As a senior medical student, Mohammad Hassan Noureldine knows all too well that the road to this demanding career is fraught with obstacles. His project―a book on neuroscience suitable for academic teaching―sprang from the desire to remove at least one of the obstacles faced by future generations.

“The idea came to me two years ago when I was taking the module on neuroscience,” says Noureldine. “As no comprehensive text was available for teaching purposes, professors had to extract chapters from different books to provide the literature for the course.” Using a variety of different texts not catered to students meant more work for both teachers and students, who had to discern the information essential to a student from the more in-depth ones intended for professionals in the field.

“I thought this void should be filled with a book catered to medical students that is concise and yet comprehensive,” says Noureldine. The uniqueness of the project stands in its ability to combine anatomy with correlated clinical cases and their effect on the normal functioning of the body part at hand.

The idea for the book was brewing when he attended the Second International Conference on Medical Education hosted by LAU in November 2015. Among the many participants was the publishing house Elsevier, whose representative did not fail to notice the quality of Noureldine’s proposal and the market void it would contribute to fill.

“Who better than a student knows what students need,” says Senior Content Strategist at Elsevier Rasheed Roussan. “Students are often discouraged from taking up projects before they graduate, but Mohammad Hassan Noureldine is proof that this is an unfair stigmatization.”

Noureldine, however, had to go a long way to prove that, despite his young age, he was fit for the task. “We asked him to draft a sample chapter to present to the publishing committee and he was unrelenting,” says Roussan. “Everyone was impressed with the quality of the work he produced.”

Thanks to his enterprising spirit, Noureldine has become the first Arab student in the Middle East to have a book accepted by Elsevier. More than that, he was also selected to be part of Elsevier’s new marketing campaign Uncommon Knowledge, which will feature those whose exceptional stories can be of inspiration to others.

The first edition is scheduled for publication in 2017. “This project is extremely interesting as it is student-led,” says Rechdi Ahdab, one of Noureldine’s mentors and a contributor to the project. “It covers needs that we have heard our students express over and over during years of teaching.”

Noureldine hopes his work will spare other students some of the struggles he faced in studying one of the most complex topics in the curriculum and that this will be the first milestone in his educational career. “Every doctor should allocate time to teach and I intend to do this in the future,” he says. “The information is already out there, but it is necessary for it to be transferred in an easy and comprehensive way for the students to grasp.”

Noureldine at LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital.

Dr. Walid Touma, director of the University Enterprise Office (UEO), expects at least 5 percent of the students involved in the Tomorrow’s Leaders scholarship program (TL) his office manages to be actively effecting change in their home countries. “Now, more than ever, we are witnessing a dimensional transformation in the Arab world and the students of Tomorrow’s Leaders program are part of it,” he says.

Tomorrow’s Leaders is a joint program of the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and LAU. Its mission is to shape the youth with exceptional leadership potential from across the Arab world into responsible, ethical and professional leaders, enabling them to face the complexities and issues in their home countries and to bring about positive change.

For Lebanese national, Abed El Karim Farroukh, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance in 2014, the program “was a way to receive an international education and leave my small town of Quinarite.” Farroukh explains how the experience allowed him to take part in civic engagement initiatives and to develop effective negotiation skills, problem-solving and conflict resolution abilities. A dedicated volunteer, he participated in a family planning association for Syrians in Lebanon and, during his semester in the U.S. ―as part of the curriculum―in a volunteer program for underprivileged Mexican children in Detroit. The TL alumnus highlights the dedication of the professors in the banking and finance program at LAU and the lack of hierarchy which ensured effective interaction and a dynamic learning environment. Today, Farroukh is about to start his Ph.D. in business administration and finance at the University of Washington, Seattle.  

Egyptian student Shadwa Ibrahim, graduating in economics with a minor in international affairs, had a life-changing experience. “Before attending LAU I had acquired traditions and knowledge without ever questioning them. Now I always ask myself why I think this way, are there different ways to view this?” For her senior capstone project, Ibrahim focused on domestic violence issues. At only 21, she would like to start her own initiative dedicated to civic society. “I have become more tolerant of and friendly with people even when we have different views. I owe this to both LAU and MEPI.”

Currently, 11 different nationalities are represented in the program. That it kicked-off in 2008 with only six students and is expected to reach a total of 70 plus in the coming academic year attests to its success. Jad Misri, 21, is one of the 11 Syrian students enrolled in the LAU-MEPI TL. Now in his second year as a student in TV and film directing, he arrived from Aleppo in 2013. “I came alone, and for the first year in Lebanon I worked as a security guard and slept in a church for a few months.” Thanks to the scholarship, he is now pursuing both his education and leadership development.

Currently, 11 different nationalities are represented in the program.

A team of five representing LAU at the Young Arab Voices debate finals recently held  clinches first place, following months of rigorous training.

Eleven debating teams from universities and youth movements throughout Lebanon participated in the initiative, sponsored by the British Council and the Anna Lindt Foundation and replicated since 2011 in various Arab countries. “Debate can solve the lack of communication among people in our region. As debaters, we learn first to listen well and critically evaluate an argument,” says LAU student and MEPI TL scholar Safea AlTef, a member of the winning team.

Among the instructors were LAU Associate Professors at the department of English, Dany Badran and Victor Khachan, who formed part of a group of three trainers who initially held an intensive three-day session for ten local trainers, before delivering, separately, regular training workshops to three or four of the 11 debate teams, each comprising up to 24 members who completed the training and participated in in-house debates between December and May. Each institution then selected its strongest five debaters to represent it and compete in the finals, arguing in either English or Arabic.

“I really enjoy witnessing the rapid development in their reasoning and personalities,” says Badran of his trainees. “They become better listeners, sharper and faster thinkers, their ideas clearer and more structured, and their delivery more impactful.”

In addition to evidence and reasoning, and organizing and responding to arguments, Badran and his fellow trainers taught the debaters how to coordinate and work as a team. “That whole pressure within only a 30-minute window was very stressful, and if it weren’t for the bond that we created, we would have clashed and not been able to win,” says LAU debate team member Christie Maike, referring to the fact that despite researching five topics and motions, the teams were only informed half an hour before the debates which two motions they would be debating and which side of each motion they would be arguing.

The winning LAU team, one of three arguing in English, squared off against Balamand University, defending the motion that inter-ministerial coordination in Lebanon will help increase job opportunities for Lebanese youth; and against AUB, opposing the motion to put a stop to the marriage of girls under the age of 18 in Lebanon.

“Sometimes we are required to take a stand against our own values. It allows us to consider all ideas and opinions, and evaluate and understand the other. This is a first step towards healthy communication in the region,” says AlTef.

Lea Fakih agrees. “During debates you have to put aside your beliefs and try to understand another perspective; and that's something that everyone needs, especially in Lebanon because of our strongly held beliefs that we think will never change."

According to Maike, "when politicians come up on TV shows, they always end up arguing in a very disrespectful manner, sometimes violently assaulting each other instead of actively listening to others’ points of view and diplomatically and logically refuting their argument. It is in our culture to get angry and take things personally. The beauty of the Young Arab Voices program is that it is targeted toward youth and for youth, as only future generations can change the current culture.”

Congratulations to Safea AlTef, Christie Maike, Lea Fakih, Farah Al Mashharawi and Mohamad Timtaoucine, who formed the LAU debate team that represented the university in the Young Arab Voices final debates against AUB and Balamand and won.

Read more about the Young Arab Voices initiative at http://www.youngarabvoices.org/about

One of five LAU team members who prepared for and won in the final debates against AUB and Balamand, Lea Fakih delivers an argument in front of an impartial panel of judges.

A complex and impactful project has been finalized by LAU as part of its efforts to address the growing power demand, enhance the existing facilities, ensure the latest technology and provide advanced high-quality services to the LAU community.

The official inauguration of the Beirut Campus Infrastructure Plant and Main Data Center took place in the presence of the Facilities Management and IT teams, LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra, the project’s consultant Pierre Dammous & Partners (PDP) and the project’s contractor Saccal Enterprises, among others.

With the completion of this project, LAU acquires a fully-automated 7,000 KVA power plant including a redundancy of 2,000 KVA feeding the campus facilities through an underground medium voltage loop cabling system. The newly developed Data Center conforms to the highest standards and requirements for redundancy and availability, meaning a fault tolerant site infrastructure with electrical power storage and distribution facilities guaranteeing around 99.99 percent  availability.

As Jabbra remarked, “providing such highly reliable and state-of-the-art infrastructure systems and services is mandatory for fulfilling the academic mission of the university and its constituents and granting the highest possible level of comfort to every LAU occupant, be it the students, faculty or staff.”   

Indeed, the high-tech computerized operation and monitoring of the load and power management not only guarantees better service to the university but also benefits the general community, thereby reasserting LAU’s commitment to being a leader institution.

“LAU has built a state-of-the-art electrical infrastructure and tier-3 data center that support excellence in teaching, learning, research and administrative processes,” says Roy Majdalani, vice president of Human Resources and University Services. “This also allows our students, faculty, and staff to prosper within a first-class institution of higher learning.”An even more ambitious project was initiated at the Byblos campus in December. The result will be a centralized system encompassing a chilled water plant, a central power plant, a filtration plant, a major water tower with a capacity of 3500 cubic meters and a water treatment plant. Upon completion, scheduled for summer 2017, the new centralized system will enable the Byblos campus to operate at unprecedented efficiency levels.

At the Beirut inauguration, Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management Georges Hamouche conducted a guided tour of the two main electrical rooms on the Beirut Campus, the power plant station located on the outskirts of the Beirut campus main cluster and the new Data Center. “I would like to express my gratitude for the enormous efforts that led to this success and for everyone’s collaboration in overcoming the challenges posed by this complicated project,” said Hamouche, adding that despite excavations, demolitions and construction, the campus was kept fully functional. “This was made possible thanks to an outstanding team spirit among all the parties involved.”

Providing such state-of-the-art infrastructure systems and services is mandatory for fulfilling the academic mission of the university, says Jabbra.

For Lebanese-Americans the food of their ancestors has always been key to preserving their identity and perpetuating a culture that celebrates life and its joys.

“Food traditions are maintained over generations because they provide ethnic immigrant groups with a strong sense of attachment to their homeland,” declared the LAU New York Headquarters and Academic Center’s Academic Executive Director Lina Beydoun.

More than that, said Matthew Jaber Stiffler, research and content manager at the Arab American Museum in Michigan and a fourth-generation Lebanese-American, food becomes a way for immigrants to control the narrative.

“The turn of the century was a period of intense xenophobia and tremendous anti-immigrant sentiment,” he said to an audience of more than 150 people gathered at the LAU New York Headquarters and Academic Center earlier this month. The speaker explained that there was open discrimination against Syrian immigrants in New York—one public health official compared them to vermin and many called for a halt to all immigration from Syria. At the same time, restaurant critics from the New York Times praised the “exotic delicacies” at eateries in their neighborhood, nicknamed “Little Syria.”

“By the time it got to me, nobody spoke Arabic anymore, nobody was travelling back to Lebanon … what we had left was the food. That was my only connection to my Lebanese heritage,” said Stiffler, whose scholarly work on food and culture was spurred by this early interest.

In the 1980s, Philippe Massoud, now CEO and executive chef of the award-winning restaurant ilili, emigrated to the U.S. at a time when the Lebanese were occasionally portrayed in the American press as terrorists. “I came here a wounded bird from a land that was on fire … and I took every occasion to promote and defend my people,” he said adding that he hopes to continue to spread the gospel of Lebanese cuisine to Americans for a long time to come.

Walking in Massoud’s footsteps Manal Kahi, co-founder and CEO of Eat Offbeat, began her business out of a longing for her grandmother’s hummus. Not finding any that tasted quite right in New York grocery stores, she began experimenting with her own variations. Eventually this led her to team up with her brother Wissam in order to provide authentic foreign cuisine with a socially-responsible twist: Eat Offbeat only hires refugees as chefs.

“We advertise the idea of adventurous eating,” she said, adding that New Yorkers are not only hungry for new tastes but also for a different narrative around refugees and immigration.

For co-founders of the new fast-casual restaurant Semsom Eatery, sisters Carine Assouad and Christine Sfeir, Lebanese food has to do with their heritage too. “Choosing dishes for Semsom was a way of connecting to my history,” Sfeir said. “We have recipes that are very innovative, but you will also see recipes from my grandmother, my mom, and some of my own.”

The audience was able to sample everything from traditional manousheh and labneh to halawet el jibn. As the evening came to a close, Charlie Sahadi, owner of Sahadi’s Grocery in Brooklyn, spoke about his conviction that good food can help make the world a better place. “If they started peace talks with a good meal, the talks would go so much better … food is the great equalizer―it makes you not any better than me and me not any better than you.”

 “Food and Identity: Celebrating Lebanese Cuisine in New York” was co-sponsored by LAU and the Consulate General of Lebanon in New York.  

At the conclusion of the panel, Consul General Majdi Ramadan presented an award from Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs & Emigrants Gebran Bassil to chef Philippe Massed (second from right), honoring him for his inspiration to people of Lebanese heritage around the world. 

More than 150 people attended the event.

Guests were invited to sample cuisine from Amir’s Grill, Byblos, Hayat Caterers Inc., Le Sajj, Manousheh, and Semsom, along with sweets from Les Cinq Amandes and Maha Chocolates.

Labneh presented on a tiny ice cream cone.

For the second consecutive year, the “UDesign” competition launched by Fransabank, a leading financial group serving a top-notch clientele, has entrusted LAU students with creating an original design that embodies its corporate identity. The winning product is destined to be mass-produced as a Christmas gift.

The 2016 winners, recently announced at the Fransabank headquarters in Beirut, were Julia Aridi and Samer Awad, who presented an innovative office stapler. “We wanted to eliminate the struggles that a businessman faces in his everyday life,” says Awad, who just concluded his second year of architecture at LAU.

Instead of puncturing the paper―which makes it hard to photocopy single sheets or bind together large piles of documents―the stapler created by the two students allows for an efficient, removable and eco-friendly way of keeping papers together.

“The design itself had to embody the corporate character of Fransabank, a futuristic and trustworthy financial group,” says Aridi, also a second year architecture student. “We therefore decided to make our product transparent so that its action is visible to the user.”

Raida Daouk, strategic coordinator at Fransabank, says the group was very pleased with the outcome of the competition. “We gave them no specific theme. We wanted to see what students could come up with if given total freedom,” says Daouk. “As a company, we are keen on promoting young talents and we are delighted to do that by means of this competition.”

The winners received a sponsorship of $4,000 to continue developing their idea, as well as the support of Fransabank’s designers. “I am excited to have the chance to see the full process of creating a product, from design to manufacturing,” says Awad, “as we don’t often have the opportunity to go beyond the theoretical part of the creation process.”

The projects were evaluated by a commission of professionals, including Lebanese furniture designer Nada Debs, renowned for her unique Eastern-inspired creations. “The students tried to think conceptually about the needs of the banking sector and to apply some new ideas to create unique products,” she said. “The stapler was the winning project because it was both functional and visually pleasing.”

According to Ghida Geha, LAU professor at the School of Architecture and Design and coordinator of the competition, uniting students from different fields―architecture, interior design, graphic design and fashion design―created a unique synergy. The competition also offered participants a good opportunity to show their added value. “Those who took part will be able to put this experience on their CVs to prove that they are capable of coming up with original ideas, which is considered a big plus by any employer.”

Winners Julia Aridi and Samer Awad (left) pose with Fransabank and LAU officials.

LAU's Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) just launched a twelve-page gender profile of Lebanon, the first of 22 publications that individually provide a review of laws and statistics relevant to gender issues and equality across a variety of sectors in each of the member states of the Arab League.

"Those country gender profiles are a platform from which researchers, students, activists, and others can begin their work based on reliable information – vetted by gender specialists from each country," says IWSAW Director Lina Abirafeh. "They are meant to be living documents, updated with new information as statistics change and more studies are done. We are not creating something new, but rather compiling the information to make it useful and easily accessible to a wider audience," she adds.

Nida Latif, public health and gender-based violence expert is the author of the Lebanon profile. “This publication gives an idea of the legal and constitutional framework as it applies to a number of sectors in Lebanon,” she explained at the launch. Much of the information, she noted, was gathered from documents available online, including the World Bank, the European Union and CEDAW reports.

According to political science professor and gender consultant Marguerite Helou, the country expert appointed to review the profile, “a quick skim of the report shows that there is a lot of discrimination against women at many levels.”

Among the examples she listed were a number of laws in the penal code which, for instance, markedly differentiate between men and women with regard to the expectations and punishments related to adultery.

More pertinent are laws that limit, if not altogether mitigate, punishment for the murder of women at the hands of male relatives. “We succeeded in removing the law that permits lesser sentences for perpetrators of honor crimes … But there is another law that offers leniency to those caught in a fit of rage,” said Helou, who advocates total reform of the system. “The lack of progress to date is due to piecemeal work,” she told the LAU students and representatives of various non-government organizations in attendance.

A passive and peripheral electorate that views any request for change within the prism of sectarianism and hence considers it a threat to society and culture perpetuates discrimination against women. Cultural and gender norms also incite fear and hatred toward homosexuals. “A survey of 1,200 people found that the majority reject homosexuals not because of religion but because they consider them a threat to society,” explained Georges Azzi of the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center. He went on to describe a recent case in Lebanon in which the challenge issued from the semantics of a written law prohibiting homosexuality.

Such challenges and civic actions are essential steps in the journey toward equality. “Lebanon is a pluralist and heterogeneous country with a conflicted political culture and no participant political culture. You must adopt a new attitude,” implored Helou addressing the students before her. “The constitution does not prevent legislators issuing civil laws. You must hold your politicians accountable."

Gender profiles of Morocco and Jordan are forthcoming. 

The launch of the Lebanon profile was attended by representatives and members of international organizations, NGOs, activists and students.

The sixth edition of the LAU summer camp―which took place earlier this month at LAU Beirut―offered 55 high school students the opportunity to delve into three disciplines, namely English speech writing, Arabic writing and computer science.

Notably, a new computer science summer camp was launched in Sidon on July 11, enabling students in the south of Lebanon to gain insight into the field.

“We felt welcomed into a family rather than a university,” said Abed Saker, winner of the English summer camp. “It gave us the chance to get to know LAU as well as learn the tricks of public speaking.”

This year’s final competition challenged students to deliver a persuasive argument in favor of a cause they strongly believed in. Saker’s winning speech powerfully advocated the separation of religion from the state, a topic dear to him.

In a bid to encourage young talents to pursue higher education, the first three classified students in each discipline are granted a scholarship: a 30 percent  discount on enrollment fees for first place, 20 percent for second and 15 percent for third.

“I will definitely enroll at LAU,” said Saker, who plans to major in physics with English as a minor. “No matter what you study, being able to communicate your knowledge is the key to success.”

According to his tutor Reine Azzi, instructor of English and Moral Reasoning at LAU, the workshop has been far more than an English course. “Learning how to deliver a speech has made students more self-confident and motivated,” she said.

The Arabic writing workshop was held for the second consecutive year by Iman Humaydan, renowned Lebanese writer, creative writing trainer, publisher and journalist. “It was the best workshop I ever gave,” said Humaydan, who has been training students in Europe and abroad since 2007. “The students showed great maturity, motivation and interest in what is happening around them in the world.”

Two former winners of the computer science summer camp and current students at LAU volunteered to assist this year’s participants. “I see myself in them and I do my best to guide them,” said Rania Islambouli, winner of the 2013 computer science summer camp. “Taking the workshop is what made me settle on computer science, and of course being granted a scholarship encouraged me to do so.”

A similar experience was shared by Omar Farhat, winner of the 2014 edition. “I was thinking of majoring in engineering, but after I took part in the summer camp I decided I loved computer science,” he said. “For me, it has been an enlightening experience and I am glad to help students make the best of it.”

Participants gather with their instructors after the certificate ceremony.

Thirty new pharmacists received on July 13 the academic hood representing their vocation. Elegant in their academic attire, the graduating students celebrated their first professional achievement on Byblos Campus.

“There are two important events in our lives,” said LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra in his greeting to the pharmacy class of 2016, “one is our birth, which we have no control over, and one is determining who we are and what we want to do in our lives, which is what you have just done.”

Jabbra also reminded the graduating students of the responsibilities bestowed upon them by their newly acquired qualifications. “You are called upon to play a very positive role in society,” he said, “don’t forget that you are the servants of your patients.”

One by one, the students rose and walked on stage to receive the olive-green velvet hood, which they draped over the shoulder of their black graduation gown. “The position you are currently in is one so many people yearn to be in,” said Dean Imad Btaiche, who shook hands with the students as they marched along the stage. “Never lose sight of your mission,” he added, “you work for the welfare of humanity.”

A number of awards were distributed to the graduating class, including the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) Award, which went to Tatiana Abi, who scored the highest grade; the Student Professionalism Award, given to Karl Awaida in recognition of the exemplary dedication he had shown during courses and clerkship rotations; and the Student Clinical Excellence Award, granted to Perla Saoud for her outstanding clinical knowledge, practice skills and professional standards during her P4 clinical clerkship rotations.

Tatiana Abi Nader and Perla Saoud were also the recipients of the Highest GPA Award and had therefore the honor of addressing their graduating class during the hooding ceremony. “Today we celebrate our time together as a family and we leave armed with knowledge,” they said during the valedictorian speech. “It is now our time to be the change. May we, as Lebanese, be a light among the nations and spread the values LAU has engrained in us.” 

Valedictorian students address their graduating class.

The graduating class with the school’s faculty members.

Thirty students graduated this year.

“I was a student at LAU during the civil war. I lived in Bourj al Barajneh, and as it was too dangerous for me to go back home between lectures, I would spend my entire day at the university,” said Zeinab Makkeh, who graduated in business studies in 1990. “LAU was my light and my second home; it is not just stones, it represents a very special place.”

Makkeh was attending this year’s annual Alumni Homecoming reunion in Beirut where alumni across the generations gathered in high numbers, and waited patiently in line to receive their pins from LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra.

“It is important to have a place of reference. LAU represents your second family,” Jabbra told the crowd.

The Homecoming week kicked off with a dinner on July 12 at White rooftop in Beirut, where the Alumni Association awarded Joseph Abi Ghosn (‘01) the Alumni Recognition Award and Mona Hatoum (’72) the Alumni Achievement Award. A successful businessman, Abi Ghosn took charge of ENJM upon his graduation from LAU with a B.S. in Business Management, taking it to another level that got the company―now ENJM Energy―the Golden PAN Arab Web Award for the oil and gas section in 2008.

A Lebanese-born Palestinian video and installation artist who lives in London, Hatoum studied Advertising Design at LAU (then Beirut University College) class of 1972 before being forced into exile. Since 1983, she has been displaying both her installations and her video performance art pieces in exhibitions around the world. She has been featured in individual exhibitions as recently as 2011 at White Cube art gallery in London. She has also won several awards, has received many honorary titles and is a resident and member of various art centers and institutions.

“The idea behind these awards is to recognize the achievements and contributions of LAU alumni and for alumni to take pride in their fellow alumni,” said Abdallah Al Khal, executive director of Alumni Relations. “It is also a way to tell the world who are the graduates of LAU.”

In turn, alumni from different peer groups expressed their gratitude to their alma mater. Sylvia Mattar, who graduated in 1973 with a degree in Elementary Education when LAU was still a women only institution, said “LAU prepared me for life and for the future … It kept me following the news and opened my mind.”

This was echoed by the younger generation. Oham Oumoudian, who graduated in Computer Science in 2011 and is now a successful senior programme developer, declared that LAU had provided him with the opportunity to explore and hone his skills. “Thanks to the faculty and the support of the placement office at LAU, I was ready for the job market … They incentivised us to strive for perfection.”

Al Khal was keen to underscore the “History of LAU and the loyalty of its graduates. The progress of our programs has been dramatic, particularly in the past 14 years, and we owe it to a great extent to the support of the alumni. Thanks to them, we now have 40 alumni chapters around the world.”

Throughout the Homecoming weekend, Jabbra maintained that the alumni were the real ambassadors of LAU worldwide, thanking them for their loyalty and the affection they have shown for their alma mater.    

Check the LAU Alumni official Facebook page for more pictures.

The Alumni Dinner was hosted at White rooftop.

The Homecoming Brunch was held at Sporting Beach Club on July 16.

On July 14, an all-class reunion took place on the Byblos campus followed by another on the Beirut campus on July 15.

Seventeen-year-old Habib Shwayri arrived at the Port of New York from Lebanon in 1902 with $20 in his pocket. In a little over six months, he had paid off the mortgage to his family’s home back in Hadath, Mt. Lebanon. His story, and that of many emigrants to the U.S., was the topic of conversation at LAU NY on July 27, when the Academic Center welcomed Lebanese author Raif Shwayri, Habib’s grandson, for a discussion of his new book, Beirut on the Bayou: Alfred Nicola, Louisiana, and the Making of Modern Lebanon, led by New York-based author and scholar Linda K. Jacobs.

“In Raif’s book, we learn that the Syrian peddler at the turn of the 19th century was often despised and depicted as ‘the scum of the Levant’,” said Lina Beydoun, LAU NY academic executive director, as she kicked off the evening event. “Raif counters this view by narrating the success story of his grandfather, portraying him as a hardworking, honest, genuine, loyal and kind peddler in Louisiana … It is the story of millions of immigrants … like my parents, who sought economic betterment in Sierra Leone. Alfred Nicola’s story is our story too.”

“Alfred Nicola” is the name given to Habib Shwayri by officials upon arrival, his grandson explained describing the 18 years the young man spent peddling textiles on the Bayou in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the prosperity and legacy that hard work subsequently brought his family.

Shwayri’s ancestors, like many Christians from Mt. Lebanon during the Ottoman Empire, worked in the booming silk industry. “When the Suez Canal opened in 1869, you could reach the outside world in no time,” he said. “So the French began getting their silk from the Chinese, the Japanese, and the economy in Lebanon died out.”

Wealthy families with big estates, like Alfred Nicola’s, were forced to look for ways to maintain them and their lifestyles. Thus, Nicola set off in search of economic opportunity.

According to Jacobs, who documented the Syrian Colony of Lower Manhattan in her book Strangers in the West, many became peddlers because the trade required little training, and was lucrative.

“It was available to anyone, with or without English language skills; the person needed little or no money to start because they were often given the first pack on credit, and your hours belonged to you,” she said. “At that time, factory workers earned about $5 per week, and a peddler could earn from $25-50 a week.”

When Alfred Nicola eventually returned to Lebanon, he invested his earnings in real estate and died a wealthy man in 1956. Raif’s father Nadim used his inheritance to start Al-Kafaàt Foundation, a non-profit organization with the goal of educating children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as those with disabilities.

“When we first met with Raif in 2013 to talk about his ideas for a book, the novel was just a gleam in his eye,” said Donna Dixon, co-director of SUNY Press, which published Beirut on the Bayou. “It is a joy to support someone who does so much good in this world.” 

Indeed, the money Alfred Nicola made in America has helped serve more than 6,000 people in Lebanon today.

Al-Kafaàt Foundation has seven different centers focusing on various aspects of education and social welfare for the Lebanese. It is also home to Al-Kafaàt University. Since 2010, the foundation has partnered with SUNY to develop higher education initiatives.

This event was co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Lebanon in New York, SUNY Press, and SUNY Global.  

Raif Shwayri addressing the audience.

Academics and professionals active in the field of gender equality gathered at LAU today for the opening ceremony of a three-day international conference featuring discussions by seasoned experts about the prioritization of women, peace and security on the Arab agenda.

Eight distinct panels will address a range of topics, including the role of institutions, current peace processes, expanding women’s participation, and the significance of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 which reaffirms the importance of women in conflict resolution, post-conflict reconstruction, and humanitarian responses among others, and calls for their protection from gender-based violence.

“There is a tide gathering momentum that began in 2000 with the passing of that resolution when the UN became aware of the changing nature of war,” said LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra in his welcoming address.

"The tide has reached the shores of the Arab world. There is a lot of conflict and many refugees in our region, and gender perspective is low," added Jabbra, expressing the impetus behind the conference, which was organized by LAU's Institute for WOmen's Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the Danish research institute KVINFO.

Over the past 15 years, seven Security Council resolutions have been passed that address the topics of women, peace and security, setting the framework for policy formulation. “Men and women experience war in different ways. This has always been the case, but resolution 1325 recognized that and changed how we think about gender,” explained Director of IWSAW Lina Abirafeh, adding that despite the recognition, the agenda remains under-funded. “Over the past sixteen years the world has changed. Conflicts, mass displacements and extremism are on the rise and, in the words of one soldier, it is now more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier.”

The consideration of women when discussing peace and security, Abirafeh pointed out, is not a token or a favor, but rather an essential and fundamental right, and one that academia has been increasingly involved in. “We have degrees and institutes dedicated to women, peace and security,” she said, addressing the many academics and professionals who gathered in Beirut with the aim of exchanging their experiences and ideas.

Among them, the Deputy Director of ESCWA Mehrinaz Al Awadi stressed the importance of prevention schemes and noted the positive correlation between women's involvement in and the success of peace initiatives, before calling on all those present to actively participate in each discussion and share their ideas. "Women's leadership is essential for peace... It is our collective responsibility to engage in this issue."

Also emphasizing the impact of women's participation in peace initiatives ws Koni Christiansen, a senior advisor at conference partner KVINFO. "A recent UN Women report highlights the underrepresentation of women at the negotiating table and the limited influence those present have. Women in the Arab world need protection during times of war and representation during peace building."

Join the discussion at the ongoing conference (8-10 August, Commodore Hotel, Hamra, Beirut).

Click here for the program.

A panel of representatives from LAU and the Lebanese American Medical Association (LAMA) reunited on August 5 to sign an agreement that constitutes a new milestone on the success path undertaken by the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing (ARCSON).

“It is a pleasure to be affiliated with a top-notch university like LAU. This is the first school of nursing to be affiliated with us in the region,” said Firas Harb, president of LAMA, following the signing of the agreement. “I am sure we will be able to provide a good bridge for your students.”

As an accrediting and academic training non-profit organization, LAMA provides Lebanese medical students and graduates with the opportunity to improve their learning experience through clinical rotations at various hospitals throughout the U.S.

In the agreement signed with ARCSON, LAMA commits to granting 15 to 25 scholarships to nursing students and graduates that cover their training costs.

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra welcomed Harb to LAU, while Nancy Hoffart, funding dean of the school, expressed her delight at the latest achievements of a school established as recently as 2009.

“I am very appreciative of your interest in nursing, which is remarkable given that lots of people still do not understand it in the region,” said Hoffart, addressing Harb. “This is a success not only for LAU but for nursing.”

Similarly, the university’s schools of medicine and pharmacy are bound to strike an agreement with LAMA in the coming months and benefit from the support of an organization affiliated to first-rate teaching hospitals and medical centers.

“We seek to expose Lebanese students to the U.S. health care system in order for them to expand their knowledge and access new job opportunities,” explained Jawad Saade, student affairs coordinator at LAMA. Among the many benefits of the agreement, Saade cited the availability of review courses for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), a requirement for licensed practical nurses in the U.S.

“What students will learn the most is how to communicate with their patients, which is still a major weak point in Lebanon,” said Saade. “We do hope that, after their training, they will come back to Lebanon and contribute to advancing the quality of our health care system,” he concluded.

LAMA commits to granting 15 to 25 scholarships to LAU nursing students and graduates.

Walid A. Mroueh, member of the board and executive management of both the Food & Drug Corporation s.a.l. and Mersaco, Lebanon’s leading importers and distributors of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, has pledged $125,000 to the LAU School of Pharmacy which will be channeled to the school’s capital projects. In recognition of his generous contribution, the school’s conference room on the sixth floor of the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury Health Science Center will bear his name.

The signing ceremony, held at the Byblos campus last month, represented Mroueh’s commitment to education and the university, and to leaving a lasting legacy on LAU’s campus.

“The plaque bearing my name is just a symbol for strengthening the collaboration with LAU’s School of Pharmacy to benefit both our pharmaceutical companies and the school,” said Mroueh at the event.

In addition to the ceremony, Mroueh and his son, Ali Mroueh, took part in an official campus tour and were hosted at a lunch with LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra, Provost George K. Najjar, Imad Btaiche, dean of the School of Pharmacy, Nassib N. Nasr, assistant vice president for Development, and Ghandi Fala, associate director of Development, as well as other senior university officials.

“We are privileged to have Dr. Mroueh support LAU. His generosity will ensure that our school of pharmacy will continue to provide excellence in education and prepare students to reach their full potential in serving society,” commented Jabbra at the signing event.

For Dean Btaiche, the donation marked the culmination of a long association and an invaluable contribution to the school. “We could never have imagined two years ago that we would be right here today honoring Dr. Mroueh and his devotion to the university. We have watched this partnership grow for several years and cannot wait for what is to come to further support our pharmacy students’ education,” he said.

Affirming his belief in LAU’s educational approach, Mroueh remarked, “What stands out about the LAU School of Pharmacy is that it focuses not only on equipping students with outstanding knowledge and skills, but on forming the character of its graduates as leaders.”

Mroueh has been a longtime supporter of LAU, providing his expertise to the School of Pharmacy’s advisory board. The pledge is his first personal financial contribution, although Mersaco has been a long-standing corporate supporter of the university.

Walid A. Mroueh visiting the Byblos campus.

This year’s Continuing Education Program (CEP) graduation in Beirut registered a full house: 300 professionals from various communities of practices walked into Irwin Hall last week with heads held high. The certification they obtained is the latest achievement in their career and tangible proof of their commitment to excellency.

“Today, we are honoring those who are making a difference, who have decided to reach new heights, who believe Lebanon can rise from its ashes again,” said CEP Director Michel Majdalani in his opening speech.

On the same note, Provost George K. Najjar underlined the necessity to “make sure we are fit and adapt to the future.” “The world has changed,” he said, “CEP gives a strategic response to a world changing at the speed of thought.”

At present, CEP offers certificates, diplomas, professional qualifications, language courses and tailored corporate training. Ten new programs will be made available as of next year, broadening the CEP spectrum to include futuristic disciplines such as furniture design, money and wealth management, and health care business.

Other than in Beirut, professionals willing to continue their education can opt to enroll in courses in Tripoli and Zahle. Beginning next year, the program will also be made available in Sidon, thus extending its reach to the whole of Lebanon.

CEP graduate Jana El Hout landed her dream job thanks to the Human Resources Business Professionals program. “I wanted to distinguish myself from other candidates and I managed to do so thanks to CEP,” said El Hout, who now works in the HR department of the International College. “I used to consider the CV only during the recruitment process, but now I see the full picture and how HR policies impact the company.”

In order to assist its graduates and its network of employers, the CEP program is working on building a web portal that will help professionals access job openings. Current and past CEP students will be able to insert their skills and qualifications, which will be viewed by companies scouting out profiles suitable to their needs.

Continuing education not only benefits those who want to make a leap forward in their careers, but also jobholders wishing to enhance their performance. CEP graduate Joe Saade enrolled in the business leadership course after having been appointed head of product development at BLC Bank. “I wanted to improve my leadership skills and learn more about how to manage a team,” he said. “The course helped me both on the personal and on the professional levels. I am now more able to communicate with my employees and solve any issues they might face, rather than letting it go.” 

Since 2006 more than 10,000 professionals enrolled at CEP.

Pablo Picasso’s tenet that “art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life” has been the guiding principle in renowned artist Lamia Saab Muhtar’s professional career.  The cathartic power of art, which has served her well in her life and vocation, thus became the cornerstone of her social work.

“Art is the best way to express yourself even if you are not an artist,” she says, “When I am going through a difficult time, that is when I produce the best art.”

With that in mind, the LAU alumna (B.A. ’72) decided to draw on her talent and experience to alleviate the plight of children and promote civic tolerance and engagement.

“This year I opened my home every weekend for eight months to artists from all over Lebanon to come and paint. When all the works realized there were sold, raising over 10,000 USD, the funds were donated to the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon which is affiliated to the St. Jude Children’s research hospital,” she enthuses.

Such values of commitment and dedication, Muhtar says, were instilled in her during her years at LAU. “This is where I learned that we never stop learning in life and that we can support and inspire each other.”

Muhtar’s endeavors are deeply rooted in her personal experience. Born in 1949, she spent her childhood in Baghdad. When she moved back to Lebanon at the age of 13, it was through art activities at school that she overcame her sadness and longing for her family. Naturally, after 25 years in teaching, Muhtar went on to obtain a degree in art therapy from the International Academy for Building Capacity.  

As a part-time therapist at the Panda pre-school in Choueifat for two years, she used her art to help children surmount their troubles. “I would read books to the children, which we would discuss. I would then have them draw and paint scenes from the stories,” she explains. Muhtar still volunteers twice a week in this programme which caters to children with anger management issues. Another volunteer project she participated in, called ‘Ana Aqraa’ (‘I read’ in Arabic), aimed at fighting illiteracy among underprivileged children.

Muhtar’s civic engagement extends to strong beliefs in peace, justice and tolerance. Last year, a cardboard structure she exhibited at UNESCO was received with wide acclaim. The sculpture represented the 18 different confessions of Lebanon carrying white flags balanced with a white dove. “When we are united we find peace,” the artist states.

Muhtar finds her artistic inspiration in the different countries she visits and which she depicts through vivid colours and changing styles, often applying acrylic paints and collage materials on almost any surface possible. While her portfolio counts two solo exhibitions in Beirut and several group exhibitions around Lebanon as well as Jordan and Saudi Arabia, her upcoming travels will take her to Venice, Italy, along with 15 other artists. 

Lamia Muhtar presents her sculpture Peace and Justice at UNESCO.

Lamia Muhtar has recently obtained a degree in art therapy. She graduated from LAU in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts.

Pharmacists do more than wear white coats and fill out prescriptions behind a counter. In fact, pharmacy reaches far beyond the community shop-front level and helps us better manage our everyday lives in ways that often go unnoticed.

LAU’s School of Pharmacy, recognized nationally and regionally for its progressive curriculum, is committed to ensuring that its students experience first-hand the variety of forms this profession can take, in order to find the one that best suits them.

Among different events organized to help students explore their options, this year LAU hosted in May―and for the first time―a Career and Open House Pharmacy Day, inviting representatives from Lebanon’s leading pharmaceutical companies and health organizations on the lookout for talented students and graduates.

Nearly 15 global and regional companies, all dedicated to providing valuable opportunities to students took part in the event. “We at Amgen, remain committed to supporting LAU and future healthcare professionals in their journey with a common objective and mission to serve and create value for our patients and community,” explained Amgen’s Senior Country Manager – Levant Markets Lama Mouhayar.

The fair also catered to potential pharmacy students. “Prospective students, along with their parents, were informed about the school and the different career options should they decide to pursue pharmacy as a major. They were also put in contact with current students,” commented Jad Abdallah, LAU assistant professor at the School of Pharmacy, who played a key role in organizing the event.

Sanofi’s HR business partner Lama Abboud presented her company’s new summer internships to students. “They have really good knowledge and excellent communication skills,” she said of LAU students, remarking that a number of them are already working with Sanofi, one of the leading companies in Lebanon. “We are looking for pharmacists who are motivated, already have some training, and have conducted volunteer work or have distinguished themselves in another way.” 

In line with these criteria, LAU offers students every possibility to build on these areas and qualify for internships and employment. Besides mentorships and opportunity elective courses, students are able to pursue their studies and take part in rotations in the U.S. as LAU's Pharm.D. program is recognized by the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE). “Thanks to these opportunities and to a well-rounded curriculum, our students are gaining exposure in all pharmaceutical fields,” said Aline Saad, clinical assistant professor at the School of Pharmacy.

It was through this exposure, in fact, that graduating student Perla Saud discovered her passion for clinical pharmacy and decided to enroll in a Ph.D. in the U.S. “I conducted a rotation at LAUMC-Rizk Hospital’s cardiology department and found that working with doctors and residents to find the optimal therapy for our patients was for me the most rewarding experience,” she said. As part of her course at LAU, Saud worked at hospitals, NGOs and community clinics, catering to diverse needs.

“It was an eye-opening experience that made me understand that the best thing about pharmacy is the many possibilities it opens up.”

The career fair was an opportunity for professionals to share the prospects and the challenges of the field with the participants.

Pharmacy students raise awareness about diabetes through test booths on the Byblos campus.

In the light of recent events, this summer’s Media and Digital Literacy Academy (MDLAB) at LAU focused on an exceptionally important theme: spreading media literacy to counter growing extremism among the youth.

“If we possess the necessary critical thinking to grasp how media language works, we can then understand the strategy behind the extremists’ message,” says Jad Melki, associate professor of journalism and media studies and chairperson of the Department of Communication Arts. “Once we know how to read their message, we can respond to it more effectively.” Melki’s lecture at MDLAB, entitled “The Communication Design of Modern Terrorism: The ISIS Media Strategy,” provided insight into their propaganda tools and the means to deconstruct them.

Alongside Melki, a pool of internationally renowned experts presented their latest research to a public composed of 50 graduate students and academics from the region and 25 high school teachers and students.

Hosting MDLAB is in line with LAU’s goal to pioneer media literacy in the region. “This concept is still not very well known in the region and not all educators possess the necessary skills to teach it,” says Melki. “The academy provides the necessary knowledge to empower them.”

The ten-day event, held in August, was open to the general public free of charge thanks to funds from the European Union and the support of the Deutsche Welle Akademie, the Federal Foreign Office, Germany, as well as the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

The lectures tackled a wide array of topics oriented toward raising awareness of media language and stimulating civic engagement, while the hands-on workshops taught the participants how to use a variety of tools to produce multimedia content, such as podcasts, digital stories, blogs and others.

Raghda Al Zein, journalism instructor at the American University of Science and Technology (AUST), attended the summer academy with some of her students. “I find it an extremely eye-opening experience and I encourage my students to come in order to find inspiration for their final projects,” she says.

A group of 15 LAU communication students were involved in the organization of the event, making it available also to those who could not attend. Second year student Issa Khanji videotaped the lectures and uploaded them on YouTube. “I could attend the lectures and at the same time work on my video skills,” says Khanji. “It was a win-win situation.”

All participants were also expected to complete final projects and present them by the end of the second week. Their acquired knowledge in media activism, digital media storytelling, news framing, privacy and surveillance, and media literacy research will stay with them well after their completion of the academy.

“So far, MDLAB has succeeded in introducing media and digital literacy to 30 Arab universities and a handful of schools in 12 Arab countries,” says Melki. “By 2020, we hope that every Arab country will have at least one university and one school that teaches media and digital literacy and that, in the long term, this form of critical teaching is generalized to all schools and universities in the region.”

MDLAB was established in 2013 and is now housed in the Institute of Media Research and Training at LAU.

The Summer Institute for Intensive Arabic Language and Culture (SINARC) at LAU had 35 students enrolled this summer. While the program includes language classes in both Lebanese dialect and formal Arabic, its unique asset throughout the years has been its emphasis on full immersion in the Lebanese culture.

SINARC Director Mimi Jeha explains that “despite the crisis in the region, LAU’s program is well-known and has a strong reputation both in Europe and in the U.S. It is truly a joy to receive these students from all over the world. We try to help them, even outside the classroom, to make the most of their experience in Lebanon.” The program has grown considerably since Jeha took on the role of director of SINARC, enriching it with cultural aspects, expanding the language courses to include Arabic tailored for media, and promoting LAU’s reputation abroad.

The courses offered this summer were elementary Arabic, upper elementary Arabic, two intermediate Arabic, two advanced Arabic, and intensive Lebanese dialect divided into three levels according to fluency.

Fifteen-year-old Serene Baab, an American student of Lebanese decent who took elementary Arabic believes the professors are outstanding. “My teacher knows how to communicate and makes the class so interesting that you are motivated to learn,” she states. Baab hopes to return next year to continue learning the language.

Kelvin Odelen, 25, a student at the University of Oslo in Norway, enrolled in SINARC to complete his bachelor’s degree in Arabic. “It is my first time in Beirut,” he says. “The classes are very well structured but for me what sets the course aside are the interesting seminars.” He chose the program on the recommendation of his university peers in Norway who had attended it in previous years.

The SINARC seminars aim to provide students with insight into Lebanese history and current affairs. This summer, students showed noticeable interest in one particular seminar dedicated to what it means to be a Syrian refugee in Lebanon.

As part of the full cultural immersion that distinguishes the program, the Institute organizes weekend excursions to tourist sites and famous landmarks throughout Lebanon, and holds film presentations on various aspects of Arab history, society, politics, and culture. “The students are very quick to adapt to the country and the culture in Lebanon,” says Tarif Bazzi, one of the professors who are encouraged to take on an active role by accompanying students on trips across the country. Another professor even hosts a traditional breakfast at her home in the northern town of Bishmizzine.

For seventeen-year-old Daniel Bring, from New York, the experience lived up to his expectations. “I had been accepted at Harvard for a summer language program but I decided to come to LAU in Lebanon where I can immerse myself in the culture.”

The fall program will start on September 5 click here if you wish to apply.

Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.

Taking a walk in the northern Cedars.

Visiting the world-renown ruins of Baalbek.

Several seminars and lectures are organized throughout the program.

Cooking classes are organized with the help of the hospitality department.

The Saint Gilles citadel in Tripoli is only one of the landmarks on the list of the sites included in the North Lebanon tour organized by SINARC.

A life-changing experience, an eye-opener, a discovery of the world and of oneself. These are some of the words chosen by the students to describe the exchange programs they took part in. “Now I truly understand the quote: ‘Life begins at the end of your comfort zone,’” says LAU Political Science student, Tatiana Karam, who spent the fall of 2015 at Sciences Po, Paris.

Copenhagen, London, Porto, Berkeley, New York are also among a long list of host cities that LAU students have visited over the years through the different exchange programs offered at the university. Since 2010, when the study abroad program was launched, the number of institutional partners and agreements between LAU and international universities has been increasing steadily. So far, more than 200 students have benefited from this initiative which includes LAU students travelling abroad as well as foreign students spending a semester at LAU.

As highlighted by Dina Abdul Rahman, international associate program manager at the LAU Office of International Services, “although exchange programs have been a renowned academic practice for years in the West, they are relatively new in the MENA region.”

The student exchange program “changes students’ lives and broadens their world,” states Elise Salem, vice president of Student Development and Enrolment Management. “Our students return to LAU with a more committed sense of their education and a more engaged view of their future.”

To expand his horizons, marketing student Houssam Hamdan chose to attend the Institut Supérieur du Commerce -School of Management in Paris. “This was an opportunity to learn from professors from different cultures and with different teaching styles. I could also interact with local students and make new friends.”

For foreign students who spent time studying at LAU, the experience was equally life-changing.  Sciences Po student Nacim Bouamama, describes his full year in Beirut as stimulating and unforgettable. “I recommend everybody to come to Lebanon and study at LAU,” he says. “I return to France with wonderful images and delightful memories.”

Abdul Rahman is keen to note that the most amazing thing for her is witnessing the transformation in the students. “Every time I bid farewell to students and welcome them back, four months later, as mature young individuals who have gained lots of self-confidence and independence. I am so impressed and proud of them all.”

The application process for LAU’s spring 2017 exchange programs is open (deadline September 20). Click here for more information.

Don’t miss the Study Abroad promotional days held on both campuses as follows:

Byblos campus: Tuesday September 6, 2016, Fountain area, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Beirut campus: Wednesday September 7, 2016, Upper Gate area, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Study Abroad also offers a great opportunity to make friends from different horizons.

From Scandinavia to Southern Europe and the U.S., students enrolled in exchange programs discover new teaching methods, new landscapes, new cultures.