our experiences with other educators toward the betterment of all students in Lebanon.”

Two dozen school and university educators and administrators from across the country took part in the training.

On May 25, LAU’s thespian talents offered the public a musical re-enactment of I Want This Man an Egyptian comedy on gender discrimination in Arab society. “The play was written in the 50s by Tawfiq al-Hakim. It shocked the audience at the time, introducing the idea of a marriage proposal made by a woman. What is interesting is that it is still shocking in our society today,” says Mona Knio, associate professor of theatre at LAU’s Department of Communication Arts.

The performance kicked off the 18th International University Theatre Festival, an annual event that aims to showcase the best productions of the academic year not only at LAU but also at other universities in Lebanon and across the region.

Organized by LAU’s Communication Arts Department, the five-day festival, running from May 25 to May 29 this year, is hosting theatre productions from the University of Hassan II, Morocco; Yeditepe University, Turkey; Djillali Liabes University – Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria; the Academy of Arts – High Institute for Performing Arts, Egypt; and from Lebanon, the Beirut Arab University, the Lebanese University, Antonine University, and LAU.

Aras Şenol, 23, from Yeditepe University, is thrilled to be participating in the event for the second year in a row. “The festival is one of a kind for the Arab world,” he says. “What I find particularly useful are the chat rooms after the shows where we get the opportunity to critique the performances and exchange our points of view,” he stresses. For his colleague and first time participant, Alp Űnsal, 22,  the opportunity to visit another country and be exposed to different styles of acting has been exhilarating.

Mariam Jalout, 30, from Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria, agrees. “This is a marvelous opportunity to make friends while sharing different views about performing and theatre.” Jalout wrote the script for the play Challenge and is part of the cast performing this week at the festival.

“This year we will see more plays in English which we believe will attract more people,” states LAU student Jad Jbara, 21, who co-directed al-Hakim’s play with Diana Kraitem, 23. While participating in the event has helped Jbara reach a higher level of self-confidence in directing, it has taught Kraitem to be more efficient. “We have very little time so we have to learn how to work well and fast!” she says.

This year, the festival is hosting around 150 performing arts students and instructors who will get the chance to share their expertise, experiences and to network. “We hope to have an increased budget in the future to include additional countries in the exchange that could not be present this year,” noted acclaimed Lebanese director and LAU Associate Professor of Communication Arts Lina Abyad.

The 18th International University Theater Festival is free and open to all who wish to attend. Details on the festival’s schedule of plays and workshops can be found here.

Tableaux from Another Night on Broadway.

A scene from the Corpse Bride.

In her most recent play, Anbara, Aliya Khalidi honors her grandmother Anbara Salam Khalidi who had been an example of fortitude to Arab women. “Every woman in the family used to consult her on all matters and her advice was always supportive and progressive,” says Khalidi. “She experienced three tragedies, three great losses in her life, and yet she was such a pleasant positive person and a role model for us all.”

Anbara was in fact a role model for all feminists in Lebanon and across the Arab world. Her records of the many challenges and changes she witnessed and experienced during her life in Lebanon and Palestine were the impetus behind her granddaughter’s production. “I had read the memoir in the original Arabic many years ago, but I was recaptured by it after reading my father’s translation in English, published in 2013,” recalls Khalidi.

Any biography of Anbara is sure to mention that she defiantly removed her face veil before giving a speech at AUB in 1927, and while this is certainly a poignant moment in Khalidi’s production, it is the preceding decade that most occupies the story and the stage. In preparing the script, Khalidi pored over the pages of Anbara’s memoir with dramatist and LAU graduate Noura Sakkaf.

Khalidi and Sakkaf had worked together on previous projects, as they had with other members of the production team, most of whom are LAU students and graduates. “As a faculty member you tend to establish very good relations with your students, both current and former,” says Khalidi, explaining the richness of LAU talent in the crew.

Khalidi first taught students of the communication arts programs in 1994 and has for the past six years been a regular fixture at the department. “They see how I work, and the established teacher-student relationship builds trust and a bond that is very positive.”

Her former student Walid Saliba, goes further to say that he also very much enjoyed the development of the relationship with his former teacher. “Our communication became both more professional and more personal,” says Saliba, who has been the house and media manager for the production. “Aliya is very creative and works out of trust. It was a wonderful experience with her and the others,” he adds, noting that he felt at ease and at home among fellow LAU members who had the same outlook and education as himself.

While most of the crew members were recent graduates, some were Khalidi’s students over a decade ago. “I’ve never worked on a production without my students. I aim to guide them through life through theatre, rather than teach them about theatre,” says Khalidi, adding that appreciation of the art form is an important aspect of her work. “Theatre contains almost every element of art you can think of. It’s about staging beautiful pictures with beautiful acting, lighting, design, music … that is the beauty of theatre. It can give credit to each of these elements while drawing out each of their strengths collectively.”

The extended run of “Anbara” at Babel theatre will end on Saturday 28 May. To reserve your ticket, call the theatre on 01 744 033.

Newly-released findings of a study authored by professor of genetics at LAU Pierre A. Zalloua and professor of biological anthropology Lisa Matisoo-Smith of the University of Otago, New Zealand, trace the ancestry of the Phoenicians to the North Mediterranean Coast. The significance of this study, based on an analysis of the first DNA from Phoenicians, is multiple: it establishes their identity and their origins, and provides the earliest evidence of a European mitochondrial haplogroup in North Africa.

“This is the first time we could analyze and obtain the genetic print of an individual buried in a Punic grave,” explains Zalloua. The result links this individual to a group of Southern Europeans.

Little is known about the Phoenicians, as most accounts of these people come from the likely biased chronicles of their Greek and Roman rivals. While their impact on Western culture is widely appreciated, little is known about their origins. Commonly thought to have originated geographically in contemporary Lebanon, this study points to earlier roots which shed new light on their importance and their culture in ancient times.

This scientific discovery reveals that population movement from South Western Europe into North Africa already existed at the time of the Phoenician settlements in Carthage. “The evidence points out how this individual adopted Punic culture or was born into it,” says Zalloua.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the study, according to the scientist, was the ability to analyze the DNA of an individual who had been excavated years prior. The grave was discovered in 1994 on Byrsa hill, near Carthage, Tunisia. The tomb dates to the late 6th century BCE where the remains of the ‘young man of Byrsa’ were found. Zalloua goes on to explain that this finding is part of a wider study which involves collecting Phoenician remains from different sites for analysis. Once the study is completed, it will provide a more comprehensive picture of Phoenician heritage.

There were numerous challenges involved in conducting the research. “It is always difficult to obtain these samples, but in this case the Tunisian partners were extremely generous,” says Zalloua. In addition, working on such projects is very expensive and funding is hard to come by.

An accomplished geneticist, Zalloua is a leading authority on genetics of Middle Eastern populations whose extensive research has established a link between Middle Eastern and Mediterranean populations by tracing patterns in human migration through DNA analyses.

While Zalloua and Matisoo-Smith led the study, the scientific work was conducted together with a distinguished number of scholars. Anna L. Gosling, James Boocock, Olga Kardailsky, Yara Kurumilian, Sihem Roudesli-Chebbi, Leila Badre, Jean-Paul Morel and Leila Ladjimi Sebai participated in these findings. 

An image reconstruction of the 2,500 year old Phoenician dubbed the Young Man of Byrsa or Ariche.

LAU and Al Hamidi Charity Medical Center in Tripoli have signed a memorandum of understanding that lays the groundwork and sets out the mechanisms for collaborative research projects.

“Through this endeavor, we will strengthen not only our two institutions but our communities as well,” said LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra to an audience of representatives from the university, the LAU University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital and Al Hamidi Charity Medical Center.

Signing on behalf of the Tripoli-based hospital was Walid Alloush. “In a world where selfishness reigns, we come together to work for humanity and the prevention of illnesses,” said the chairman of the board of trustees. “This is what all doctors must be dedicated to, and the advancement of man lies in scientific research,” he added.

For the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Pierre Zalloua, this partnership has far-reaching rewards. “The doors that we have opened today are significant and we cannot yet know the benefits it will reap. We are proud of this agreement.”

Jabbra, too, expressed his pride in the charitable history of the university and its long-standing approach to community outreach and development.

For the first time, students from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine will be able to apply for the Rhodes Scholarships, a postgraduate award supporting outstanding all-round students at the University of Oxford.

A delegation of six representatives visited LAU on May 27 to present the trust and invite its students to apply.

“Having people from the Middle East will contribute hugely to the diversity and richness of the University of Oxford,” says Mary Eaton, who oversaw the career of over 1,200 students as Oxford director of scholar affairs and registrar at the Rhodes Trust.

The trust, now in its second century of operation, offers one of the oldest and most celebrated international scholarships in the world. Aside from demonstrating a remarkable academic proficiency ― a GPA of 3.8 is the average requirement ― a Rhodes Scholar must also possess leadership aptitude, dedication to the service of others and outstanding moral qualities.

“We want to see that you have a cause, that you are impatient with the way things are in the world and want to make a positive change,” said Liliane Chamas, regional strategic advisor for the Rhodes Trust, in her address to LAU students. A former Rhodes Scholar herself, Chamas is working to establish and promote the scholarship in the Middle East.

Applications can be submitted from July 1 until September 30, after which candidates will be interviewed by a selection committee. This year, two students from the region will be among the 95 students selected in the 36 participating countries.

“We see the value of additional cultural diversity in our cohorts of scholars every day: They learn from each other in profound ways, leaving behind the narrow interests of individual nations,” says Charles Conn, CEO of Rhodes House. “The new Rhodes scholars will contribute significantly through sharing their skills, knowledge and energy with their peers at Oxford, and we look forward to welcoming them to Rhodes House,” he said.

Rhodes Scholars must demonstrate academic proficiency as well as leadership aptitude, dedication to the service of others and outstanding moral qualities.

LAU’s Department of Design brought together six professionals with varied experience across the design industry as part of a two-panel symposium presented within the agenda of Beirut Design Week.

Designer and retailer Johnny Farah, handbag social enterprise owner Sarah Beydoun and fashion journalist Ritu Upadhyay took to the stage first, alongside panel moderator and Chair of the Department of Design Yasmine Taan, to discuss the cultural translation of fashion.

Questions posed by the moderator and an audience of local and international designers, buyers and design aficionados resulted in discussions about a number of interesting topics, including the relationship between a designer’s home country, brand and market. “Economic sustainability means that designers have to look for commercial hubs,” explained Upadhyay. “Lebanon has beautiful craftsmanship and is a great place for Elie Saab to base his workshop, but he still has to show in Paris, a natural hub,” she added, referring to the internationally renowned designer and mentor of the LAU undergraduate fashion design program.

In fact, both Farah and Beydoun have set up their workshops in Lebanon for the same reason. “The proximity of artisans to each other is a great plus in Lebanon in terms of production,” enthused Beydoun. “And until 2009 we had a strong market here, with Arabs coming over to buy, so we didn’t have to export,” she added, emphasizing the importance of starting locally before expanding regionally then globally.

Having lived and worked in various countries across the globe, Farah chose to call Lebanon home after 22 years in New York. “I’m attached to the artisan world,” explained the designer who, in addition to producing his own brand collection here, has been importing foreign labels to his retail stores in Lebanon. “It’s good for Lebanon to have nice designers, to keep the city interesting. Despite the financial hardship, we’re doing fine. The Lebanese are good like that, never giving up.”

Boutique owner Cynthia Chamat is an example of that Lebanese resilience. After leaving a career in law to run a business with her fashion retailer father, they faced a professional setback that threatened to derail Chamat’s career in fashion before it had begun. “I decided to make clothes myself and focus on the customer experience by offering customization,” she explained during the second panel discussion of the evening which addressed religious and regional taste cultures.

Fellow panelist Shelina Janmohamed offered an international view of customization with examples of big brands that are now producing garments and campaigns targeted directly at Muslim consumers, including H&M, Coca Cola, D&G and DKNY. “The Muslim consumer market is large, young and becoming affluent more quickly than other segments. They spend half a billion dollars on fashion annually and 90 percent of them say their faith plays some influence in their purchasing decisions,” explained Janmohamed, vice president at Islamic branding consultancy Ogilvy Noor.

Understanding the audience―the consumer and the buyer―is one of the many periphery skills embedded in the LAU fashion program that prepares students for careers in fashion, of which design is but one. “It’s very good that LAU teaches these skills, such as image and portfolio building,” said British Council Fashion Programme Manager Kendall Robbins. “Morocco has one fashion school and is having difficulty creating a market and competing with fast fashion, but Lebanon is doing well in terms of education and retail.”

From right: Yasmine Taan, Johnny Farah, Sarah Bedouin and Ritu Upadhyay.

On May 28, LAU’s Nutrition program of the Natural Sciences department held a scientific meeting at the Beirut campus in cooperation with the Lebanese Celiac Association and AUB medical experts to increase awareness of celiac disease in Lebanon. Highlighting its pioneering aspect, the scientific venue titled ‘Celiac Disease from Another Perspective’ offered a platform for members of the medical community, dieticians and patients to discuss this physical condition and its effects on the Lebanese population.

During the first session, titled ‘Celiac from a Medical Perspective’, AUB’s Dr. Nadine Yazbeck, assistant professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Dr. Kassem Barada, professor of medicine of the Department of Internal Medicine, offered the medical definition of this disease. Barada explained the condition as an autoimmune disorder that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the intake of gluten damages the small intestine. “In some patients,” he clarified, “symptoms may be mild but in others they can be severe and, in isolated cases, even life-threatening if not treated accordingly.”

Gluten is a protein which is found in wheat, barley and rye. In the case of patients suffering from celiac disease, when gluten is ingested, an enzyme called tissue transglutaminase modifies it into a chemical causing an immune response that inflames the lining of the small intestine. For this reason, a special gluten-free diet is needed.

In the second part of the conference, ‘Celiac from Nutrition and Food Science Perspectives’, Maya Bassil, assistant professor of Human Nutrition at LAU, discussed the importance of following a strict gluten-free diet for celiac patients, while addressing the misconception that the  diet is beneficial for the overall population. Interestingly, she pointed out that the hype created by marketing gluten-free products as healthier, or as an aid to weight loss, is misleading and incorrect.

As far as the integrity of the products is concerned, Bassil added that “LAU is conducting two studies at present in Lebanon on celiac disease. The first one looks at the level of gluten contamination in products labelled in the country as gluten-free. The second study examines the nutritional status of a gluten-free diet to determine if it is healthy and complete.”

Hussein Hassan, assistant professor of Food Science and Technology at LAU warned that “three percent of food labelled as gluten-free is in fact contaminated.” The importance of avoiding food trans-contamination and the rules to be observed while eating out were some of the practical issues discussed by Sally Haber, a clinical dietician.

As the event concluded, celiac patients explained the key role the Lebanese community can play in helping them lead a “happy, healthy, gluten-free life.” For Imad Khairallah, who is not celiac but has severe gluten intolerance, his quality of life was dramatically transformed once he was diagnosed and went on a gluten-free diet. Alice Saab, member of the Lebanese Celiac Association, who has two children grappling with the disease, hoped that “step by step we will spread awareness about this condition in Lebanon.”

According to LAU professor, three percent of food labelled as gluten-free is in fact contaminated.

In the presence of their families, friends and professors, the class 2016 of the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing vowed to honor their profession by reciting the Nightingale Pledge on May 31. This year’s Nursing Recognition Ceremony saw 21 young and passionate graduates commit to a life at the service of others.

“The key to success is to build a love affair with your job,” said Rana Abdel Malak, director of nursing at Bellevue Medical Center. A clinical instructor with over 20 years’ experience in the field, the guest speaker added: “Most importantly, you will have to learn from your failures, because without failures there is no success.”

Students proudly marched on stage one by one to collect their pins, a symbolic welcome to the profession. A heartfelt speech followed suit, delivered by graduating student Mohammad Ali Bdeir. “You have shown us that nursing goes beyond grades,” said Bdeir, addressing his professors. “It is about being able to love people in their weakest moments.”

Bdeir also thanked family members for their support despite the preconceptions that often surround the nursing profession. “Now you saw what we saw, you have felt the passion we have for this profession,” he said.

The dedication of a number of students was recognized with an academic excellence award. This year, the Badre Shahin Award for a nursing student was instituted by Wassim Shahin, adding to the four awards previously granted at LAU.

Shahin, professor of economics at LAU’s Adnan Kassar School of Business, established the award in loving memory of his aunt Badre Shahin, who dedicated her life to nursing and the service of others.

Its recipient, Ola El Danaf, is a talented student who, as well as exhibiting nursing professionalism and advocacy, scored the highest average in the school of nursing by graduating with a GPA of 3.8.

Danaf first enrolled in engineering, but the passing away of close relatives and the example set by her twin sister―herself a nurse―led her to change career path. “The feeling of helping others and the reward that comes from it is something that only a nurse can understand,” said Danaf, who hopes to continue her education in the U.S.

This year’s ceremony was a particularly heartfelt one for Nancy Hoffart, founding dean of the school, who will soon be leaving LAU to return to the U.S.

Addressing the students, Hoffart invited them to be faithful to their chosen profession through bright and dark times. “When frustration prevails, don’t walk away from nursing,” she said, “because every frustration is balanced by one or more rewards.”

Hoffart also reminded students of the many shapes of nursing and encouraged them to explore various possibilities and shape their own profession. As a final salute, she impressed on the graduating class the great privilege and responsibility that have been bestowed upon them.  

“During your career you will change lives through simple things, you will comfort your patients and maybe shed a tear with them,” she said. “May what you have learned at LAU be the wind beneath your wings.”

Dean Hoffart encouraged the students to shape their own profession.

Among the black caps and gowns of this year’s graduating medical students, a pair of white coats caught the eye at the hooding ceremony held on June 3 in Byblos as two LAU residents in Internal Medicine stood alongside the graduating class, for the first time ever.

Dr. Zeinat Hijazi, interim dean of the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine and associate dean for Medical Education, announced their presence with pride before addressing the students in an impassioned speech. “Medical education does not stop at graduation, it starts here,” she said. “To be successful you’ll have to be life-long learners.”

This was not the only achievement to make this year’s celebration outstanding. On a total of 12 LAU students applying for medical residency, 11 have been “matched” with the institutions they approached.

Of these, two students were accepted while still in their fourth year of studies―a task that is often hard to accomplish. Thanks to his passion and dedication, Abdo Barakat, a graduating fourth-year student managed to pass the required exam to apply for residency in the States (USLME) and secure an acceptance to Michigan’s Mayo Clinic, ranked one of the best hospitals in the U.S. and his first choice.

“LAU’s curriculum is very well structured and geared to meet the needs of those taking the exam in the U.S.,” said Barakat. “If you study hard the first two years, it does not take long before you are qualified enough to sit for the exam.”

Barakat’s success is proof of what can be achieved through perseverance. His junior applications to medical schools in Canada and the U.S. were all rejected. Now, as a graduating medical student, he is about to become part of a top-notch American institution.

“I wish and pray that you join me in making the effort to build a legacy in which we are remembered as physicians who made a change by living love,” he urged his fellow graduates.

According to Dr. Sola Bahous, assistant dean for Clinical Affairs, LAU’s matching success rate of 92 percent is an “extraordinary result” and exemplifies LAU’s ability to prepare its students for leading universities worldwide.

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra, who presided the hooding ceremony, took the occasion to address graduating students with inspiring words, reminding them of the importance of ethics in their future profession. “The priority for a doctor is not to ask 'what I should do, but who I want to be',” said Jabbra. “Do not allow money to become the end goal, and do not forget for a second that your patient is your sole priority.”

Graduates and faculty members gather for a group picture.

The graduates recite the Hippocratic oath during their hooding ceremony.

Eight young women dressed in green carried a length of ivy and laid it on the stage to mark the opening of the LAU Byblos campus commencement ceremony last night. “It is an honor to represent our university and walk alongside our graduating friends,” said Majd Awad of her participation in the LAU tradition that commemorates the university’s beginnings as a women’s college.

More than 800 graduating students in cap and gown followed, walking through crowds of cheering family and friends before taking their seats and welcoming the faculty, bedecked in their doctoral gowns, onstage.

While professional photographers circled the galleries, and videographers and drone cameras captured every moment from multiple angles, transmitting them via live-stream to the LAU website, proud parents stood with phones in hand to record the smiles and joy on their children’s faces as they filed past to join their peers.

“May peace always live in your hearts and in your homes,” President Joseph G. Jabbra said addressing the graduates. “May daily problems never cause you undue anxiety, nor the desire for earthly possessions dominate your lives. May you always be wise, strong, gentle, and forgiving.”

Also offering advice to the graduates was valedictorian Rita Iskandar, who encouraged her peers to live boldly and follow their hearts, as well as former first lady and minister Nayla Moawad, who delivered the commencement address in the cap and gown presented to her by Jabbra and Provost George K. Najjar as a symbol of the honorary doctorate in humane letters bestowed on her by LAU.

“Have faith in yourself and your country and do not allow despair in despite the difficulties,” said the widow of former Lebanese President René Mouawad after delivering a polemic against the state’s systematic failure to support and nurture the citizens of Lebanon. “Revolt against corruption and for accountability and for Lebanon … Carry the weapon of education to face challenges and have faith that the future is for you and that Lebanon needs you.”

Tatiana Karam Abou Jaoude was among the graduates whose service to others and to Lebanon was recognized on the night. Her years as a trainer within LAU’s outreach and civic engagement programs, including the flagship Model United Nations and the Model Arab League, were among the many reasons Abou Jaoude was selected to be a recipient of the Torch Award. “LAU’s outreach programs attracted me to the university in the first place, and as a political science and international affairs major it was important for me to be active in helping others,” said Abou Jaoude, who was among the first graduates to step up on stage and shake Jabbra’s hand.

Students graduating from programs in all seven schools followed suit, many in white, green or gold stoles to mark their distinct academic performance, each one’s name called, each one congratulated personally by the president and the dean of their school. One graduate of the School of Architecture and Design went up on stage armed with a selfie stick to grab a special photograph with Dean Elie Haddad, who had invited his students onstage after reading an oath affirmed by all with a passionate “I do.”

Oaths were also taken by students of the schools of engineering, pharmacy, nursing and medicine, and while each was worded differently, a dedication to advancement and service to others was common to all. This, highlighted Jabbra, is at the core of LAU’s mission. “Despite all our achievements, Ladies and Gentlemen, our motto is the ‘Magis,’ more. We need to do more, to be indefatigable, to continue to self-improve in serving the young people of Lebanon, the MENA region, and beyond. Excellence is our passion forever and LAU our pride!”

Valedictorian Rita Iskandar delivering her speech.

Nayla Mouawad surrounded by President Jabbra (left) and Provost Najjar (right).

LAU commencement ceremonies traditionally start with an invocation.

Enveloped in the sweet scent of jasmine flowers, Beirut’s class of 2016 marched through the familiar courtyard which for years has been the theater of their joys and sorrows.

The resounding cheers among the crowd of students graduating from the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Architecture and Design were proof that no reward is greater than one which takes effort to achieve.

“A bittersweet ending is always what marks the end of a great journey,” said valedictorian Rana Bou Saada, who graduated in communication with a remarkable GPA of 3.99. “Class 2016, you are now ready to climb the next hill.”

This year’s commencement ceremony, held in Beirut on June 10, was blessed with an extremely inspiring speech given by entrepreneur Ahmad (Andy) Khawaja, recipient of the Honorary Degree in Humane Letters. Lebanese in origin, Khawaja left the country at the age of 15 in search of a better future. He started as a low-paid teenage worker in supermarkets in Europe and the U.S. and ended up founding a multi-billion company for online services, Allied Wallet.

“I never graduated, even from high school, and my company began as a dream no one―except me―believed in,” Khawaja remembered. “Fighting for success is never easy, but you cannot fail if you never give up. The only thing you need to decide is when you will begin making your dream come true.”

Beaming with joy and pride, President Joseph G. Jabbra also addressed the students with words of encouragement for the new life challenges that will unfold before them. “ May you always find success, happiness, and satisfaction in your future careers… May you have true friends to stand by you, both in joy and in sorrow.  May you be ready and willing to help and comfort all who come to you in need.”

Under the blessing of the Lebanese flag and the LAU emblem, students marched on stage one by one to receive their well-deserved diplomas, a moment which seals the end of their journey as students and the beginning of their lives as makers of the Lebanese society. 

More than 490 students graduated at LAU Beirut on June 10.

Ahmad Khawaja receives an Honorary Degree in Humane Letters from President Jabbra (left) and Provost Najjar (right).

“Alma mater, hail to thee. In the strength of our new desires, we pledge to thee all our youth,” read the verses of LAU’s Alma Mater.

But on June 11, the university was the one honouring its students graduating from the Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB). As parents and guests cheered, recurring references were made honouring the alumni-to-be for their achievements, particularly against the backdrop of the challenges currently faced by Lebanon and the MENA region which the class of 2016 is ready to take on.

“We are the powerful agents who will fight evil in all its kinds: corruption, segregation, violence and the ailments our society is sickened with,” said Valedictorian Montasser Akram al Hassanieh addressing the graduating cohort. “Our role as business graduates has just started, guided by ethics and knowledge as our only weapon,” he added.

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra expressed his pride. “We gather here, tonight, our hearts filled with joy at what the LAU family and especially our graduating class have achieved this past academic year,” he enthused. “Our success is a continuation of our beautifully unfolding dream in the history of LAU, which has become an academic powerhouse, taking its right place in the constellation of leading institutions of higher education in Lebanon, the MENA Region, and beyond.”

Indeed, LAU’s school of business has recently obtained its accreditation from the U.S. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), thus joining a prestigious club of only 5 percent of accredited business schools in the world.

Also proud of the youth of his country was Fouad Mustapha Makhzoumi―renowned Lebanese businessman and Chairman of Future Group Holdings―who received an Honorary Degree in Humane Letters from Jabbra and Provost George K. Najjar. In his commencement address, Makhzoumi prompted the students to search beyond their immediate home country for their professional development if necessary, but to bring back their know-how to Lebanon. “I am one of many Lebanese entrepreneurs who have, out of their love and care for their country and fellow citizens, harnessed their resources to serve their fellow citizens. I call on you to carry the same objective when carving your professional path.”

A message well received by Beatrice Rizk, a student graduating with distinction in business. “LAU has taught us such values as the importance of giving back and helping each other … I am also happy to have attended a university which offered me the freedom to express myself.” Fellow Nahi Ghandour, also a business graduate, nodded. “There is respect for each one of us, and a great dynamic and positive interaction with professors. At LAU we felt valued.”

Graduates cheer as the ceremony closes.

LAU Beirut hosted its 91st annual commencement exercises.