New Business Horizons Business New Maingateamerican University of Beirut Quarterly Magazine

Fall 2009 Vol. VIII, No. 1 New Business Horizons Business New MainGateAmerican University of Beirut Quarterly Magazine

Departments: Letters 2

Inside the Gate Views from Campus OSB inaugurated on lower campus; AUBMC performs first LVAD operation 4 in Lebanon; Summer Program for AUB Alumni Children takes Beirut! Reviews 15

Beyond Bliss Street In Our History Darwin and the Evolution of AUB 44 How the scandal created by Charles Darwin’s 1882 book On the Origin of Species changed AUB’s evolutionary path. MainGate Connections Destination: Roxy 46 Over kusa mashe, remembering 1955, the AUB Women’s Hostel, and Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront. Alumni Profile Bassam Jalgha (BE ’08) has perfect pitch on The Stars of Science 48 Reflections Credit Where Credit’s Due 52 Speaking with Former Lebanese Prime Minister H.E. Salim El-Hoss Alumni Happenings New chapter leadership; President Dorman’s US tour; the new legacy 55 event for alumni parents and their children. Class Notes Hagop Pambookian (BA ’57) honored by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland; 60 Ali Krayim (BE ’61) receives the “Gold SOS Badge of Honor”; Rachel Dziecholska Rotkovitch (Nursing Diploma, ’40) to celebrate her 70th Reunion in 2010.

In Memoriam 67

MainGate is published quarterly Production American University of Beirut Cover in Beirut by the American Office of Communications The new Suliman S. Olayan Office of Communications University of Beirut for Randa Zaiter School of Business. Photo by distribution to alumni, former PO Box 11–0236 Robert Fayad faculty, friends, and supporters Riad El Solh 1107 2020 worldwide. Photography CityPhoto Beirut, Lebanon Hasan Nisr Tel: 961-1-353228 Editor Nishan Simonian Fax: 961-1-363234 Ada H. Porter AUB Library Archives Director of Communications New York Office 3 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza Contributing Writers Responsible Director Maureen Ali 8th Floor Nabil Dajani Caroline Anning New York, NY 10017–2303 Megan Bainbridge Tel: 212-583-7600 Art Direction and Design Nora Boustany Fax: 212-583-7651 Office of Communications Jean-Marie Cook Najib Attieh James Johnson Zeina Tawil Susanne Lane [email protected] Printing Tomoko Furukawa Barbara Rosica www.aub.edu.lb Lane Press New Business Horizons MainGate Fall 2009

Half of the class of 2009 may have already left Lebanon to find a job. In the Middle East, the What has to change to percentage of family keep them at home? businesses is high but so is the risk of failure. AUB alumni weigh in on the decisions that make Brain some family businesses a Could You Drain success. Downsize What’s on Lebanon’s Your Family? economic horizon? AUB professors discuss the “oil curse,” challenges to entrepreneurship, and whether the country’s resilient economy will stick.

Open for Questions

Cool Aid

A Land Beginning with the of Milk Four Point Program in and Honey 1951, US government scholarships have brought thousands of students from around the world to AUB’s campus. The tradition continues, with additional support for state-of-the-art research and development programs. For decades, landmines and war stole their land and sometimes their very ability to work. Now the Balady project is introducing alternative livelihoods to landmine victims in south Lebanon. MainGate follows Professor Barbour to Jezzine. from the president

Dear Alumni and Friends,

This academic year started with great fanfare during the Opening Ceremony on October 12, 2009, just one day before the inauguration of the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business’s impressive new building on lower campus. The Opening Ceremony gives me an opportunity to welcome everyone back to campus, take stock of where we stand as an institution and examine our inten- tions for the coming year. As part of the larger AUB community, I wish to share with you excerpts of the address I gave that day.

President Peter F. Dorman

Opening Ceremony Address: The Essential Inutility of Higher Education October 12, 2009

**** [email protected] The last fifteen months in particular have constituted a period of severe economic distress around the world, unparalleled since the Great Depression. And while the downward spiral shows hopeful signs of turning around, all of us share concerns with financial equilibrium, even at AUB and in Lebanon, which has been far less affected than other nations. Nonetheless, the graduating classes of 2008 and 2009 have had to face employment conditions far more uncertain than those of other years, and that trend may well continue for some time. In the light of these events, students and their families are more concerned than ever with their prospects of having to look for gainful career opportunities after graduation. The cost of higher education continues to rise, and while AUB remains less expensive than most of its sister institutions in the United States—and even some here in Lebanon—we continue to search for ways in which our incoming students can afford these crucial years of education without taking on a burdensome load of debt or financial commitment.

****

What kind of an education are AUB students buying into? One that guarantees a degree of usefulness, to be sure. But the greatest contribution of higher education may lie in its mandate, and its freedom, to teach things of no direct utility in a practical sense, but which make us ponder the values that underlie the broad social contract.

****

As this year begins, then, I would urge my colleagues on the AUB faculty to teach at least one thing of no immediate practical value—something useless, if you will; to ask questions that have no correct answers—and perhaps cannot be answered at all; to pose quandaries or moral choices that engage the mind in impractical but otherwise crucial ways. And to our students who are returning for another year at AUB, or who are arriving for the first time: let me urge you not to come to campus expecting answers, but come for questions that cannot be answered. Whether inside the classroom or outside it, your lives will be enriched—and so will ours. I wish you all a productive and provocative year ahead.

****

2 MainGate Fall 2009 from/to the editor

With financial markets always in the headlines and with the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business breaking new ground (a brand new building, AACSB accreditation) we thought it was time to focus on issues of business and the economy in MainGate. We started by consulting our resident experts. In “Open for Questions,” faculty members tackle questions on the Lebanese economy, real estate, entrepreneurship, and more. To learn how our graduates are faring in this economy, we reviewed a new report from AUB and the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Development that evaluates the challenges Lebanese university graduates face when they enter the labor market. That feature is fittingly, and unfortunately, called “Brain Drain.” Then we called on our alumni, many of whom work in family businesses, who shared some hard earned advice on how to make that particular business model work. Off campus, we met one AUB veterinary sciences professor whose work in south Lebanon is trickling down to help more than 1,500 men and women find jobs. That’s in “A Land of Milk and Honey,” where the Balady project is providing new livelihoods for survivors of land mine accidents. In conjunction with AUB’s new two-year financial aid initiative to raise $20 million for current and endowed scholarships, we also dove into the archives to learn about the USAID scholarship program that has brought thousands of students from around the world to AUB since the 1950s. That support continues to play an important role in the University’s financial aid program, but as we know too well, the need is greater than it has ever been. A note to alumni for future issues: was there a faculty or staff member who had a particular impact on you at AUB? Let us know. We want to honor the people who made the AUB experience great for you.

Ada H. Porter Editor, MainGate [email protected] write us [email protected] write us [email protected]

Summer 2009, Vol. VII, No. 4 name [correctly] listed as a Penrose Dalloul (BBA ’75). His only wish is to Your article, “From Baghdad to awardee! I have been following all the have a graduation ceremony, which the Stockholm,” brings back good memo- updates going on at AUB through your class of 1975 missed. ries. I attended AUB from 1953 to 1955 print and on-line publications and have Shiraz Basma (BS ’00, TD ’00, MS ’04) and I knew Samya well. I left for the been impressed by the effort that goes Salhiya, Kuwait United States in 1955 and lost track into it. I once worked part-time as a stu- of many old friends, including Samya. dent in your department and learned a MainGate has superbly improved I would like to contact her if you can lot about editing. It still serves me well in its quality, content, and usefulness. provide me with that information. my current position. A word of thanks is Thank you for providing an effective Marwan Al Jalili (1953-55) not enough for the AUB community— Denver, Colorado what I gained during the years I spent at communications tool. I only wish there We’re always happy to try to connect AUB I am still fostering in my business was a way to caption all the pictures. readers with lost friends, classmates, life. I am currently the vice president at This is near impossible in group pic- professors—just e-mail us. –Ed. a company called Project Management tures. I get so frustrated not guessing and Control W.L.L., where I am an or recognizing my classmates and What a surprise to read through the environment specialist. More than 25 AUB friends. Captions are abundant last issue of the MainGate and see my percent of PMC staff are AUB gradu- of administration and VIP figures, and ates. Our president and CEO Mahmoud I respect that. But they are our AUB Errata Dalloul (1973-75) always says that his leaders, not my personal friends. best days were at AUB, even though Joe Hissen (BBA ’49) Summer 2009, Vol. VII, No. 4 the war forced him to leave in 1975. My El Sobrante, CA Page 53: The reference to "Hisham favorite office quote of his: “I always feel When it’s feasible and appropriate, Qayaleh Naser and his wife Gisele" I am an AUB graduate.” The human we do our best to provide complete should have read “Maher Naser and his captions. If you recognize classmates resources and training department wife Gisele Qayaleh Nasser." or friends who aren’t identified, please is headed by AUB graduate Marwan let us know who they are. –Ed.

MainGate Fall 2009 3 University News High Aspirations On October 13 AUB celebrated the inauguration of the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business’s new building on the lower campus. The four-story L-shaped building overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and was designed by award-winning architectural firm Machado and Silvetti Associates.

Business Education at AUB “This edifice … is a vessel for the important intangibles that only the greatest of business schools can impart: discipline … intellectual honesty … incisive analysis … creative problem-solving … ethical practice." 1900 Establishment of Department of Commerce —Sheikh Khaled Olayan 1902 Establishment of School of “This building encompasses the loftiest goals of the OSB: to serve as a Commerce with three-year course conduit for those seeking the knowledge base for a career in business and of study to provide the more esoteric, but perhaps more important, competencies of critical thinking, ethical discernment, and leadership." 1926 School of Commerce becomes —President Dorman part of the School of Arts and Sciences 1944 MBA program introduced 1963 Establishment of the Said Hemadeh Chair 1985 Establishment of the Husni A. Sawwaf Chair 2000 Establishment of an independent school of business 2003 Board of Trustees names the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business 2003 EMBA program introduced 2005 Program established in corporate governance 2005 AUB breaks ground for new building 2006 Establishment of Coca-Cola Chair in Marketing 2007 Establishment of Al-Sagar Chair in Finance 2009 AACSB accreditation 2009 New building dedicated on lower campus

4 MainGate Fall 2009 Building Highlights 1 Suliman S. Olayan Memorial Library 3 Auditorium 1 Faculty Lounge 3 Conference rooms 1 Research Cluster 3 Student lounges 1 Graduate Assistants Room 4 Laboratories 1 Interview Room 4 Floors 1 Video Conference 5 Breakout rooms 1 Cafeteria 8 Classrooms 1 Trading Room 68 Faculty and staff offices 1 Learning Resources Room 104 Rooms 2 Seminar rooms

MainGate Fall 2009 5 Before the new OSB building opened its doors this semester, we offered a group of business students a sneak preview to discover their top ten favorite things about the new building.

1. Location, location, location 6. Drivers’ delight “The setting is perfect! You can see the “Finally we have some extra parking! I drive Green Field and the sea from almost in from outside Beirut every day, and I can everywhere. It’s a great view.” (Ali never find a place to leave my car, so the Nourreddien, Senior, Marketing) underground car park will be really useful.” 2. Room to move (Mounir Sfier, Senior, Business) “Our old classrooms used to be small 7. Cutting-edge design and cramped, but these are big and airy, “The design is really sleek and modern, which is more conducive to learning and but the building still fits in well with its communicating.” (Jessy Ghanem, Senior, surroundings.” (Mounir Sinno, Senior, Finance) Business with emphasis in Marketing) 8. Study aid 3. All together now “I think the layout of a classroom affects “We’re going to spend much less time people’s ability to study, and this building going from class to class now that has clearly been designed to facilitate everything is in one place; it’s much more learning.” (Mounir Sfeir, Senior, Business) convenient.” (Mira Hamadeh, Senior, Business 9. All mod cons with emphasis in Management) “It seems like the building will be well 4. Cafeteria culture equipped with everything a top-class “Having our own cafeteria here is great. business school needs, such as computer It will be perfect for when we just have clusters and an auditorium.” (Mohammed a short break and don’t have time to go Dakroury, Senior, Business) to the main one.” (Elias Ghanem, Senior, 10. Back to nature Business with emphasis in Accounting) “The green space outside the cafeteria will 5. Let there be light be a great place to relax between classes “The design of the building lets in lots of or study with friends.” (Dima Yusuf, Senior, natural sunlight, which is good for saving Business with emphasis in Management) energy and nice to work in.” (Dima Yusuf, Senior, Business with emphasis in Management)

6 MainGate Fall 2009 From the Faculties

OSB

Poised to Fly Established in 2004 with a generous donation of half a million dollars, the NBK (National Bank of Kuwait) Cor- porate Governance Program at the Olayan School of Business is moving quickly to earn a reputation for excellence and reliability. Offering undergraduate and graduate courses in Program Director Assem Safieddine corporate governance, the NBK program is the only one of its kind in the out the region. Bicharaf, which means Middle East. Under the leadership of "with honor" in Arabic, is a national ini- Program Director Assem Safieddine, tiative designed to raise ethical aware- the program is responsible for 80-90 ness among students, faculty, admin- percent of the research on corporate istrators, and business professionals. Top and bottom: OSB inauguration and dinner al fresco governance in the region. Housed in the Olayan School of Busi- With its first major case study ness, Bicharaf uses on-line material accepted for publication by the pres- and awareness campaigns, training tigious Ivey Management Services activities, and workshops to support (Richard Ivey School of Business at academic institutions and commercial the University of Western Ontario), businesses in nurturing a more ethical and with some 50 publications and and responsible Arab citizen. Bicharaf a wealth of citations worldwide, its focuses primarily on schools and has impact is already being felt. But this is already reached, directly or indirectly, just the beginning. “Until now we have 29,000 students. It has helped shape been doing serious capacity building, the undergraduate business ethics raising awareness, laying solid foun- course at OSB by including a com- dations,” says Safieddine. "Now all ponent in which students compete to the pieces are coming together and design and present a training module with the move to the new building and to address a specific regional busi- a major conference planned, probably ness ethics problem. for spring 2010, we are really poised In addition, around 350 senior for take off.” professionals from eleven corpora- tions and three non-governmental Honesty as the Best Policy organizations have participated in the As AUB’s Bicharaf initiative on aca- regular business ethics roundtables demic integrity and business ethics that Bicharaf organizes for managers enters its fifth year, plans are under way and CEOs. Bicharaf has also devel- to extend its outreach and broaden its oped a 50-minute on-line tutorial on impact within Lebanon and through- workplace ethics for professionals.

MainGate Fall 2009 7 FHS Beirut every Tuesday. Zurayk also per- for the production of safe food—skills suaded several of his students to help she learned in workshops she helped The Reality design both the shop and logos for organize. She reports that thanks to of Global some of the products themselves. her involvement with the AREC Earth Warming Among the women who are benefit- Shop she was able to sell all of this Dean Iman Nuwayhid ing from the AREC Earth Shop is Rabi’a season’s produce to an exporter who will be presenting the results of an Dirani from Ksarnaba, a village known shipped it to Qatar. FHS study on the impact of climate for its rose fields harvested in May each change on health in the Arab world at year. In addition to learning about mar- Agribusiness Opportunities the Arab Forum for Environment and kets, joining the Earth Shop has given Although the BS program in agribusi- Development to be held in Beirut from her the chance to find new customers ness was introduced only in spring November 19 to 20. Nuwayhid led this for her rose water and rose syrup. 2009, there are already more than 30 project, which is part of a comprehen- Zeinab Hajj Hassan is a mother students enrolled for the fall semester. sive study the Arab Forum is conduct- of five children and lives in Shmistar. Sadek Bekhazi was the first AUB stu- ing on the impact of climate change on Although she was already a member dent to sign up, partly at the urging agriculture, nutrition, water, biodiversity, of a co-op that had received support of his adviser, Assistant Professor and infrastructure. It is the first of its kind from the EU and the World Bank, Jad Chaaban, who is coordinating in the Arab world. she and the other members of her the new program. Chaaban explains co-op benefited enormously from the that FAFS introduced the new pro- FAFS chance to learn about best practices gram to meet the growing need, not

Business in the Beqa’a The AREC Earth Shop is providing dozens of Lebanese women living and working in Hermel and the Beqa’a with access to new and potentially lucrative markets—and with the training and support they need to take advantage of these opportunities. The women are all members of seven cooperatives and specialize in producing traditional foods and crafts such as dairy products, traditional cheeses, olive oils, jams, preserves, breads, rose water, rose syrup, and embroidery. Associate FAFS Dean Rami Zurayk explains that he and his colleagues organized a week-long course for Earth Shop members on techniques to improve productivity and quality control, created a network of cooperatives, fixed up a shop for the women to use, provided storage facilities, and facilitated their participation in the Slow Food Earth Market held in The Earth Shop stand in Beirut's Tuesday slow food market in Hamra.

8 MainGate Fall 2009 just regionally but internationally, as from local industry to develop their These seemingly over-the-top parties well as for agricultural professionals entrepreneurial projects. are “rigidly structured by tacit rules, with modern marketing, business, and formulated by the participants them- communication skills. Bekhazi admits FAS selves,” Scheid explains. These chil- he was attracted to the program in dren are “negotiating and asserting part because of the job opportunities. Learning to Have it All their own categories for interpreting the “Some of my friends who have already AUB Assistant Professor of Anthro- world in which they find themselves.” graduated are having a tough time pology Kirsten Scheid has the inside finding jobs because of the reces- track on some of the fanciest parties in The Media and the Message sion,” he says, “but people always Beirut. Guests arrive at the Phoenicia Students enrolling in Professor Jad need to eat and drink, so there will Hotel by Hummer or helicopter to enjoy Melki’s digital media literacy course always be agrofood companies look- lavish entertainment and, usually, an this fall will be reaping the benefits of ing for people to hire.” evening of dancing. The disconcerting work done by five AUB students at Another agribusiness student, Lynn fact is that most of these guests are the prestigious Salzburg Academy on Houssami, says that the agribusiness "tweens." So, what are they doing in Media and Global Change in Salzburg, program is exactly what she wants: this glamorous set-up? Austria last year. One aspect of the “I took many business courses and They are seizing control of their academy’s annual summer Salzburg loved them, but I also took agriculture lives, says Scheid, who is two years Global Seminar, organized in coop- courses and found them to be very into a five-year study on rites of eration with the International Center interesting too. When I heard about passage among Lebanon’s well-off for Media and the Public Agenda this program, I realized that it was young. Very little research has been (ICMPA) at the University of Maryland, perfect for me because it combined conducted on ritual behaviour in the is to create lesson plans and curri- agriculture and business.” Arab world, especially among the elite, cula for universities around the world. In addition to courses in agricul- and Scheid believes that the phenom- Last year’s AUB students, along with tural sciences, business, humanities, enon of the Lebanese birthday party Professor Melki—a founding mem- Arabic, English, the social sciences, provides a fascinating insight into ber of the Salzburg seminar—helped natural sciences, and mathematics/ the construction of taste and identity craft the digital media literacy course statistics, Chaaban points out that the among the pam- rigorous three-year program will also pered children of include two components related to the rich. entrepreneurship. In their second year, In a lecture students will work together in teams to based on inter- propose and develop an entrepreneur- views with chil- ial project (including economic and dren between financial assessments, appraisals, and the ages of 11 whatever other detailed information is and 15, some of required) that they will be expected their mothers, and to implement over the course of the three professional following four semesters. All agribusi- party planners, ness students will spend the spring Scheid described semester of their second year at AUB’s the strict rules of Agricultural Research and Education engagement that Center (AREC) in the Beqa’a Valley, govern music, where they will get an opportunity to dress, attendance, work with faculty and representatives gifts, and behavior. AUB students in Salzburg, Austria with the Untersberg mountain in the distance.

MainGate Fall 2009 9 that aims to teach students how ported AUB for 50 years by providing was to investigate the mechanical to assess critically and effectively, GIS software for FEA, scholarships characterization of a hydrogel fibre analyze, evaluate, and create various for AUB students, and support for the composite material and to determine digital media messages. FEA Student Conference. the effect of diffusion time on the In an age when we are bombarded Professor El Khatib taught at tensile strength and modulus. While by media messages in a variety of AUB from 1957 to 1975, and again the academic experience was excel- forms, the course raises awareness 1982-90 and is a member and gener- lent, learning about other cultures and of stereotypes, the framing of gen- ous contributor to the President’s Club sharing my culture, our special Leba- der, ethnicity, body image, sex, and and AUB’s Scholarship Fundraising nese spirit, were invaluable.” violence, while also increasing aware- Committee. Professor Alami taught at Abraham Daniel Hajjar joined ness of the economic, political, tech- AUB from 1962 to 1976. TELUS, a telecommunications compa- nological, and cultural influences on ny in Alberta, Canada. “I can definitely More On-line the construction of media messages. say that I have seen what engineering Students will learn not only to assess is in the real world,” says Hajjar. “The critically media messages but also to Lessons in Life amount of work put into develop- create their own messages, including As an FEA major, you know it’s coming: ing new technology and software at digital presentations, blogs, podcasts, a mandatory 8-12 week summer intern- TELUS is beyond the grasp of the and sound and video presentations. ship in a university or company, at home class room. This doesn’t mean that I or abroad. Two engineering students was lost. On the contrary. Classes at FEA report back from the trenches. AUB prepare us for the real world and Melissa Kanaan says her time at I was quickly able to grasp what was Cups Raised the International Association for the happening and apply my learning to Students frequenting the Bechtel Exchange of Students for Technical real engineering work. Building cafeteria will henceforth raise Experience (IAESTE) was the experi- More On-line their cups to former FEA Professors ence of a lifetime. “I joined a research Mounir El Khatib and Zuheir Alami team at Queen Mary University in Lon- who were honored for their outstand- don,” says Kanaan. “The result is hard AUBMC ing contributions to AUB with the ded- to describe: meeting people from dif- ication of the cafeteria in their names. ferent countries, nationalities, and cul- Heartfelt Congratulations At the ceremony, FEA Dean Ibrahim tures is in itself a valuable education. I In late August, an AUBMC team per- Hajj highlighted the support they had was impressed by the latest technolo- formed the first “artificial heart” implant given to the University over the years, gies provided in my lab. My project in Lebanon, saving the life of a 37-year- mentioning in particular El Khatib’s generous gift of land for the Mazboud Surveying Camp where engineering students studied in the 1960s. Speaking on behalf of himself and Alami, El Khatib said that his years as an AUB professor were the best of his life. El Khatib was the founder and Alami the senior partner of Consoli- dated Engineering Company—Khatib and Alami, which went on to win accolades in the world of engineering. Established in 1959, the firm has sup- The AUBMC team performing the first LVAD operation in Lebanon.

10 MainGate Fall 2009 New On-line Seen and Heard

October 2-3: "Transnational Tides and the Future of the Arab City", an AUB’s YouTube page is new and improved international conference on urban (www.youtube.com/AUBatLebanon) sustainability, was hosted by IFI and organized by the Yale Arab Alumni News videos: Association. “Lebanon represents a Video on the Department Architec- key case study for the Arab region to ture and Design demonstrate not only success stories A short documen- in shaping our cities, but also a way tary on the department to learn from our mistakes and bad through faculty and management.” —Interior Minister student interviews. Ziyad Baroud.

Plant your October 12: President Dorman land with native trees (ibsar) led the 2009 Opening Ceremony Students from AUB's in Assembly Hall: “The greatest graphic design course contribution of higher education may used stop-motion ani- lie in its mandate, and its freedom, mation to produce this to teach things of no direct utility in a video for ibsar's "Seeds practical sense, but which make us of Hope, Trees for ponder the values that underlie the Tomorrow" campaign. broad social contract,” Dorman said.

UNDP Human Development Report 2009: October 13: Inauguration of the Overcoming Barri- OSB on lower campus: "This edifice ers: Human Mobility is far more than mortar and stone and Development and steel and glass," said Sheikh The United Nations Khaled Olayan, Suliman Olayan's Development Program son, and the chairman of the (UNDP) and IFI hosted Olayan group. "It is the fulfillment of the launch ceremony of a dream. It is an energetic center UNDP's Human Development Report 2009. for life-changing research, study, exchange, and discourse.” Housing, Land and Property Rights, and Laws: Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon October 14: Memorial for the late An open panel discus- ambassador Nadim Dimechkie (BA sion moderated by ’40, MA ’55) at Assembly Hall: Mona Fawaz, assistant Nadim Dimechkie was "the founding professor of Architec- father of Lebanese diplomacy ture and Design. and one of the founding fathers of the values we hold today," Haven’t been back —Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. to campus in a while? Take a virtual tour “He leaves us with a legacy in on the AUB Admissions Office website. holding active dialogue," which http://www.aub.edu.lb/tour/admissions/ is desperately needed in today's world. —Professor Huda Zurayk. old man suffering from terminal heart fail- closely with the MOPH to respond to ure. The six-hour operation to insert a left this potential pandemic. Physicians are Student News ventricular assist device (LVAD), also known requesting diagnostic tests for H1N1 as a Heartmate II, was deemed successful flu only in high risk patients (those with Role Model after the patient survived the first critical 72 pre-existing conditions and pregnant When six AUB students joined 2,400 hours. Dr. Pierre Sfeir, the AUBMC sur- women, for example) or in those with other students from more than 50 geon who conducted the operation said it severe illness. countries at the World Model UN Sum- was the patient’s last chance. Regarding tamiflu, vaccines, and mit at The Hague in April, they couldn’t The LVAD takes over from the left how to stay informed: Oseltamivir get over the level of awareness and the ventricle of the heart that is respon- (tamiflu) is available in the Lebanese degree of understanding they encoun- sible for pumping oxygenated blood market and can reduce the duration tered among the student body. “It’s via the aorta to the rest of the body. It of the illness by one day if taken within all about cooperation,” said AUB del- is an expensive treatment of last resort the first 48 hours of when symptoms egate Maya Sabban, an AUB pre-med that involves complicated surgery and appear. Because of concerns about student. is not readily available to patients. The the emergence of resistance to the The students were participating in successful recipient, a father of four, treatment, it is currently given only to a Model United Nations (MUN) sum- fulfilled all the criteria for the operation. young infants (under two years of age), mit that simulates the UN system with Recovering in the special care unit, he pregnant women, elderly patients, or the aim of educating participants on expressed his gratitude to the AUBMC patients with underlying medical condi- UN structure, multilateralism, and for- team and especially his cardiologist. "I tions. Most patients are managed with eign affairs. AUB has been an active was facing death when I arrived here," symptomatic treatment with analgesics, member of MUN for years. This year he said. "Merely lifting an arm would antipyretics, and antiemetics. You can they decided to bring the confer- knock the wind out of me. I could find additional information at: ence to Lebanon and so the Leba- barely breathe. Now, I have a new www.CDC.gov; www.who.int; and non International Model United Nations lease on life." http://cms1.omsar.gov.lb. (LEBIMUN) Conference was held at Dr. Souha Kanj-Sharara, professor in the Emile Lahoud Convention Center AUBMC takes on H1N1 the Faculty of Medicine, chairperson of in Dbayeh July 26 to 31. Lebanese Since the first case of H1N1 influenza Infection Control, and head of the Divi- MP and human rights lawyer Ghas- was identified in Mexico, the virus has sion of Infectious Diseases at AUBMC. san Mukhaiber delivered the keynote spread to 70 countries. According to speech, stressing the importance of the Lebanese Ministry of Public understanding the role of the UN in Health (MOPH), as of August Lebanese society and pointing out 31, 2009, there have been 792 that Lebanon—unlike many of its Arab confirmed cases that led to 23 neighbors—has ratified most UN- hospitalizations and two deaths. sponsored human-rights standards. Although initially most cases orig- Marcel Van Des Stroom, secretary inated outside Lebanon, there general of LEBIMUN stressed have been instances of local the UN’s role as a platform transmission as well. It is esti- for dialogue. Iva Sulentic, edi- mated that there could be sev- tor-in-chief of the LEBIMUN eral thousand affected patients newspaper, added: “The very in Lebanon. fact that [LEBIMUN] is being The AUBMC administration held in Beirut is significant. It and Infection Control and Preven- is a city that knew war only tion Program have been working three years ago.”

12 MainGate Fall 2009 Best Foot Forward The case study details the early his- dreams, I know there is so much more” Tourists in Beirut can now explore the tory of SILKOR, the leading laser medi- says Lara. “Oscar and I will do whatever city on foot under the expert guid- cal and skin treatment service provider it takes to see Silkor reach its fullest ance of Walk Beirut tours, started and in the Middle East region, which is potential. We have come so far, but we staffed by current and former-AUBites. owned and managed by Tarakjian and have a lot more work to do.” Founding member and walking tour her brother and provides fascinating addict Ronnie Chatah says that walk- insight into some of the challenges ing is a great way to get to know that entrepreneurs face in Lebanon—a Scholarship Support the city. The five-hour route travels to country with no venture capitalists and Hamra, Clemenceau, the downtown “notoriously” conservative banks. As HSBC Increases Student area, Tabaris, and Gemmayzeh before is noted in the case study, to launch Support finishing up at the Corniche. Each stop the business in 1997, Lara’s brother HSBC Bank Middle East, which has is an opportunity to discover informa- Oscar needed US $220,000. In order supported the AUB scholarship pro- tion about the area based on thorough to raise this amount, he had to put up gram for seven consecutive years, research of facts and dates from writers his life savings of $20,000 as 100 per- increased its donation in 2009 to such as former AUB Professor Emeritus cent collateral for a $110,000 loan. He $50,000. CEO Francois-Pascal de Kamal Salibi. As demand grows, Walk also made up the difference by selling Maricourt visited AUB in late August Beirut has already scheduled an extra his car and his motorcycle and cashing to present the bank’s most recent Sunday tour along with regular Mon- in all his graduation gifts. donation and meet with scholarship day, Wednesday, and Saturday walks. Working side by side, this brother- recipients. In addition to scholarships, There will soon be a user-friendly map sister team has built SILKOR from a HSBC also provides opportunities for for those who want to go it alone. Bet- small business in the Abraj neighbor- AUB students through its internship ter watch out, Beirut’s pavements are hood in central Beirut, staffed with just programs and alumni recruitment. Pro- going to be as busy as the roads! two employees and equipped with a viding young people with educational single laser hair-removal machine to a opportunities so that they can develop franchise with three locations in Leba- their full potential is a global strategic Current Research non and two in the UAE. They have priority for the bank, said Maricourt already announced that SILKOR will during his visit. Maricourt also reported The Silkor Case open an additional eight treatment cen- that he has been impressed with the Faculty, staff, students, and alumni ters in Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, quality of education at AUB and with affiliated with OSB are involved in a Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Oman the alumni he has worked with at wide variety of research projects, often in the next two to three years. SILKOR HSBC both in Beirut and Kuwait. partnering with colleagues and institu- seems well on its way to achieving its tions not just in the region, but around vision “to become the trusted regional Key to Knowledge the world. OSB lecturers Carla Sayegh leader in high quality, technology-driven, Milad Sebaaly (BE ’91, ME ’94) has and Riad Dimechkie (BA ’70) along personalized laser medical and skin established the new Antoun Saadeh with alumna Lara Tarakjian (EMBA ’07) treatment service provider.” Endowed Doctoral Research Fellow- recently coauthored a case study for As Lara and Oscar look to the future, ship in Arab and Middle East Studies Stanford University with Jessica Jack- they wonder how they are going to for research in the areas of economic, ley, who holds an MBA from the Stan- leverage their strong brand to rapidly social, and human resources develop- ford Graduate School of Business and expand their locations and extend their ment. As founder and CEO of Universal is cofounder of Kiva, the world's first product line without diluting the qual- Knowledge Solutions, the Middle East person-to-person micro-lending web- ity edge or the entrepreneurial spirit of leader in e-learning solutions, Sebaaly site. (Find out more about Kiva at http:// which they are so proud. “Though Silkor has played an important role in support- www.kiva.org/app.php?page=home) has already grown beyond our wildest ing education in the Arab world today.

MainGate Fall 2009 13 Faculty News Positive Reaction AUB Chemistry Professor Makhlouf Over a prolific 50-year career, J. Haddadin has become the first Haddadin has worked in collabora- Lebanon-based member of the tion with academics from AUB, the Lebanese Academy of Science, United States, and Jordan, and which was founded by governmental most especially with Emeri- decree in 2007 to contribute “to the tus Professor of Chemistry growth, invigoration, and dissemina- Costas H. Issidorides with tion of the sciences in Lebanon.” whom he published a "Being elected to membership series of papers based in the Lebanese Academy of Sci- on a chemical reaction ences is a distinct honor and carries known as the “Beirut with it further commitment to serve Reaction” and used by the goals of the academy through giant drug company the broader mission of AUB, both of Pfizer to make Mecadox which are dedicated to the service of (Carbadox), a highly Lebanon," said Haddadin, who is also effective antibacterial an AUB alumnus. "I am grateful to my agent used in animal chemistry colleagues at AUB, espe- feed that has gener- cially to my graduate students, whose ated substantial royalties important research contributions for AUB over the years. made this membership possible." As sole inventors of the Haddadin also thanked AUB alumnus Beirut Reaction, Haddadin Professor Samir Z. Zard of Polythech- and Issidorides have some nique, France, for nominating him. 40 patents in 20 countries.

14 MainGate Fall 2009 A Summer to Remember Education Center (CEC), the Office of 16 and 21 from countries including “This is a magical place, like nowhere Alumni Relations, and the Worldwide the United States, France, the Czech else,” says SPAAC student Lana Alumni Association of AUB (WAAAUB) Republic, Lebanon, the United King- Hasham. “I have traveled a lot and from July 6 to 31. The summer pro- dom, Germany, Canada, Qatar, and studied at the Sorbonne last sum- gram was developed to deepen stu- the United Arab Emirates enrolled in mer. It had nothing to compare to the dents' knowledge of their heritage, classes to improve their Arabic lan- SPAAC experience.” expand their understanding of the guage skills and provide them with AUB again played host to students modern Middle East, and strengthen an overview of Lebanese history and participating in the Summer Program alumni ties through the experiences of culture—along with a strong dose of for AUB Alumni Children (SPAAC), a their children. traditional Lebanese hospitality. series of annual language and culture This year, 24 students (eight women Sixteen-year-old Lana Hashem had courses organized by the Continuing and 16 men) between the ages of visited Lebanon from her home in New

SPAAC participants, 2009

Reviews

Shaping of America (SUNY Press, 2009) by Patrick McGreevy In Stairway to Empire; Lockport, the Erie Canal, and the Shaping of America, Patrick McGreevy argues that the completion of the Erie Canal in 1832 was a landmark event in American history. McGreevy was born in Lockport, New York—the place where thousands of workers struggled to build the canal over a five-year period. Although the building of the canal itself is the focus of the book, it is McGreevy’s reflections on the role the canal played in the “shaping of America” that make this volume particularly compelling. He argues that the Erie Canal was important both because of how it strengthened the connections to the West and to the East, thereby contributing to the growth of the port of New York. McGreevy uses a vivid collection of drawings, maps, photographs, and travelers’ accounts to tell his story, drawing the reader into the lives of drunken, risk-taking, immi- grant workers and into the self-aggrandizing thoughts of the middle-class promoters and engineers as well. On October 26, McGreevy was honored as the recipient of the 2009 Annual Archives Award for Excellence in Research Using the Holdings of the State Archives in a ceremony held in Albany, New York. Patrick McGreevy is dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

MainGate Fall 2009 15 Baalbeck Kfardebiane SPAAC program highlights: York State regularly until 2003, but this Courses in contemporary Lebanese studies as was her first experience on campus. “I love the view, the scenery, the people, well as colloquial and literary Arabic; activities the life; it is fabulous,” she declared, including traditional folk dance and drama, adding, “The courses were informa- use of the Hostler Student Center, and visits tive and fun.” Because Lana’s dad had a strict rule prohibiting his children to Beirut’s museums and souks; excursions to from speaking English to him at home, archaeological and historical sites including Lana’s colloquial Arabic is quite good. Jbeil, Beitediine, Baalback, and Jeita; hiking She credits SPAAC with helping her improve her reading and writing skills. in the Cedars and Qadisha Valley; and visits to Lana’s connection with AUB, however, local orchards, farms, and vineyards. is not through her father, but her mother,

History of the Bissat El-Reeh Magazine (1960-1970) by Henry Matthews Henry Matthews has written a fascinating history of Bissat El-Reeh (The Flying Carpet), a trail blazing Arabic comic book that was the pride and joy of publisher Zuhair Baalbaki, who believed that comic books could play an important role in entertaining and educating the public, especially children. In addition to providing a brief history of Bissat El-Reeh, Matthews also spotlights the art work of Bahiga Thomassian (the Arab world’s first woman caricaturist), Mahmoud Kaheel, Tareq Assali, and others. Matthews, who is an avid collector and comics historian, has dedicated this self-published book to the memory of Baalbaki, who passed away in 2005. Henry Matthews is an editor, writer, designer, and translator in the Office of Communications.

16 MainGate Fall 2009 Batroun Qadisha Valley

Adele el Karah, MD, PhD, an American- this summer. Although he had heard the same congregational background and born Lebanese who was a professor of much about AUB from his dad (an AUB values. He enjoyed learning about Leba- macrobiology at AUBMC before she left alumnus in electrical engineering) and the nese culture and history from the various to finish her studies at Columbia in the many alumni they know in California, he sites visited. “What you learn as well, is 1980s. “Mom loved AUB,” Lana explains, also felt a connection to campus through that there are two other staples of Leba- “She used to talk about it a lot, including his American mom, who went to the nese culture,” George explains, “hospital- the tunnel leading to the beach, all her same college as Daniel Bliss and shares ity and food!” Although he is heading to memories.” While Lana’s dentist dad was Berkeley in the fall, he is very tempted born in Lebanon, he studied in France. "This was the best to spend another summer or even a Lana is now trying to decide which par- summer in my life!" semester at AUB sometime soon. ent’s footsteps to follow. George Kadifa, an 18 year-old Cali- —Daniella Hakkal fornian, was on his third visit to Lebanon Czech Republic Learn more: [email protected]

A World I Loved: The Story of an Arab Woman (Nation Books, 2009) by Wadad Makdisi Cortas. Introduction by Mariam Said; afterward by Najla Said. Wadad Makdisi Cortas’s memoir traces the turbulent first half of the twentieth century: World War I has drawn to a close, the once great Ottoman Empire has dissolved, and new treaties and man- dates have been imposed on the Arab world. Beginning in 1917, she documents the history of the region through a fearless and feminist lens; her experiences provide insight into the effect that political and historical events had on individual lives. We learn of her dedication to the education of women, and the difficulties she overcomes to become the principal of a school in Lebanon. First published in Arabic in the 1960s, this updated English version offers a unique perspective on a crucial region and period in twentieth century history.

MainGate Fall 2009 17 Brain Drain Half of the class of 2009 may have already left Lebanon to find a job. What has to change to keep them at home?

Factors that push young graduates to leave Lebanon include political instability, the difficulty of starting a business, the high cost of living, and the discrepancy between what their education provides and what the market actually needs. Lebanon is also A new suffering from a phenomenon known as AUB report, Higher “youth exclusion,” in which young peo- Education and Labor ple face barriers that make it extremely Market Outcomes in Lebanon, sug- • Every year half of Lebanon’s difficult for them to join institutions gests that while most graduates say educated workforce emigrates. and/or organizations and are therefore they feel ready for the workforce, • The percentage of female gradu- faced with the option of either stay- only 50 percent of them will actually ates working abroad has tripled ing in Lebanon under unsatisfactory land a job in Lebanon within their in the last seven years. conditions, or looking for better condi- first year after graduation. The hard • Half of any given generation will tions abroad. Over half those ques- reality of the job market is resulting have left the country by the age tioned in a 2003 study of unemployed in a severe brain drain of young tal- of 59 if nothing is done to tackle young people cited in the report said ent from Lebanon, severe even for a these problems. they were prepared to leave Lebanon country long familiar with high levels to find a job. Significantly, an earlier of emigration. The fact that so many people are youth survey conducted by Professor Based on a survey of recent grad- choosing to emigrate is leading to a Chaaban revealed that this desire to uates from four of Lebanon’s four serious brain drain. The report finds leave decreased as salaries rose. major universities (AUB, Beirut Arab that Lebanon is failing to hold on to The crowded labor market gradu- University, the Lebanese University its human capital, spending money on ates face is further hampered by an and Université Saint-Joseph de education that does not benefit the oversupply of certain majors (such as in Beyrouth), the report, written by a country, suffers from a national skills the construction industry, where 64 per- team from AUB led by economics shortage, and is characterized by what cent of graduates work abroad), which Professor Jad Chabaan in collabora- the report describes as a mentality seems to indicate that universities could tion with the Hariri Foundation for in which “reward is not a function of be doing more to adapt certain majors Sustainable Development, paints a productivity or work in general [but of] to suit the job market. As one graduate bleak picture of emigration: a windfall gain.” put it, "AUB gave [me] a solid and well A cursory glance at the job listings rounded educational background, but on the AUB Career Center website it did not really make me ready to be shows that less than half of the jobs thrown into the real world... advertised in the arts, business administration, and engineering and architec- ture sections were located in Lebanon; the majority of positions are in other countries in the Middle East.

18 MainGate Fall 2009 I think it has the potential to offer Are conditions for recent graduates According to Professor Chaaban, far more to students graduating and likely to improve in the near future? Lebanon’s universities are “not being transiting into the labor market." Professor Chaaban believes that creative enough,” simply reacting to It is not just the lure of jobs abroad because in this case “the political and an already flawed market, adapting that causes people to emigrate. The the economic are intertwined,” a mac- to emigration, and compounding report highlights a number of eco- roeconomic approach to tackling the problems. At AUB new majors like nomic problems that negatively affect problem is necessary. The report sug- agribusiness, health care, and hospi- the job market. Lebanon’s economy gests a number of measures supported tal management cater to job market has the highest ratio of public debt by the IMF and the World Bank that demands both inside and outside in the world: 173 percent of GDP in would improve employment prospects Lebanon, while the new bachelor’s 2005. This leads to high interest rates for recent graduates, such as lowering degree in chemical engineering aims and inflation, which in turn deter private interest rates to deal with Lebanon’s to prepare students for careers in and long-term investments. Investors large public debt, passing reforms to “the petroleum, chemical, and phar- are also deterred by high govern- make the state more efficient and less maceutical industries located region- ment fees, outdated labor laws, and corrupt, and combating corruption by ally and internationally.” widespread corruption. Even the lack hiring staff on a merit-based system. Professor Chaaban describes of adequate high-speed Internet con- New import laws would also help by himself as being “cautiously optimis- nections costs the Lebanese economy opening up the market and attract- tic” about the future as long as the about 2 percent of its GDP growth. ing investors, including multinationals. aim of the report is achieved: to put A general lack of competition prevails Youth employment centers would give the problem on the agenda of poli- in many sectors, such as telecom- support to graduates during the transi- cymakers. The ability of Lebanese munications, which are dominated by tion from university to work. universities to produce highly skilled monopolies. All of these factors dis- graduates is not in question, but it courage economic activity, which is seems that both the universities and essential for job creation. the Lebanese government could be While 47.2 percent of surveyed doing more to keep these skilled graduates living in Lebanon wished to young people in the country. emigrate, 84 percent of those working —J.J. in the public sector were happy where they were. It seems that the benefits and job security found in the public sector is what most young Lebanese are forced to go abroad to find, having failed to find it in the private sector at home.

MainGate Fall 2009 19 OpenWith all the ups and downsfor in the global economy, what’s on the horizon for business development in Lebanon and the region? AUB professors discuss the “oil curse,” challenges to entrepreneurship, and whether Lebanon’s resilient economy will stick.

20 MainGate Fall 2009 On the Lebanese economy Salim Chahine Associate Professor, Finance, Accounting, and Managerial Economics Track, OSB

The Lebanese economy has been relatively stable during the current economic crisis. Has this led to a significant increase in foreign investment? If so, do you think it is sustainable? Despite an unstable global economic environment, Lebanon has become a safe land for many expatriate Lebanese and foreign, mainly Arab, investors. During the first half of 2009, the balance of payments reached a $2.1 billion surplus, foreign trade activity was up by 5 percent, and construction permits increased 23 percent. There are, however, significant underlying vulnerabilities that require continued vigilance. On the one hand, a continuation of the global recession may result in a soft landing of capital inflows, which would make it harder for Lebanon to finance its public debt. A fast global economic recovery could also be a problem for Lebanon since it might cause a withdrawal of deposits by investors looking for other international investment opportunities. In addition to economic and financial challenges, Lebanon remains exposed to political and security shocks that might adversely affect economic conditions. As such, ongoing vigilance and proactive contingency planning should top Lebanon’s priorities.

21 Simon Neaime Associate Professor, Economics Department, FAS In a recent paper, you argued that Lebanon’s budget deficit discourages national savings and increases the country’s dependence on remittances. What could Lebanon do to decrease its dependence on remittances? Lebanon has been running permanent budget deficits averaging 30 percent of GDP since the early 1990s resulting in a debt that is currently more than 200 percent of GDP. Thanks to significant workers’ remittances averaging $5 billion per year, however, Lebanon has enjoyed capital account and balance of payment surpluses. Lebanon can implement several measures to decrease its reliance on remittances. It could stimulate the industrial sector’s production and local exports by adopting import substitution policies. Alternatively, if Lebanon were perceived to be more politically stable, it might be able to attract greater capital flows and foreign direct investment, which would also reduce the reliance on remittances. A third way would be for Lebanon to introduce painful fiscal adjustment measures to generate sufficient foreign exchange from the domestic market to finance the country’s high import levels, as well as the government’s external debt.

Michael Kfouri, Instructor, Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship Track, OSB How do you account for the resilience of the Lebanese real estate sector during this global financial crisis? I think there are a number of factors: demand from Lebanese expatriates who no longer have work opportunities in the Arab world and have returned to Lebanon with enough savings to buy a residence or commercial space to start a business; demand from Arabs from the Gulf taking advantage of the relative peacefulness and political calm in Lebanon this summer; and the fact that real estate prices in Lebanon are starting from low base levels compared to neighboring countries and indeed globally. Because of the uncertain political situation in recent years, Lebanon did not experience a real estate “bubble,” and as a result it now seems that the only direction for real estate prices to go is up. Finally, low interest rates paid on savings have been an impetus for investors with cash to buy property before their purchasing power is eroded due to inflation.

22 MainGate Fall 2009 On corporate responsibility Dima Jamali Associate Professor, Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship Track, OSB Do companies in the Middle East region view corporate responsibility differently from in the United States? If so, why do you think that is? Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Middle East is less embedded in corporate strategies, less publicized, less pervasive, and less politically rooted than in the West. It draws strongly on deep rooted indigenous cultural traditions of philanthropy, charity, business ethics, and community embeddedness. These peculiar manifestations of CSR can be mostly attributed to historically grown institutional variations in national business systems (economic, political, social, educational, and religious institutions). Going forward, CSR in the Middle East should leverage the long standing cultural traditions of philanthropy (zakat) and community embeddedness to address the socio-economic development challenges of the region, such as poverty alleviation and health-care provision, and social and environmental problems, such as deforestation, unemployment, and income inequality. Knowledge dissemination is imperative as well as the involvement of SMEs, family enterprises, and other important actors (e.g. NGOs, governments, academia) that can help build capacity gradually in pursuit of a more systemic approach to CSR.

MainGate Fall 2009 23 On entrepreneurship Tarek Kettaneh Senior Lecturer, Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship Track, OSB What’s the first piece of advice that you’d give to an aspiring Lebanese entrepreneur? Unless you have had three or more years of experience in the industry, do not even think of starting a business relating to it. Every kind of business has particularities and characteristics that only those who worked in it can know about. For example, if you wanted to start a commercial laundry/dry cleaning business, the capacity of your machines should be at least three times the volume you plan to process. Such knowledge is not found in textbooks, only through experience in the industry.

24 MainGate Fall 2009 On corporate Cursed? governance Marcus Marktanner Assistant Professor, Economics Assem Safieddine Department, FAS Associate Professor, Finance, Accounting, Do you agree with those who argue that the discovery of and Managerial Economics Track, OSB oil has actually retarded economic growth in the region You have recently co-authored a paper in which and has therefore been a curse for the Arab world? you suggest that sound corporate governance is a The term oil curse is one of the biggest misnomers in prerequisite for democracy. What does that mean for the the economic literature. It suggests that one can blame future of business in non-democratic countries? something that lies deep under a country’s surface for It is hard for businesses to achieve sustainable growth what’s going on above it. Growth and socio-economic in non-democratic countries in which there is no development in the Arab world is not disappointing appreciation for individual rights. Although there will because Mother Nature blessed it with oil, but because always be a few major businesses that are profitable, those who extract it are not blessed with wise governance. they will be the exception in an environment in Governments used oil revenues to appease citizens with which a dominant or majority party is able to impose consumption freebies instead of investing it in people’s its own terms. If businesses are not able to succeed, economic empowerment. Instead of subordinating the then healthy economic growth is unlikely, and there state to citizens’ needs, the state bribed citizens into will be no equitable distribution of income either at subordination to the state. It is therefore a blessing for the company or macro level. To be successful and the citizens of the Arab world that oil resources sustainable, businesses and markets need to attract are finite and with it the source of capital and investors—something they will not be governmental dilettantism. able to do unless there are rules in place that guarantee shareholders’ rights and equitable treatment. These types of changes as they relate to corporate governance will be gradually mirrored at the country level, paving the way for the development of a more democratic society.

MainGate Fall 2009 25 On microfinance Hanin Abdallah Senior Lecturer, Finance, Accounting, and Managerial Economics Track, OSB What is the role of microfinance in the Lebanese economy? In Lebanon as in other countries, microfinance institutions (MFIs) have empowered the poor by helping them grow (or start) their small enterprises and improve the quality of their lives. In addition to providing funds, MFIs often provide training and technical assistance as well. In Lebanon, 8 percent of the population lives in Nisreen Salti extreme poverty and around 20 percent lives between Assistant the upper and lower poverty lines and are considered Professor, Economics vulnerable, especially in times of economic crisis. Department Because public social services often don’t cover existing needs, MFIs are critical in alleviating You have done some interesting research poverty and improving people’s lives while preserving that suggests that a sudden increase in revenues their sense of dignity and pride. During the post-2006 from natural resources can actually lead to a war period, MFIs played an important role in Lebanon by worsening in people’s living conditions. Why is this? channeling donors’ funds and rescheduling payments to Because it is harder to observe and measure revenues help borrowers rebuild their homes and businesses. In the from natural resources in countries with very weak present growing economy, MFIs need to focus on securing institutions, governments in these countries have funds and identifying new opportunities so that the strong incentives to corrupt institutions both to obscure country can achieve a more balanced income distribution. the size of resource rents and to make it easier to divert public wealth into private pockets. Corrupting institutions in one sector, however, reduces the productivity of all parts of the economy and can lead to a worsening in people’s living conditions. For example, Nigeria’s poverty rate doubled between 1970 and 2000, a period during which revenues from oil actually increased dramatically from around 25 percent to almost 75 percent of total government revenues. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, another country that experienced a sudden increase in revenues from natural resources, per capita GDP in the early 1990s was half of what it was at independence in 1960.

26 MainGate Fall 2009 On obstacles to development Samir Makdisi Professor, Institute of Financial Economics, FAS The authors of the Arab Human Development Report 2009 argue that it is the widespread absence of human security in Arab countries, which they define broadly to include basic needs such as access to clean water, which inhibits development. Do you agree? If so, what do you believe are the reasons for the absence of human security? The factors that inhibit development span many fields. The widespread absence of security, as defined in the Arab Human Development Report, constitutes only one such category. It is important also to understand the factors that underlie the absence of security and other elements that have acted to inhibit Arab development. A major factor, in my opinion, is the absence of democratic institutions and hence accountability, which in turn allow autocratic regimes to be non-responsive to the requirements of development. Recent research has identified two overarching factors that explain the lack of democracy in the region: the first is oil wealth with its negative influence on governance (the well known rentier thesis); the second and more important factor pertains to regional conflicts (notably the Arab/Israeli conflict) which have helped foster non- accountable autocratic regimes, often with outside support.

MainGate Fall 2009 27 downsize Could you your family?

Does the current economy have you thinking about starting a family business? Think again: the high failure rate among family businesses makes it a risky business. AUB alumni share the ins and outs of working with your next of kin and the delicate balance that makes at least some family businesses a success.

Globally, a full 90 percent of small and medium-sized terms of ownership and responsibility,” he says. enterprises are family businesses. According to Tarek Despite the potential pitfalls of family enterprises, Kettaneh, who teaches family business and management Kettaneh believes that family businesses can be more at AUB’s Olayan School of Business, that statistic is likely competitive than their non-family counterparts—as to be even higher across the Middle East, where family long as family members have a relatively harmonious businesses form the “backbone” of the economy, creating relationship. Family firms often benefit because its employment opportunities and contributing to economic members share a common goal for the business and are growth. more willing to set aside short term profit for long-term Despite their large stake in the economy, the failure benefits. The key to success, Kettaneh says, boils down rate among family businesses is high, says Kettaneh. to having a clear plan to resolve succession issues and Only 10 to 15 percent make it to the third generation, clarifying ownership and managerial roles. “If businesses while less than 5 percent survive to the fourth can’t do this, they will fail,” he warns. generation. The high failure rate is due to a lack of basic Lebanon remains exposed to political and security business understanding in some family firms, according shocks that might adversely affect economic conditions. to management instructor David Standen. “I often find As such, ongoing vigilance and proactive contingency that family businesses are not properly structured in planning should top Lebanon’s priorities.

28 MainGate Fall 2009 Putting business before family

Despite the global recession, Kettaneh is optimistic that the outlook for new family businesses is good, emphasizing that global giants Apple and Microsoft were founded during economic downturns. “The success of new companies is independent of economic conditions. If you have a good business idea, it doesn’t matter if times are good. If it only works in Demirjian is one of a number of AUB graduates good times, it isn’t a good idea,” he says. who have founded or joined successful family businesses who shared their perspectives on what family businesses Rafi Hagop Demirjian (BBA ’98), who was the must do to survive in a competitive marketplace while at president of the Business Students Society in his final the same time maintaining good relationships among the year at AUB, believes that many family businesses were family members. Perhaps the greatest difficulty facing shielded from the worst of the global financial crisis any family business is the inherent tension between the because they are inherently less likely to engage in risk- corporate emphasis on performance and outcomes and taking behavior. “Many top CEOs and managers were traditional family concerns for equity and fairness. paid enormous bonuses to take risks with shareholders’ All experts on family business caution about the money,” says Demirjian, a director of the Lebanon- negative impact that hiring unqualified family members based Demco Steel, who recently left an extended family can have on a business. Yet, this can be difficult to avoid business and formed a new company with his father and when family members feel they are entitled to a plum brother. position. “We didn’t take the crazy risks that hired people would have taken, which saved us and saved a lot of “Every member of the family thinks they have a family businesses. You tend to be more conservative when right to work at the company and be a manager. They you are dealing with your own resources,” he adds. think it is their ‘right’ to get a salary” irrespective of their suitability, says Faisal al-Mutama (BA ’70), who is CEO of Ali Abdulwahab, Sons & Co., and chairman and CEO of the Board of Directors of Bayan Investment Company, both based in Kuwait. He says he is proud he was able to take a few “courageous decisions” not to employ some family members and reports that he has even fired unsuitable relatives. “I say, it is either the business or you. Which is more important—an income or a salary?” he asks, differentiating between an employee’s salary and the income (dividends) that family partners receive. By putting the business first, he hopes he will eventually persuade the other partners. “What is most important is the business. You just have to show everyone that you are a successful manager who is making money,” he said.

MainGate Fall 2009 29 Wafa Saab (EMBA Samih Darwazah ’08), a partner at Tinol (BS ’54), who founded Paints, who recently Hikma Pharmaceuticals in completed the EMBA Jordan and was named the program at AUB, reports Entrepreneur of the Year that non-family members for the Middle East in 2007, hold important managerial also emphasizes the importance of positions in her business and that ensuring that family members are well-qualified for the her son had to work his way up within the company. positions they hold within the company. She does also, however, believe that family ties can inject “All [of] my four children (two sons and two positive values into a business environment. “Values are daughters) work at Hikma. They are all professionals a very integral part of corporate culture . . . and trust is a and well-qualified for their positions. We all take our very important criterion,” she says. work seriously so we have never really had problems,” Saab recognizes that family relationships do not Darwazah says. guarantee success and she lists a good succession In order to prevent the problem of inappropriate plan, a shared vision, and effective conflict resolution internal family hiring from arising, Kettaneh suggests mechanisms as vital ingredients in any long-lasting that children be encouraged to work outside the family family enterprise. business for a period of time. He says that this experience gives them self confidence and the opportunity to earn Lara Tarakjian (EMBA ’08), the executive the respect of future employees as their initial salary and director of the Lebanon-based Silkor Laser Medical Center, position were determined by non-family members before says she and her brother have discussed the potential risks they joined the family business. of involving other family members in the management of their hair-removal business. In order to head off any Marie Joe Raidy (BGD ’05), creative director potential problems, the pair has agreed never to involve at the Raidy Printing Press, says that while it has been their prospective partners in the business they built rewarding working in a family business she is glad she together. worked and studied overseas before joining the printing Although she still makes business decisions based company her father founded in Lebanon in 1972. on her “gut feelings,” Tarakjian says the EMBA program “It was essential in order for me to grow personally enabled her to “boost” an already successful business and and professionally, and appreciate the family business,” develop a framework to oversee its rapid expansion she says. throughout the Middle East. She also says that it is important to be able to —M.B. separate work and personal relationships. “It is important to know the difference between family and professional life, especially as a young, single Lebanese woman. Otherwise it is not as easy as it could be,” she warns. The Raidy Printing Press has been successful because the family is working toward the same goal. “We share the same vision—and with our employees as well. Blood doesn’t make you family,” she says, indicating the value the company places on non-family managerial staff. Recognizing the importance of bringing into the firm qualified business managers and employees who are not related is a sign of a mature family business, says George Najjar, dean of the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business.

30 MainGate Fall 2009 After decades of violence, thousands have left South Lebanon’s land mine and cluster bomb infested fields behind. The Balady project is breathing new economic life back into the region, and bringing something new to the Lebanese market.

MainGate Fall 2009 31 Jezzine boasts the biggest pine in administration, training, forest in Lebanon, an iconic water packaging, and distribution or as fall, marvellous scenery and one technical consultants, which is of the highest ratios of deaths where Professor Barbour comes from landmine accidents among into the picture, along with the local population. The town, former AUB professor of public which once hosted 20,000 full- health Nadim Karam, who is time residents, has been reduced director of WRF Lebanon. to 8,000 people. Decades of Barbour’s job is to keep the violence in South Lebanon have animals healthy and productive, driven Jezzine’s inhabitants north involving monitoring for disease, towards Beirut or further a field, running vaccination programs, in search of a better life. testing for and treating bacteria

Among those who stayed Over 25 percent of the local population is benefitting from and flu viruses, and testing for were Mikhael Hassrouti, who the Balady project. bacteria such as E. coli and lost an eye; Bechara Aoun, who salmonella. “We also have the lost his arm; and Jean Hajj, who capacity for graduate thesis work sustained a number of injuries from a cluster bomb, on these farms, including work on how to improve and including also a lost eye. All three are beneficiaries of prolong animal health and research into production and a USAID-World Rehabilitation Fund (WRF) project food safety,” Barbour explains. For example, as part of designed to bring hope and life back to the depleted area a nation-wide research project funded by the St. Jude’s and provide an income for those who would otherwise Children’s Hospital into avian flu viruses in chickens, have difficulty securing employment because of their Barbour’s team was able to verify that the Jezzine birds are injuries. free from the deadly strain H5N1. As a result, Barbour was Administered by the energetic Gilbert Aoun, and also able to pinpoint four potentially predatory diseases monitored by AUB’s indefatigable professor of veterinary affecting poultry in Lebanon and to vaccinate the Jezzine sciences, Elie Barbour, the project, which operates under birds against them. Knowing the threats in Lebanon, the trade name of Balady, is a prime example of how Barbour was able to protect the birds well. drive and commitment can transform damaged lives. During Barbour’s regular trips south, the farmers It features three main components: poultry for free welcome his input. Jean Hajj, proud owner and breeder range eggs and chickens, goats for milk and cheese, and of a herd of high milk-yielding, white, European goats, beekeeping for honey and beeswax. is complaining that the yields have dropped and his best In addition, a smaller project cultivates and goats are producing only one to two kilos of milk instead processes organic aromatic herbs. The produce of their potential seven to eight kilos. Barbour thinks that is collected and marketed through a co-op and the goats look undernourished and asks for a sample of disseminated throughout Lebanon. their feed to take to AUB for testing. During a guided tour of Balady’s He needs to know whether the feed is offices, processing labs, and shop, Aoun being mixed according to the correct explained that while over 250 families formula or if the goats are not being are enrolled in the initiatives, (many of fed well enough. Analysis of the feed- whom sustained serious losses through mix back in the lab confirms that the death or injury as a result of the war goats are indeed undernourished and or the war’s leftover mines), altogether that the amounts they are being fed will 1,500 to 2,000 people benefit from the need to be more strictly monitored. projects: the producers’ families and 22 The goat business has had a full- or part-time employees involved couple of setbacks, the most serious

32 MainGate Fall 2009 being a lack of funds to finalize the building of a milk pasteurization and cheese processing plant at Balady headquarters. This means that the primary source of income is milk and as long as the goat herders (29 in all) are forced to rely purely on local milk sales, their profit margin is not sufficient to live on. Nor is this using the goats to their best advantage. At $800 dollars a head, these super-goats were chosen by Barbour and Aoun for their potential to provide superb white cheese and plenty of it—unlike the local goats, which Barbour explains, are also prone to the brucella organism which results in Malta fever when transferred to humans through a white cheese called jibni balady. The fever manifests itself in humans with chronic joint infections, damaged bones, undulant high temperatures, and even spontaneous abortion in pregnant women. It takes four months of treatment to get rid of Malta fever. Held in pens and fed on special formula food, the European goats are fever-free and Barbour plans to keep them that way. Two of Barbour’s graduate students are conducting their research on the goats, known as Sanaan goats. Maya Saadi is working on pinpointing the genes that allow the Sanaan to produce their high milk yield and higher numbers of kids—sometimes up to three in one pregnancy. Hussam Itani is using baseline data on blood cells in local breeds and in the Sanaan to compare their immunity against predominant diseases in goats. Mikhael Hassrouti is one of 95 poultry producers. He is doing a lot better than the goat farmers. His organic egg business is thriving and he takes real pride in his flock of healthy, well fed, free-range hens. He has even built a canopy of vines and vegetables to keep them cool as they roam clucking and pecking through his tidy, small holder farm, before retiring to their hen house twice a day to lay eggs. Mikhael collects around 210 eggs a day which are taken to Balady, sorted, packed and distributed. Three days a week the colorful Balady delivery trucks start their

AUB students are studying Jean Hajj’s “super goats” to understand their disease immunity, high milk yield, and ability to produce up to three kids in one pregnancy.

MainGate Fall 2009 33 journey at dawn, taking produce to 120 sales points around the country, including the biggest supermarkets. From a start up of $100,000 in 2002, Balady sales climbed to $900,000 by 2008. Under Barbour’s watchful eye, together with his protégée, local poultry manager, Alain Kassouf, Baladi raises and vaccinates its own chickens in a well-run, low maintenance nursery that keeps the flocks healthy. The chickens originate in the United States but are hormone free and free from what Barbour describes as the diseases of salmonella gallinarum and salmonella pullorum, which wipe out poultry flocks and cost the United States billions of dollars to eradicate. Some 27 farmers in Jezzine concentrate their efforts on raising free range broiler chickens for consumption. Balady’s own formula chicken feed is mixed to Barbour’s specifications for maximum nutrition. When not taking care of poultry, Kassouf is a part-time bee-keeper, so he really appreciates the work of Bechara Aoun, who, despite having only one arm, manages some 60 hives, each containing between 10 and 30,000 busy bees. Aoun is one of 118 beekeepers in the project who were given a head start with 15 hives and the equipment, tools, training, and accessories to start production. Today he produces over 250 kilos of organic honey a year, as well as creating new colonies of bees for sale to others. To date he has sold around 90 of these colonies, making a tidy profit of around $100 per colony. In spring he sets up the hives near orange blossom trees—for a lighter honey—and in autumn he puts them under oak trees for a darker, more liquid variety, which never congeals. The co-op is experimenting with ways to market products made from beeswax, which will give Aoun another source of income. It has also bid for and won four national contracts to supply bees and equipment in Lebanon.

Mikhael Hassrouti is one of 95 poultry producers whose organic eggs are distributed at 120 sales outlets across Lebanon.

34 MainGate Fall 2009 The work, Aoun says, has transformed his life and that of his family, who were devastated when he was injured by a cluster bomb some 20 years ago. They faced a bleak future, since he was no longer able to harvest his fruit trees or tend his land—some of which was no longer accessible to him at that time because it was occupied by warring factions. He is one of seven producers who sit on the co-op committee and have a say in how things are done. The nascent organic herb processing project has been severely challenged by limited commercial success. Seven producers are involved in cultivation and the co-op has the capacity to distil essential oils, but to date, their product has been unable to compete in the market. It is time for a re-think and now the prospect of investigating new herb- based products in cooperation with AUB’s Ibsar might be pursued. What makes this project stand out is not only the quality of its management and its scientific supervision under Barbour, but also the integrity of its structure in caring for its participants and their welfare. In addition to a full time agricultural engineer and four technicians to monitor for quality control, Balady employs a full-time social worker to help producers and families with their financial and personal problems and to encourage them to reintegrate with the rest of the community from which they were alienated because of their injuries. “We wanted to create maximum opportunities for these people to remain on their land and be productive,” says Gilbert Aoun. “Now over 25 percent of the local population is benefiting from the project. We have a lot of competition but Balady has two unique selling points: it is a social project and much of it is organic.” What else could the socially conscientious shopper ask for? All of Balady’s products are sold at AUB’s Healthy Basket outlet on campus. —M.A. Photos © CityPhoto

After losing his arm to a cluster bomb, Bechara Aoun could no longer farm his land. Today he cares for 60 hives that produce over 250 kilos of organic honey a year.

MainGate Fall 2009 35 Since 1951, a select It all began when AUB signed an agreement with the US government in April 1951 to establish regional training cadre of future programs in public health, public administration, teachers, engineers, economics, agriculture, and engineering as part of the Point Four Program of Technical Assistance to nurses, architects, Developing Nations that President Truman announced businessmen in his 1949 inaugural address. In the first year of the program, 120 students from Aden, Cyprus, Eritrea, and women, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Palestine, 1 government officials, and Syria received fellowships to study at AUB. As then AUB President Stephen B. L. Penrose, Jr. explained, agriculturalists, and public accommodating students from so many different countries came easily to AUB “because of the wide diversity of health officials has attended nationalities normally to be found in its student body.”2 AUB on US government- Some of these regional training programs broke new ground in the region. Penrose noted, for example, that the funded scholarships. Some public administration program would be the first of its have achieved international kind in the Arab world.3 Support from the US government also enabled AUB to develop capacity in new areas. The recognition; others have foundation for the held important government establishment positions, started and managed businesses, and helped to establish and build schools and universities. They live and work in Lebanon, the Arab world, and beyond. AUB students continue to receive these scholarships that have made an AUB education possible for thousands of students for nearly 60 years.

36 MainGate Fall 2009 of AUB’s Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, for Grade A Agriculture example, was laid at this time: “There is large demand for In 1997, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued trained engineers in all the Arab countries and a special a $21 million credit guarantee to support efforts to rebuild need for those with an agricultural application,” wrote Lebanon’s dairy sector devastated during the civil war. The Penrose in 1951. “It has long been a desire on the part of credit guarantee enabled Lebanese farmers to import 8,000 US the University to establish at a proper academic level an genetically improved dairy cows agricultural commodities, and agricultural training program, and although at present the seeds for planting. USAID also supported the five-year Dairy lack of adequate physical facilities will make the opening Stock Improvement Program with a $2.4 million grant to AUB of an agricultural school an impossibility, a start can to finance training and technical assistance for these Lebanese nevertheless be made through a tying-in of agricultural farmers—including logistical support and health care for the training with engineering work.”4 [AUB and USAID have imported cows. This five-year initiative resulted in an increase in partnered in support of a number of agricultural projects the country’s breeding stock of dairy cows and in the production of fresh milk and red meat, an improvement in animal health, and over the years. We have spotlighted just two of them in greater employment opportunities in rural areas. one of the boxes that accompany this article.] The number Between December 2005 and February 2008, AUB, Mercy of US scholarship students grew dramatically: 655 enrolled Corps, and USAID implemented a project to introduce forage at AUB in 1961-62. Not only were there more students production to the Beqa’a Valley. Previously livestock and dairy in 1961-62 than there had been ten years earlier, their producers in the Beqa’a depended primarily on byproducts to profile had changed too: Of the 655 USAID scholarship feed their animals; forage crops such as alfalfa, corn silage, and students at AUB in 1961-62, the two largest groups were barley-vetch hay were virtually non-existent. The Sustainable from Iran (132) and Pakistan (118)—two countries not Forage Development Program provided assistance and support included in the program when it began. Other changes that enabled farmers to plant 18,836 dunums (approximately included the addition of regional training programs in 4,300 acres) of forage crops, producing more than 70,000 tons business administration, pharmacy, and nursing. During of forage materials. The program also provided the technical the administration of President Eisenhower, the Point Four assistance required to establish three new businesses in the Program was integrated into the US government’s overall Beqa’a for storage, repackaging, and export of forage crops. foreign aid program. Although the number of USAID scholarship students peaked in 1961- 62, there continued to be hundreds of students each year through the mid-1970s. In 1974-75, for example, there were 485 USAID scholarship students including 101 from Jordan, 88 from Pakistan, 66 from Lebanon, 47 each from Cyprus and Yemen, 44 from Afghanistan, and 35 from Iran.

(Above) USOM sponsored students from Jordan, Ethiopia, and Lebanon study with the latest laboratory equipment at the Public Health Division of AUB. (Right) Visit of US Ambassador Richard Jones to AREC farm, 1997.

MainGate Fall 2009 37 Like many scholarship students, Musa Freiji (BS ’57) came to AUB intending to major in one discipline (engineering) but then switched to agriculture when he discovered there were scholarships available for students majoring in that field. When he graduated, Freiji took the first job he was offered, which was in poultry production. He never dreamed he would go on to play an important role in the poultry industry in Lebanon and the Arab world for the next 50 years, establishing 25 companies employing more than The AUB Medical Center 10,000 people. In the 1960s, USAID paid $20 million to design, construct, and Musa Nazer (BS ’58, MS ’60) had been planning equip the AUB Medical Center, which opened officially on June to study medicine in Egypt when he was told that the 26, 1970.5 At the time, as AUB President Kirkwood noted, there Jordanian Ministry of Education had selected him to were many plans to use the facilities of the Medical Center to attend AUB on a Point Four scholarship. “I realize now,” “help the countries of the Middle East meet their health needs.” he says, “that I was very lucky.” Nazer credits AUB with With the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war, however, the preparing him both academically and personally to go on priority at the Medical Center quickly shifted to providing almost to earn a PhD from Harvard University. He would later exclusively for the health needs of the people of Lebanon. return to Jordan and establish the Chemistry Department Although events did not unfold as anticipated in 1970, at the University of Jordan. Earlier this year, he was the AUB Medical Center has had, and continues to have, an awarded the Al Hussein Decoration for Distinguished enormous impact on the region. Many people still travel great Contribution, First Order, in recognition of “Excellence in distances to come to AUBMC, attracted by its medical and nursing the Field of Chemistry Teaching and Research.” care, its facilities, and its reputation in the region. On average, John Makhoul (BE ’64) is another alumnus grateful 21,000 patients are admitted to the hospital; more than 40,000 for the academic and personal experience he had at AUB. men, women, and children visit the Emergency Department; “I got a real education at AUB,” he remembers. “The around 125,000 patients visit the private clinics; and 40,000 competition was tough and the professors were very financially needy patients are seen at the Outpatient Department every year. AUBMC has had an impact on the region in other ways as well: its doctors, nurses, and staff consult in the establishment of hospitals and medical and nursing programs; AUB alumni work at medical facilities throughout the Arab world; and its surgeons have pioneered treatments and surgeries in Lebanon and the region, most recently in August 2009 when an AUB medical team performed the first “artificial heart” implant in Lebanon at AUBMC. The Medical Center, which includes the Faculty of Medicine, a 420-bed hospital, and the Rafic Hariri School of Nursing, received full Joint Commission International accreditation in January 2008. In June 2009, the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program awarded AUBMC its Magnet designation for nursing excellence, making it the first health-care institution in the Middle East and the third in the world outside the United States to receive this prestigious award.

38 MainGate Fall 2009 good.” Makhoul, who recently returned to campus to attend his 45th Class Reunion, also remembers what he describes as “the atmosphere” on campus. “The issue of religion simply did not come up. No one cared whether you were Christian or Muslim.” Shawn Mokhtari (BE ’66) was one of hundreds of Iranian students who attended AUB on a USAID scholarship in the 1960s. Writing about his experience in MainGate three years ago (Fall 2006, Volume V, Number 1), he described how AUB and the USAID Scholarship Program provided Iranian students with “a pivotal opportunity that shaped our way of thinking, our academic training, and the course of our lives and careers.” Darius Toraby (BE ’64), who also came to AUB from Iran, agrees. From his current position as president of an architectural engineering practice in New York, he observes that his AUB education “has served me well over the years.” You may remember Mahmoud Solh (MainGate, Summer 2008, Volume VI, Number 4), who is the director general of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Aleppo, Syria. He too attended AUB on a USAID scholarship in the 1960s, an experience that launched him on a 30 year career during which he has worked to improve food security, alleviate poverty, and protect the natural resources of non- tropical developing countries.

(Top left) Medical Center under construction, 1965; (middle) Freiji ‘57; (right) Makhoul ‘64; (far right) Current AUBMC; (bottom) Representatives from the Government of Lebanon, French Technical Mission, AUB, and USOM working on plans for cooperative experi- mental trials on recommended forage, grain, and vegetable crops.

MainGate Fall 2009 39 The US government continues to be a major contributor to AUB’s financial aid program, which is supported by thousands of institutions and individuals who have established annual and endowed scholarship funds. In the 2008 fiscal year, for example, USAID provided $2.61 million for scholarships. President Dorman, who has spoken often of the need to increase the University’s financial aid program, says, “USAID assistance is pivotal to our ability to provide quality higher education to motivated Lebanese students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend AUB.” Since 2007, the US government has also funded scholarships through the State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Tomorrow’s Leadership Scholarship Program. This generous scholarship program, which totaled $2.14 million in 2007 and $1.6 million in 2008, provides funding for travel, four years of tuition, insurance, housing, and a monthly stipend. Hassan Daiq, who grew up in Jerusalem, is one of five MEPI students who entered the program in the fall of 2008. He quickly became involved in campus life and was elected to AUB’s Student Representative Committee (SRC) as a freshman last year. Another MEPI student, Alia al-Zeiny, who came to AUB from Egypt, says she has already “learned so much about the world and discovered many things about myself that are helping me to take the most from this amazing experience that I have been offered.” When asked to reflect on their experiences at AUB, these scholarship recipients make many of the

40 MainGate Fall 2009 observations that other AUB students and alumni Environmental Core Laboratory “State-of-the-art” was how the academic review team that make. They mention the rich diversity of the student visited AUB in 1999 described the University’s core laboratories. body and the opportunity they had at AUB not just to Professor of pharmacology and medicine Nadim Cortas, who meet but to really get to know people from different stepped down as VP and dean of medicine in July 2009, was backgrounds—often for the first time. They also speak instrumental in establishing these labs and in securing support about the invaluable education they received at AUB, from USAID for the Extraction and Analytical Chemistry Core the interaction with professors in the classroom, and the Facility, or Environmental Core Laboratory (EVL), as it is known training in critical thinking. They also remember and are on campus. The lab was built and equipped according to EPA grateful for the relationships they forged on campus that guidelines and provides the equipment, physical environment, in many cases have continued to enrich their personal and support personnel needed for rigorous scientific research. and professional lives long after they left AUB. In December 2008, the lab passed the Hellenic Accreditation Individually, and sometimes collectively, these men Body Inspection satisfying the ISO (International Organization for and women have transformed the landscape of Lebanon, Standardization) standard related to various water, waste water, the region, and even the world. Some of them, like and soil tests. Zalmay Khalilzad (BA ’72, MA ’74), who has served as US Public health and consumer protection officers, economists, ambassador to the United Nations, Iraq, and Afghanistan, chemists, agriculturalists, physicians, and medical scientists use have become truly citizens of the world. Others have the lab for routine environmental chemical tests, food testing, remained in Lebanon or returned to the countries of their and drug and toxicants analysis. In 2006, EVL administrator Asma birth—to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Jordan, Syria, Sudan, and Bazzi (MPH ’01, MS ’08) was a member of a four-person team many other places—to build lives and invest in including Dean and Professor Fadi Asrawi of Haigazian University, their communities. AUB Agricultural Sciences Associate Professor Mohamad Darwish, and principal investigator and economics Assistant Professor Nader Kabbani that studied the economic development and Special thanks to the Jafet Library Archives and Special diversification opportunities available to tobacco farmers in Bint Collections for assistance in researching this article. Jbeil in south Lebanon. To determine whether tobacco cropping patterns were associated with exhaustion and depletion of soil 1. The American University of Beirut, Annual Report of Dr. Stephen B.L. Penrose, Jr., 1951-1952, page 2. nutrients, researchers collected soil samples from randomly 2. The American University of Beirut, Annual Report of Dr. Stephen B.L. Penrose, Jr., 1950-1951, page 5. selected farm households in the villages of Aytaroun, Ayta el 3. Ibid, page 5. Chaab, Rmaish, and Yater in March 2007. When they analyzed 4. Ibid, pages 5-6. 5. J.D. Graziano, “New Medical Center,” Al-Kulliyah, Summer 1970, page 5. the soil samples at the EVL they discovered that they contained residues of heavy metals and prohibited pesticides. The cause of the contamination could be due to pest treatment in prior years, the use of mineral fertilizers and organic manure, which can contain minerals, or to the heavy bombardment in the area during the July 2006 war. Dr. Ghazi Zaatari, who directs the lab, says that dozens of researchers, including faculty members and students from throughout the University, use the EVL. He points out that their research is often related to issues such as water, soil, and air quality; food contamination; and environmental monitoring—all critically important to communities, not just in Lebanon, but in the region as well.

(Left) Environmental Core Laboratory; (middle) Solh ‘69, ‘72; (bottom) Pakistani students, all holders of USOM scholarships, stroll past the Assembly Hall on AUB campus

MainGate Fall 2009 41 Supporting Students Of Today and Tomorrow

2,668 students currently receive financial aid at AUB. Hussein Zeineddine, who is a That’s 30 percent more than in 2003. premed student, says he wanted to come to AUB because “it’s With the global economic downturn, the financial challenge is greater than ever the best university in the Middle before. Not only do more AUB students need aid, but they need more financial East.” He mentions the wonderful assistance than ever. faculty-student interaction at AUB and credits it with making AUB In fall 2009 the University launched an unprecedented initiative to raise $20 unique in Lebanon and the region. million in the next two years for financial aid to benefit current and future In addition, he has noticed that students. How will this benefit future students? Funds dedicated to endowed “people who might not get along if financial aid will never be spent: only the income generated from interest will they met off campus make an extra provide scholarship support. effort when they are here. I think it is because you feel that you are part of something special when you are at AUB, something that has been going on for a long time and that In 2008-09... you want to continue.” Looking to 7,572 students attended AUB the future, he says that he will give + 39% of those students requested financial aid money for financial aid when he can: “I want every student to have + 80%—or 2,362—of those students the opportunity that I have had.” Do the math: received financial assistance + The average tuition was $12,112 Hear from more students at + The average grant was $3,986 www.aub.edu/development/ scholarship_initiative

= We need your help! To speak to someone about supporting financial aid, contact us at [email protected]

42 MainGate Fall 2009 Can you help support an AUB student?

Here’s one of their stories.

MainGate Fall 2009 43 Beyond Bliss Street in our history Darwin and the Evolution of AUB

How the scandal created the event was an important milestone Darwin’s scientific methodol- by Charles Darwin’s 1882 in AUB’s ultimate transition from a ogy in complimentary terms. book On the Origin of missionary institution into the secular This speech sent “shock university that thrives today. waves” through the SPC Species changed AUB’s The crisis of 1882 also drove community according to Tony evolutionary path the change in the official language of Zahlan, a former AUB profes- instruction at the college from Arabic sor of physics, who also wrote On the wall of AUB Emeritus Professor to English and provoked the first an account of the crisis in his of History Kamal Salibi’s apartment instance of student activism in the 1962 history, The American hang the two graduation certificates Arab world. University of Beirut: An Essay. awarded to his grandfather, Ibrahim The board quickly requested a Saleeby, for his medical degree. The Crisis and the Revolt translated copy of the speech Although Saleeby studied at the This year, 2009, marks the bicente- and then accepted the provi- Syrian Protestant College (SPC), the nary of the birth of Charles Darwin sional resignation letter Lewis precursor to the American University and the 150th anniversary of the pub- sent accompanying the tran- of Beirut, the first of these certifi- lication of his seminal work, On the script, according to Zahlan. cates was awarded in the name of Origin of Species by Means of Natural The students, however, the Ottoman sultan by authorities in Selection. Darwin was a British sci- were angered by the deci- Istanbul. It was presented in 1883 entist whose work on the process of sion to remove Lewis and after Dr. Saleeby successfully com- natural selection laid the foundations many declared they would go pleted his medical exams. for the theory of evolution. on strike until he was rein- The second certificate was The SPC’s Board of Trustees stated. Forty students also printed in 1883 by the SPC. Thanks and several members of the teaching signed a complaint against to a twist of fate and controversy over staff shared the Christian church’s SPC President Daniel Bliss Darwinism at AUB, however, it was initial concern about the implications and medical faculty member not actually presented to Dr. Saleeby of Darwinism, which they felt contra- Dr. Post, according to Shafik until 1937. dicted the Christian belief that God Jeha’s history Darwin and the Saleeby was one of the twelve created the world in six days. In Crisis of 1882 in the Medical final year students who did not return contrast, medical faculty staff and Department and the First to the SPC to complete their stud- students were more open to Darwin’s Student Protest in the Arab ies after a crisis developed over the ideas and interested in his methodol- World. teaching of Charles Darwin’s theory of ogy as a source of scientific inquiry. The faculty threatened to evolution at the college. The crisis itself was sparked when dismiss students who took part This controversy had a last- pastor and chemistry teacher Edward in the protest, however, and ing impact on the institution. While Lewis gave the 1882 commencement Lewis was never reinstated. conservatives opposed to Darwinism address entitled “Knowledge, Science “This was the first stu- ostensibly won the 1882 confrontation, and Wisdom,” in which he mentioned dent revolt in the Middle East,”

44 MainGate Fall 2009 Beyond Bliss Street in our history

said Zahlan. In his book, he It was not until 1937 that Saleeby however, a type of “creationist” move- described the movement as was finally awarded his original medi- ment did begin in Turkey as recently one that “had no precedence cal diploma from AUB, which now as the 1990s. and the credit was to go to the hangs on his grandson’s wall, making Despite the 1882 controversy, the education of the college.” the document something of an histori- theory of evolution is, not surprisingly, Kamal Salibi’s grandfa- cal anomaly. taught by the Biology Department at ther, a converted Darwinist, The certificate states that SPC AUB today. Biology Professor Riyad was one of the students who awarded the medical degree in 1882; Sadek says the current course on took part in the protest. “A however, it also bears AUB’s official evolution has been taught at the distant cousin, who worked as seal and was signed in 1937 by AUB University since 1991. a grounds keeper [at the SPC], officials who were young children—or “It is inevitable that [evolu- was asked to warn my grand- not yet born—when the certificate tion] would be taught in the Biology father off taking the protest was written. Department,” he said of the ulti- further,” said Salibi, recount- mately unsuccessful efforts to keep ing a story passed on to him Reconciling Science and Darwinism out of AUB’s classrooms. by family members, “but he Religion “No efforts could have kept Darwinism wouldn’t listen.” “It looked as if Darwinism had been out.” His grandfather, Saleeby, slapped down” at the SPC after the “Most courses on biology can- was one of the twelve stu- crisis, said Patrick McGreevy, dean not avoid discussing evolution,” he dents who refused to return the of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. continued. He added that his classes following year to the college. “[Darwinism] is important for sci- do not attempt to reconcile evolu- Saleeby and nine other medical ence, but it is not surprising that any tionary theory with religion, and he students continued their stud- Christian university anywhere in the leaves students to resolve the matter ies at the home of SPC medi- world was terrified of it,” he said. themselves. cal professor and fluent Arabic While it is possible to recon- The 150th anniversary of Darwin’s speaker, Cornelius Van Dyke, cile science and religion, McGreevy treatise on evolution was also the Zahlan said. After a few months said, there continues to be tension inspiration for a temporary exhibit that they were examined locally and between the two today. “Creationism” the Biology Department organized also traveled to Istanbul where is promoted by many Christians in this past May entitled “From Darwin’s they took the official Ottoman the United States and, for a time, the Days” that showcased thousands of medical exam. state of Kansas required schools to plant and animal specimens that were Van Dyke was one of teach an alternative to Darwinism in collected by AUB from across the a number of medical faculty secondary schools, McGreevy said. region during the nineteenth century. members who left the college in A much less hostile reaction While such an exhibition would the wake of the crisis. Until that greeted Darwinism in the wider Middle have been unthinkable in the 1880s, it time, foreign teachers learned East. The Mufti of Syria supported shows that AUB itself has undergone a Arabic prior to joining the SPC, the protesting SPC students, accord- process of evolution. “AUB has come and all classes were taught ing to AUB Provost Ahmad Dallal, a long way from its initial configuration in Arabic. After their relatively although he conceded this may also as a missionary school, while retaining sudden departure, there was have been “a way of scoring points its dedication to education and the no time to teach Arabic to against the missionaries from the value of service,” said Dallal. new recruits and so the lan- Ottoman authorities.” “In this case, of course, guage of instruction changed Dallal said that historically there Darwin won in the long run,” to English—a practice which has been no significant tension within said Salibi. continues to this day. the Muslim world toward Darwinism; —M.B.

MainGate Fall 2009 45 Beyond Bliss Street maingate connections

Destination: Roxy Ihsan, Katie, and Layla walking to AUB (April 1956)

Katie had the bed next to mine in the large room that five of us shared in Katie, in Beirut the Hostel off Abdul Aziz Street. My first impressions were her lively sense of humor and her musical laugh, Editor’s note: which she retains to this day. She MainGate welcomes contributions More than 50 years after they spoke English with a lovely British from alumni reflecting on their graduated, Ann Kerr-Adams (JYA accent which she had learned as a AUB experiences as well as stories 1954-55) interviewed six of her AUB small child in the English School in about their lives after graduation. classmates to discover the lives Haifa. Her Palestinian family fled to Submissions may be sent to they built against the backdrop of Lebanon in 1948, expecting to return [email protected] the recent tumultuous history of in a few weeks when fighting died the Middle East. This is the second down between the British and Zionist in a series. and Arab nationalists. Like so many

46 MainGate Fall 2009 Beyond Bliss Street maingate connections

others, she never saw her homeland we did wonder why you didn’t know met her future husband, Francis Alonzo. again. you could get all those things here,” Francis was transferred to Kuwait in “My mother sent my two sisters Katie confessed. 1962, and they traveled throughout the and me by boat to our aunt in Acre “Do you remember the strict dorm world for his work, but eventually chose where it was supposed to be safer. hours?” she exclaimed, “and the reg- to return to Lebanon in 1974. I told her I would go if she would ister book we had to sign when we In 1975, the Lebanese civil war guard my Monopoly set and my film went out, and we always put ‘library’? broke out. Francis and Katie stayed in star magazines in the attic. I’ll never Mrs. Kerr [the dean of women and their same flat throughout the war with forget that boat ride because I was Ann Kerr’s future mother-in-law] would her sister and brother-in-law upstairs, in sea sick the whole time. Then a few know we were going to the movies, but spite of the exodus of many Christian days later, we had to leave Acre by we just put ‘library.’ We hated the word Lebanese from Ras Beirut to the east- taxi for Lebanon. We went to the town ‘destination.’ ern side of the city. “We didn’t feel the square where there were hundreds We took the tram down to the burj Christian-Muslim difference,” Katie told of people running about. Some were where all the cinemas were. I remember me as she served us kusa mashe for crying, some shouting, and lunch, knowing it was one of others fighting to get taxis. my favorite Lebanese dishes. My aunt carried our belong- “The war brought neighbors ings in two suit cases.” closer together.” It was a few weeks During the war years, before Katie’s mother, grand- Katie taught English at the mother, and youngest sister full-time Extension Program at joined them in a flat rented AUB, which was held in the by a cousin in Brummana. old Out Patient Building oppo- She remembers this as one site the Medical Gate. She of the happiest moments became increasingly needed of her life. “Our reunion as American and British teach- was beyond description.” ers left and the war dragged Eventually she became on. Francis passed away in a student at the National 2000, leaving a large void in College of Choueifat. At Katie, Doris and Lillian in the hostel garden her life, and last year another (1956) graduation, she was one of void was created when she four students and the only girl selected when we saw Marlon Brando in On the lost her younger sister Randa, who to go to AUB. Waterfront at the Roxy. But the film that lived upstairs. “I remember that steamer trunk I most associate with that period is The When I visit Katie now, I see the you brought from California with a Rains of Ranchipur, because just after same upbeat person with the musical year’s supply of everything including we returned to the hostel Lebanon was laugh and lively humor I met on that shoe polish,” Katie told me as we hit by the 1956 earthquake. I felt I was October day in the Women’s Hostel sat in her sunny living room sipping still watching the movie.” in 1954. She spends a part of each cardamom flavored Turkish coffee. The After her graduation from AUB day with her 95 year-old mother, walks windows were opened wide and the in 1957, Katie taught for a year in the on the campus every morning, plays particular noise of Beirut traffic wafted National College of Choueifat, but when bridge, and goes to campus events. up, bringing a wave of olfactory and she was offered a job at the Arabia It’s hard to believe that more than half auditory nostalgia for the years I had Insurance Company in Beirut as an a century has passed since our spent in this beguiling city. “You must administrative assistant with better pay, first meeting at AUB. have thought I was crazy,” I said. “Well, she couldn’t turn it down. There she —A.K.A.

MainGate Fall 2009 47 Beyond Bliss Street alumni profile

Pitch Perfect

48 MainGate Fall 2009 Beyond Bliss Street alumni profile

Bassam Jalgha (BE ’08) recently earned the distinction of being chosen as the Arab World’s top young innovator on a widely broadcast television show, The Stars of Science. Funded by the Qatar Foundation, the contestants appeared in a reality show format that documented their progress every day for a month last spring in a custom-built workshop at the Qatar Science and Technology Park. Sixteen young finalists from a talented pool of more than 5,600 applicants from 11 Arab countries com- peted for $300,000 and the title of Top Young Innovator. Instead of eliminating contestants, as is often the case in reality shows, losers join with the winners to create teams each week. Jalgha, a 22-year-old robotics researcher currently pursuing his master’s in mechanical engineering at AUB, won for his automatic tuner for string instruments. Asked how he plans to balance being an inventor and a businessman, Jalgha replied that he receives support from two formidable sources: AUB and the Lebanese Industrial Research Institute, which is helping him develop a business plan.

MainGate Fall 2009 49 Beyond Bliss Street alumni profile

A musician himself, Jalgha says he wanted to take the pain out of tuning. “Tuning is usually a tedious task that requires time and energy. It’s the beginner’s nightmare.” His highly adaptable device can tune all string instruments by simply attaching to a tuning peg, detecting the vibrations of a plucked string, and adjusting the string tension until it reaches the correct note. For those of us whose musical talents could not surmount the hurdle of staying in tune, Jalgha’s invention is a dream come true. [bfj00(at)aub.edu.lb]

—B.R.

Partnerships for AUB

Khushroo “Kush” N. J. Patel (BA’70) maintained his closest friendship for ﬁfty years and was married to the love of his life for thirty. Before he died in 2003, he never hesitated to acknowledge that AUB and IC laid the foundation for his personal and professional life. Kush was an exemplary geophysicist, a respected colleague and community leader, and a much loved father, husband and friend. His passion for life and knowledge lives on in all of us. The Khushroo N.J. Patel Endowed Scholarship is a testament to his life, love, and support of higher education. This living memorial made possible by thirty individual and corporate donors will continually improve the lives of AUB students studying geology and mathematics. For that, we are forever grateful. The Patel Family Houston, Texas Giving makes a difference. Contact [email protected] to learn more. http://give.aub.edu50 MainGate Fall 2009 Beyond Bliss Street time flies

(Left) With King Farouk in the early 1940s at King Fouad Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt. (Bottom) Nursing Class of 1940.

From Poland to Palestine, Beirut to Alexandria, army hospital to Yale-New Haven Hospital, this extraordinary alumna has pioneered the model of professional nursing services in the United States. She celebrates her 70th Reunion in 2010. Who is she? More on page 64.

MainGate Fall 2009 51 Beyond Bliss Street reflections Credit WhereCreditis Due Former Lebanese Prime Minister HE Salim El-Hoss

Hoss was an industrious and serious pupil and scholar who rose to play a pivotal role in helping shape Lebanon’s banking system along solid foundations. He also served Lebanon as prime minister at moments when it was fighting for its survival in the face of existential threats. Soft spoken, understated, and a moderate, Hoss’s sense of duty and integrity were hallmarks of his tenure in government.

MainGate: When did you arrive at AUB? What was your first impression? Salim El-Hoss: I first set foot on the campus in 1949 as a sophomore student with limited means. I had an early penchant for Arab literature, but my Al Baba and Ahmed Rifai what they landscaping overlooking the sapphire mother, who was widowed with five planned to major in and decided to join blue Mediterranean and the indomitable children when I was only seven months them at the School of Business. spirit of freedom which he took in as a old, scolded me when she discovered It was beautiful and a delight young student.] my interest, telling me that was not to study there. [To this day, Hoss My classes were in the first build- a career that would put bread on the indicated he remains awed by the ing to the right of the Medical Gate. I table. I asked my best friends Samih beauty of AUB, its lush and exotic took the tramway every day from our

52 MainGate Fall 2009 Beyond Bliss Street reflections

home in Musseitbeh, changing cars and a job at AUB as assistant instructor HE Salim El-Hoss along the way. From Basta, I walked and then full instructor. I worked at an (BA ’52, MBA ’57) to the downtown district and changed accounting firm in Beirut and started PhD Indiana University (1961) railway cars at the old Place des on my MBA, which I received in 1957, Professor of business at AUB (1955– Canons heading for Bliss Street where while teaching in the last two years. 79) I got off. [Those cream and wine- Adviser to the Kuwait Fund for Arab colored railway cars, which plied Beirut Where did you teach most of your Economic Development (1966) thoroughfares and were a trademark classes? Head of the Central Bank Control of Bliss Street are a distant image from I taught [economics] at AUB intermit- Commission (1967–73) the past.] tently from 1955 to ’79, at the business Prime Minister of Lebanon (1976– There were few women at AUB school. Among my students was Fuad 80, 1987–90, 1998–2000) at the time, among them a Lebanese Siniora, who later became head of the Minister of Education (1985–87) Jewish student from the Yehuda family. Central Bank Control Commission at AUB trustee (1991–2001), trustee She was nice; she got along with the my suggestion. [Remembering how emeritus ( 2001–present) students. I never knew what happened Sheikh Saeed had helped him, when to her. We had a mixed campus and the late Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was was, “Leave it to me.” Sure enough, he we made wide connections. There were seeking political inroads into Lebanon arranged for me to meet with a repre- students from many different countries. in the early eighties and he asked Hoss sentative of the Rockefeller Foundation I graduated with distinction in for advice on whom he should recruit [a US-based non-profit organization 1952 from the business school. I had for his team, El-Hoss recommended devoted to rewarding excellence in gotten a real taste for intellectual free- Siniora.] various fields of study] I was given a dom. The University meant liberal life In 1957, I couldn’t be promoted very generous scholarship to attend for me. There was a lot of freedom on any further than instructor with just Indiana University, where I obtained a campus, socially, and we had freedom my MBA, and Hamadeh pressed me joint business and economics doctor- of speech. We could express ourselves to go for a doctorate. I told him that ate in 1961. I worked hard. It was as we wished. We were left alone, I couldn’t afford it, that I was only demanding, but I found the faculty very which is a characteristic of AUB that earning LL300 a month. All he said responsive, and they appreciated me. I cherish. Then I came back to AUB to We were always in the teach macroeconomics. streets. They were tumultuous days. There was the question What has helped Lebanon of Palestine and the quest for weather the financial crisis independence in Arab coun- which has plagued the tries. I never exceeded in my West and the rest of the behavior; I expressed myself. world since the end of I still consider myself an Arab 2008? nationalist … and I still have It’s the openness of the coun- my views. try and the versatility of the [Hoss expressed grati- Lebanese that minimized the tude for the assistance he got impact in addition to other from the late Professor Saeed reasons. Capital-attractive Hamadeh.] Sheikh Saeed was countries such as France and very fond of me and I was very Great Britain, Germany, and attached to him. He gave me the United States were hit all the scholarships, chances, hard. [With nowhere to go,

Salim El-Hoss (1985)

MainGate Fall 2009 53 Beyond Bliss Street reflections

some investors turned to Lebanon, and affected by it and still have a place where the Central Bank pride in it. [It instilled a sense of duty remained conservative in its regula- in Hoss. His training at AUB and tion of the banking system by keep- the personal integrity and idealism it ing a tight lid on elusive derivative inspired helped him face gargantuan financial products that could have challenges as prime minister and ended up as toxic assets.] minister of education.] Foreign currency reserves went up from $18 billion at the start of the When did you leave AUB? Have crisis last November and are now in you been back? the neighborhood of $23 billion due [Hoss lives not far from AUB. When his The Prime Minister at the AUBMC Cardiac Care Center inauguration (1980) to capital inflows, and we should give health permits, he likes to revisit the credit to the leadership of the governor familiar AUB grounds he has known As Lebanon’s prime minister from 1987 of the Central Bank for that. Because throughout his varied career as a until 1990, Salim el Hoss had to govern of good management, the banking student, professor, economist, and during one of the bloodiest and darkest system has a lot of immunity. So far, public figure.] There are new build- periods of upheaval and uncertainty in there has not been a single bank failure ings. The path was clearer before, but the country since 1982, when Israel and this has encouraged people with I do enjoy a stroll “from gate to gate” invaded Lebanon. capital to come to Lebanon. on the upper campus, which is On a bright morning on November 22 in 1989, Hoss was waiting for all I can manage now. Do you have particular memories President-elect Rene Mouawad’s convoy —N.B. to join him for an independence day from the war (1975-1990)? celebration. A thunderous blast rocked When I taught at AUB during the war the neighborhood of Aishe Bakkar as I was struck by the growing tension a vehicle laden with 250 kilograms of among students. It was very disturb- Postscript explosives was detonated by remote ing, and I was not accustomed to it. Hoss has an only grandson, Salim, 20, control minutes before the motorcade There were serious class interruptions. who is majoring in biology and is hoping to become a doctor. His grades have reached its destination, killing Mouawad qualified him for a scholarship, and guess and fifteen others, including his body What impact has AUB had on who has given him a few tips on how to guards. your life? remain on that list? If he is anything like his The Baabda presidential palace was AUB’s impact on my life has been grandfather, chances are, young Selim will damaged from aerial bombing at the tremendous, and I was impressed be mentioned in these pages again. time, and Hoss had to face a wounded nation through television cameras and reporters to announce the news with trembling lips and a quiver in his voice. “A criminal hand has . . . ,” he started and stopped, asking journalists to wait a minute. Hoss buried his face in his two hands and sobbed, but picked himself up within seconds to vow defiantly: “The criminal hand has failed because we are all ready to die so Lebanon can live.” And live it did, against formidable odds.

Luncheon in honor of Richard Scott, 1984

54 MainGate Fall 2009 In keeping with their longstanding tradition, the AUB and LAU Alumni Clubs in Jordan organized a joint Ramadan suhour on September 11. Almost 150 alumni were on hand to enjoy suhour appetizers, ergeeleh, Arab music, and cards. The beautiful weather enticed Damascus many to the outdoor terrace of the chapter’s club during an evening event that did not end until well after midnight.

More than 100 AUB alumni spanning the graduating classes of 1980 to 2009 including AUB Trustee Abdulsalam Haykal (BA ’00) attended the Damascus Chapter’s first Ramadan suhour at the Four Seasons Left to right: Amir Bitar (former student), Anas Al Masri (BBA ’08), Ammar Haykal (BBA ’06), Sobhi Baghdadi (BBA ’09), Dia Haykal Hotel on September 7. During his remarks, Chapter President Sami (BBA ’09), and Alaa Baghdadi. Moubayed (BA ’00) called on alumni to help cement Syria’s ties to AUB by sending more students to study at the University where they will “get a fine, A-class liberal education, returning to their towns and

cities in Syria to become leaders, in their respective domains.” He Kuwait noted that “Syria’s relationship with AUB dates back to 1866” and that the institution was called the Syrian Protestant College until as recently as 1920.

In observance of the month of Ramadan AUB and LAU alumni in Bahrain gathered for a kick-off Ghabaga dinner on September 2 at the Intercontinental Regency Hotel. More than 140 alumni enjoyed Eighty-five alumni attended the Ghabaga dinner organized by the AUB Alumni Kuwait Chapter on September 9 at Karam the musical performances, delicious buffet suhour, and raffle. Café in the Avenue Mall. Left to right: Maha Abbas (former student), Faisal Al-Mutawa (BA ’70), Zein Kabbara (BA ’85), Chorouq El- Khatib (BS ’01)

Lebanon Health Sciences Bassam Assam (BS ’75) Treasurer Chapter Duran Jeremiah (BA ’97) Member at Large Nabil Watfa (BS ’68) President Duran Meridian (BS ’73) Member at Large Hanaa Kobeissi (MPH ’86, BS ’84) Vice Fadi Cudahy (BE ’81) Member at Large President Northern California Chapter Noha Hachach (MPH ’07) Secretary Chad Chamber (BE ’96, ME ’00) President Zeina Zeidan (MPH ’81, BS ’86) Treasurer Rami Hangout (BS ’97) Vice President Salim Chalak (MPH ’06, BA ’04) Member Zeina Maalouf (BS ’03) Secretary at Large Ramzi Alamo (BS ’94, MD ’98) Treasurer Kasem El-Saddik (MS ’02, BS ’96) Member WAAAUB News Nail Massif (BE ’86) Member at Large at Large Recently Elected Haytham Hajjar (MS ’82, BS ’80) Member New York Metropolitan at Large Chapter Chapter Leadership Roland Abi Nadir (BE ’02) President Southern California Chapter Amin Nadim Khalaf (BA ’90) Vice President Lydia Missouri (BS ’82, MS ’89) President Ziad Afar (BA ’00) Secretary Charles Zaher (BS ’80, MS ’82) Vice Hussein I. Harelip (BE ’03) Treasurer President Siren Hajj (BA ’00) Member at Large Yara Tumeh (BS ’97, MS ’04) Secretary Emil G. Tarzan (MS ’05) Member at Large

MainGate Fall 2009 55 The Legacy Event For the first time this fall, WAAAUB and AUB held a special event celebrating the return of AUB alumni parents and their children who have enrolled at the University this academic year. President Peter Dorman, WAAAUB President Khalil Makkawi, deans, faculty, and staff all gathered in Bathish Auditorium on September 29 to welcome more than 160 AUB alumni parents and their children. Before parents had a chance to mingle with the faculty and deans, President Makkawi encouraged them to become involved in WAAAUB and emphasized the important role AUB alumni parents play in the life of the University. President Dorman added that "our alumni provide invaluable support and advice to me and my colleagues … We at AUB are constantly looking for ways to improve and expand our facilities and academic programs to ensure that your sons and daughters will benefit from the best possible educational experience at AUB." Munir Shehadeh, the grandfather of incoming freshman Sami Moacdieh, closed the ceremony by speaking about how the AUB experience had influenced the lives of his grandfather, father, brothers, and his own children. His final words of wisdom to new students? Seize the opportunity of being at AUB to learn absolutely everything they can.

56 MainGate Fall 2009 Thirty-five alumni joined the AUB Alumni Society of Bahrain for an afternoon tea on October 8 with Lebanese MP Okab Sakr. Sakr was in Bahrain to address the Supreme Council for Women, an Bahrain advisory body to the government on women's issues. He spoke about the elements of democracy and then mingled with alumni during this informal, social event at Dar Al Bareh Café. The event was sponsored by Mayasem Communications.

During its annual iftar at the Bristol Hotel in Beirut on September 11, the Lebanon Health Sciences Chapter announced the recently elected members of the Executive Committee. More than 80 FHS alumni were on hand to congratulate the incoming committee members, including FHS Dean Iman Nuwayhid (BS ’80, MD ’84), FHS Chapter President Nabil Watfa (BS ’68), former Chapter President Berj Hatjian (BS ’89), and Mount Lebanon Branch President Samir Abou Samra (BE ’68).

(Top) Left to right: Rana Lababidi (LAU), Janan Habib (BA ’79), Lebanese Consul Mirna Khawli; (Bottom) Bahrain event with The Mount Lebanon Branch’s Social Committee organized a Lebanese MP Okab Sakr trip to Douma and Amion on June 14 that began with a fortifying breakfast in Batroun. Alumni then headed off to visit St. George el Kafar Monastery before hiking up to Douma through the old souk. The hikers capped off the day with a well-earned lunch at Esclapio Restaurant. On August 29-30, the branch’s Environmental Committee provided alumni with another opportunity to get back to nature with Lebanon Health Science an overnight camping trip at Horch Ehden forest Left to right: Berj Hatjian (BS ’89), Aline Germani (BA ’94, MS ’97), reserve. Martine Najem (BS '98, MPH '00), Joumana Kalot (BS ’89, MS ’95) Mount-Lebanon

(Top) Camping in Horch Ehden (Left and above) Mt. Lebanon chapter excursion to the St. George el Kfar monastery

MainGate Fall 2009 57 “Very well organized: good food, great company, and thumbs up to the magician, an excellent idea!” Those were the comments of Siham Agha who was just one of many AUB alumni who met for an iftar at the Pavillon Noura Restaurant in Paris on September

Switzerland 10. The event was such a success that it caused at least one alumnus—Reem Saleh—to “miss Lebanon even more!” Kudos to the Paris Chapter!

After a couple of quiet years, AUB alumni in the Switzerland

Switzerland Chapter alumni at an event on Lake Léman on August 10 Chapter organized an August 10 get-together in Geneva. The event was an opportunity to get back in touch with alumni who live in cities including Geneva, Zurich, and Lausanne, and thanks to a new face- book page and some fast networking, the chapter contacted 40 new Indiana alumni in the Geneva area. Thirty alumni soon gathered at a charming restaurant overlooking Lake Léman. There was plenty of networking and plans for future events to bring together those who couldn’t come in August. If you’re in Switzerland and haven’t been in touch with the chapter, email them at [email protected].

Indiana Chapter alumni at the Canal Bistro in Indianapolis London alumni in the UK Chapter celebrated Ramadan together with a delicious menu and oud music at an iftar for more than eighty peo-

Ohio Valley ple at the Marroush Gardens Restaurant on September 17. Alumni from across the United Kingdom are invited to the chapter’s events, making it an ideal place to meet other AUBites. The chapter was pleased to welcome the new members who joined the event for the first time, Alumni at the chapter's summer picnic at Whetstone Park of Roses and looks forward to seeing new alumni at future events. Montreal

On September 13, the WAAAUB Montreal Chapter organized its On July 7, the Montreal Chapter held its second Cafe Littéraire with Lebanese writer annual iftar. Sixty people attended the successful event. Maya Waked, author of the book Fermée Pour Inventaire.

58 MainGate Fall 2009 President Dorman’s Summer Tour While summer is often a time to relax and take it easy, President Peter Dorman spent at least part of his summer attending various alumni chapter events across the United States. Ohio Valley The Ohio River Valley, Michigan, and Chicago/Midwest chapters welcomed President Dorman to their communities in the Midwest. Ohio alumni met at a reception on August 6 and presented President Dorman with a perfect souvenir of his visit to the Buckeye Presenting the buckeye to President Dorman State, a print of the buckeye plant that gave the state its nickname. Michigan alumni welcomed the president with a feast of traditional Lebanese food and dancing on August 7. Chicago area AUBites filled the home of Chapter President Nabih Ramadan (BS ’80, MD

’85), who hosted an evening reception on August 10 during which Michigan the chapter presented President Dorman with its first donation to AUB under its newly-elected chapter leadership. Several weeks later, President Dorman headed off to the West Coast to meet with California-based alumni. In the hills of Los Michigan Chapter alumni at the August dinner for President Dorman Angeles, a large group of alumni from the Southern California Chapter welcomed President Dorman with an iftar at the Hilton Universal City on August 22. The weather was glorious for the family picnic in Huddart Park the next day that attracted a record number of alumni and friends from the Northern California chapter, some of whom had driven many hours to spend some time with President Dorman, his wife, and fellow AUBites. At all these gatherings, President Dorman summarized the high- Chicago/Midwest lights of his inauguration speech, which detailed his vision for AUB and some of the key initiatives he plans to undertake as president. AUBites filled the home of Chapter President Nabih Ramadan while welcoming President Dorman Southern California

Southern California Chapter Northern California

Picnic at Huddart Park

MainGate Fall 2009 59 Beyond Bliss Street c l a s s n o t e s

1960s (BS ’71). She is a found- Yacoub El Yousef Saadeh Joseph Ralph Ricketson er of SOM’s International (BA ’75) is a US certified pub- Rizkallah (BA ’63) is a senior vice Business Organization, a lic accountant currently living (BA ’80) has worked for president at McNeary, Inc., member of Phi Beta Delta, in Jerusalem. Since 2005 he the last five years in Dubai a company that offers an honor society for inter- has been office managing as regional manager for expertise in risk manage- national scholars, and a partner for Palestine with Electro Industries, an exhi- ment consulting, employee member of NACADA (the Deloitte & Touche (M.E.). The bition stand, contracting, benefits consulting, manag- National Academic Advising Palestine practice includes and signage manufacturing ing health care, and pro- Association). Currently a more than 40 professionals company. After graduation fessional liability insurance. doctoral student at George operating out of three loca- he worked in the exhibitions Ricketson received his MBA Mason, Sharif is research- tions in Jerusalem, Ramallah and advertising industry in from the University of North ing the socio-cultural adjust- and Gaza. Previously, he Jeddah. Rizkallah and his Carolina in Charlotte in 1977. ment of international under- was the managing partner wife, Hoda Issa, have three He lives in Indian Land, graduate students at George of El Yousef CPAs, a rep- children, Joseph, Sami, and South Carolina. [riskdoc(at) Mason. She and her hus- resentative firm of KPMG Leila, who is majoring in eco- mcneary.com] band have four adult children in Palestine. [yelyousef(at) nomics at AUB. [saadehr(at) and four grandchildren. deloitte.com] hotmail.com] 1970s Marilyn Sharif John Dagher Helen Hatab Samhan Randa Khalil (MA ’74) is a math teacher (MA ’75) In 2010, Samhan (BE ’81) became a share at Notre Dame University, will celebrate 25 years at the holder of Genivar Consultants Lebanon. He lives in Arab American Institute (AAI) in June 2009. Genivar is Beit El-Chaar, Lebanon. in Washington, DC. AAI a Canadian company that [johnrdagher(at)gmail.com] provides political and policy offers a broad range of engi- leadership training, advoca- neering and project manage- Haifa Al-Attia cy, and research. Samhan ment services to public and (BA, TD ’75) was recent- specializes in ethnic iden- private sector clients. Khalil ly elected to the board of tity and demographic is the engineer of record of directors of the International research and manages the Surrey Outpatient Facility, Women’s Forum (IWF) for annual Kahlil Gibran Spirit the first P3 (public private (BA ’70, MA ’73) is an a two-year term. The IWF of Humanity Awards pro- partnership) project in British undergraduate academic is a global organization of gram for the AAI Foundation. Columbia. With a construc- adviser at George Mason preeminent women in all [hsamhan(at)aaiusa.org] tion budget of $150 million, University’s School of fields who collaborate to the project’s leaders hope Management (SOM). A study advance women’s roles 1980s to achieve LEED (Leadership abroad student at AUB, she across careers, cultures, Rola Jaroudi in Energy and Environmental earned both of her degrees and continents. Al-Attia, (BBA ’80) earned Design) Gold certification. in sociology—the BA with a regional adviser for the a BS in computer program- Khalil lives in Vancouver, distinction. Sharif has International Baccalaureate ming in Montreal in 1993. Canada. [randakhalil(at) worked for the US Bureau Organization, was the first She is a manager at the main shaw.ca] of the Census, the British woman in the field of educa- branch of Fransabank, SAL Council, and an internation to be invited to join IWF/ in Lebanon. Jaroudi writes Ohannes Khoustekian tional management consult- Jordan, founded in 2003. that she’s looking forward (BBA ’82), after graduating ing business owned by her She is currently board treas- to the 2010 Reunion. [Rola. from AUB, went on to earn husband, Faysal Sharif urer. [haifa(at)nace.jo] Jaroudi(at)hotmail.com] his master’s degree from the

60 MainGate Fall 2009 Beyond Bliss Street c l a s s n o t e s

Lebanese American University. Doctor of Science degree States. Fahed-Sreih received Joanna Haddad He worked in Jordan and from Tulane School of Public the 2007 International Award Iraq for several years before Health and Tropical Medicine from the Family Firm Institute returning to live in Lebanon, in New Orleans, Louisiana. in recognition of outstanding where he lives now with his [Lballuz(at)cdc.gov] achievement in furthering the wife and three daughters. He understanding of family busi- is registered with the AUB Colette Acra ness issues involving two or OLC and would like to be (BA ’84) is general manager more countries. She lives in in contact with old friends. at Lufthansa Airlines. She Adma, Lebanon. [jsreih(at) [okhouste(at)hotmail.com] lives in Beirut. [coletteacra(at) lau.edu.lb] hotmail.com] Looking for old friends and classmates! Ziad Atik Josiane Fahed-Sreih (MBA ’86) is general manager of sales and operations at Aishath Muhammad Didi Taanayel Les Fermes (RJW (BA ’82) received her mas- Foods) and Bonjus (Lebanon ter’s from the Institute of Fruit Juice). He lives in Education, London. She Aoukar, Metn, Lebanon. worked for UNICEF Maldives [Ziadatik(at)yahoo.com] (BA ’89) writes: "I went to from 1999 to 2005 and was my class reunion, but unfor- minister of gender and fam- Raffoul Raffoul tunately did not meet any ily, 2005 to 2008. Didi is cur- (BBA ’86, MBA ’89) is assist- other students from the Off rently a freelance consultant (BBA ’84) holds a PhD from ant general manager and Campus Program. I enjoyed for the rights of women and the Sorbonne. She is a full- head of group organization the knefe, then went to Jafet children. She lives in Male in time associate professor in for Strategy and Operational Library, to the gym, and rest- the Maldives. [aisha.didi(at) the Department of Business Support Services at Byblos ed a bit on the beach. It was gmail.com] Studies at the Lebanese Bank, SAL in Beirut. [rraffoul(at) there that I bumped into a American University, where byblosbank.com.lb] woman who is a nutritionist Lina Balluz she founded and directs from my class, year of 1989, (BS ’83, MPH ’85) has the Institute of Family and Mohamad Ali Zameli but from the main campus. recently been promoted Entrepreneurial Business. (BE ’86) is chief executive Like me, she had driven her to director of the Behavior Fahed-Sreih is also the officer of ETC Logistics, 15-year-old to the brevet Surveillance Branch at the Middle East coordinator for Ltd. (www.etclogistics.com) examination center earlier in Centers for Disease Control the Family Firm Institute in [mohd.zameli(at)etclogistics. the day and we chatted for and Prevention, Atlanta, the United States. She has com] a while. As we were contem- GA. She coordinates and participated in major confer- plating our children’s not- support the Behavior Risk ences locally and internation- Bilal Shaykh too-far-distant departure for Factor Surveillance System ally and consulted on man- (BS ’87) lives in Windsor, UK. college, I felt we were com- conducted in all 50 states agement and family busi- He earned a PhD in chemis- pelled by the same impulse and territories in the United ness management issues try from Cambridge University to return to our alma mater. I States. The system moni- throughout the Arab world. in 1990. Shaykh is the glo- used to visit only ESA where tors risk behaviors, chronic In 2004, her book Facts and bal purchasing director for I did my MBA in 1997, but conditions, preventive health Figures Concerning Family Reckitt Benckiser, a global in 2008 after my divorce, I practices and health care Business in Lebanon was company for household, began to visit AUB again. access. Balluz received her published in the United health, and personal care. The archives at Jafet Library

MainGate Fall 2009 61 Beyond Bliss Street c l a s s n o t e s

are really wonderful. I found is Beirut, but he travels fre- NEXtCARE, UAE, a member some interesting information quently to Canada and other of the Allianz Group. He on Abey, the village where countries. [hmallah(at)meca- expects to graduate in 2011 my father is from, and even nique.com.lb] with a master’s degree in an article on “the sleeping practicing management, a disease” by my grandfather, 1990s new master’s degree intro- Nassib Merhi Haddad (MD Fadi Traboulsi duced by Henry Mintzberg ’08) who died in 1938, in at McGill University. Slim Al-Kulliyah. I also looked lives both in Dubai, the UAE, into the missionaries who and in Montreal, Canada. did their best in the 19th [mazenslim(at)hotmail.com] and 20th centuries to make AUB happen—the men and Dana Khoury Eid women whose names are “Landscaping Contractor of (MBA ’95) While pursuing on the campus buildings, the Year” for the second her MBA studies at AUB, and I’ve learned more about consecutive year by Facilities Eid climbed the corporate Lebanon and the stories of (BA ’91, MMB ’95) is chief Management Middle East, a ladder at ALICO (American the mountains. I confess I representative at Banque prestigious trade publication. Life Insurance Company) feel proud to belong to this Libano-Francaise in Abu TerraVerde was recognized from administrator to act- amazing country. The newer Dhabi, UAE. [fadi.traboulsi(at) for “ensuring a sustainable ing group manager. Post generations should stop gmail.com] legacy for generations to graduation, Eid joined nagging the older ones, and come.” The company has a PepsiCo International in take stock of their unique Nehme J. Moujaess reputation for implementing Dubai as an HR manager heritage.” [Joanna(at)cybe- (BS ’92, MS ’95) is manag- organic solutions wherever and moved into marketing ria.net.lb] ing director and partner of possible to enhance the two years later. She han- TerraVerde L.L.C. a profes- environment. [nehmemj(at) dled major carbonated soft Hassan Mallah sional landscape contract- terraverde.ae] drink brands such as 7UP, (BE ’89) works as a sys- ing company which spe- Mountain Dew, and the tems engineer in the IT cializes in creating outdoor Mazen Slim soft drink giant, Pepsi, for Department of Saudi Fal living spaces. In 2009, (BS ’93, MPH ’95) is interna- which she produced highly Company. His home base TerraVerde was elected tional projects manager for rated ads with regional star

SEND CLASS NOTES TO [email protected]

62 MainGate Fall 2009 Beyond Bliss Street c l a s s n o t e s

Nawal El Zoghbi. Eid is in the Human Resources forward to attending the Dubai, UAE. [mshukor(at) also responsible for the suc- Division while Ibrahim is an 2010 Reunion as they did eastnets.com] cessful launch of Aquafina architect who has his own four years ago. [nyehya(at) water in GCC countries. construction business. purdue.edu] Ali Zebib [danakhoury(at)gmail.com] [[email protected]] Manal Azzi Lana Junaid Mahmoud Bassam Hajj Khaznachi (BBA ’98) recently moved (BA ’95, TD ’96) received her to Montreal, Canada and is teaching diploma in special looking forward to a fresh education 1996 and her MS start and new opportunities. in education from Purdue He’s freelancing as a project University in 1998 where consultant. she instructed fourth year (BS ’03), with his degree in university students for three Zaher Halawi computer science, started semesters. Mahmoud then (BS ’98) is country sales man- his career at Samir Group worked to establish special ager for Nortel Networks. He (BS ’03 and TD ’02, MS ’06) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Five education departments at lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. received her PhD in occu- years later he relocated to schools in Amman, Jordan; [zaherhalawi(at)yahoo.com pational safety and health Jeddah to become sales Lilongwe, Malawi; and cur- from the Faculty of Health manager of the projects divi- rently in Bangkok,Thailand. 2000s and Medical Sciences at the sion for the western region. [galacticbuz(at)yahoo.com] Nadine Anwar University of Surrey in Surrey, He and his wife Israa are the Yehya England. She is an occupa- proud parents of two-year- Rayhana Saadeldine (BBA ’00, MBA ’01) is tional safety and health spe- old twin boys. [alizebib(at) Itani a doctoral candidate cialist at the International hotmail.com] (MA ’97) has taught in pri- in the Department of Labour Organization. Azzi vate schools and worked Communications at Purdue lives in Geneva, Switzerland Yasmina Adra in the field of social wel- University. She writes, “I where she is part of a group (BS ’04, MS ’08) is married fare. She currently teaches met my husband, Majdi of alumni who are hoping to Naji Masri and is cur- at the Arab Open University Rafic Abou Najm (BE that the alumni chapter will rently working as an associ- in Beirut. [rayhana.itani(at) ’98, ME ’00), at AUB and be revitalized. [[email protected]] ate program officer for the gmail.com] it means a lot to us to keep United Nations Environment our link to it alive. AUB Alaa Halawi Programme-Regional Office Maha Tannir gave us not just educa- (BS ’02) is the country man- for West Asia (UNEP- (BA ’97) and her husband tion but cultural awareness ager for Kuwait for Promate ROWA) in Manama, Bahrain. Ibrahim Hout are thrilled to and a sense of beauty.” Technologies, a global digital [yasminaadra(at)gmail.com] announce the birth of their After completing his doc- entertainment and personal fifth child, a baby boy named toral degree in environmen- computing company. He Mahdi El Horchi Mohamad-Naim born on tal engineering from Purdue lives in Kuwait City. [alaa_ (BS ’05) works in manage- July 22. The happy couple University, Najm became [email protected]] ment consulting in Dubai at are already proud parents of a visiting assistant profes- Team Power International four children: Issam (8 years), sor at Purdue. Yehya is Manal Shukor as team leader for strategy Céline (6 years), Stéphanie (4 vice-president of the AUB (MBA ’03) is a human and performance excellence. years) and Tatiana (2 years). Alumni Chapter in Indiana. resources manager at The company helps develop Maha works at BankMed She and her husband look EastNets™. She lives in strategy plans for the govern-

MainGate Fall 2009 63 Beyond Bliss Street c l a s s n o t e s

time flies within six months became the system in the United States. mental sector, and promotes “matron” or director of nursing She pioneered a professional Excellence Awards based Rachel appearing frequently at the side nursing model that eliminated on the EFQM (European Dziecholska Rotkovitch of King Farouk. In 1945, she team nursing and starched Foundation for Quality traveled to the United States white uniforms and created Unit Management) model. It also and received her BS in nursing Service Management, which provides services in human from Washington Missionary clearly defined nursing and resources, stakeholders sat- non-nursing tasks and permitted College (currently Columbia isfaction surveys, and per- Union College/Washington nurses to spend more time with formance solutions. [mahdi. Adventist University) in 1947. In their patients. This new model horchi(at)hotmail.com] 1948, Rotkovitch was enlisted vastly improved the quality of as director of nursing at an army nursing care while reducing Lara Samir Ghanime hospital in Israel. There she budget costs. (MS ’05) has worked for Sabis was reunited with her childhood In forwarding the photos for Educational services as a sci- sweetheart, Aizik. this piece, Rotkovitch’s daughter Rotkovitch’s dedication Irit wrote that her mother has ence analyst for the past two (Nursing Diploma to enhancing the nursing not changed much. “She may years. She was recently put ’40) was born in profession took her back to the have a few more wrinkles, but in charge of a science pack- Poland and as a young woman United States in the 1960s, she is as active as ever, living in aging project for US schools traveled to Palestine where where she earned a master’s Rhode Island.” in nine different states. she took a job as a hotel maid in nursing administration from Rachel Dziecholska Sabis is developing custom- in Tiberius. One of her duties Teachers College, Columbia Rotkovitch’s contributions to ized, state-specific teaching was the therapeutic bathing of University. She then worked the nursing profession are materials and books for the a rheumatoid guest that she as director of nursing at Long commemorated in the Nursing United States. [l.ghanime(at) performed so well that she was Island Jewish Hospital, as vice Hall of Fame at Teacher’s spidernetlb.com] strongly encouraged to pursue president of nursing at Yale- College, Columbia University. nursing—a profession previously New Haven Hospital, and as a AUB takes great pride in Fadi Abdo Kayale unknown to her. Quickly consultant to the US Surgeon claiming responsibility for the (BS ’05) is a post doctor- learning English from a Polish- General for eight years in the early development and education ate research fellow in AUB’s English dictionary, Rotkovitch 1970s and 1980s. With her of such a remarkable woman. Department of Pediatrics. entered AUB’s nursing program. determined efforts at bold Rotkovitch can be contacted [foudz(at)hotmail.com] Upon graduation, she joined innovation, Rotkovitch helped through her daughter Irit at: the staff of King Fouad Hospital to change an entrenched and [email protected] Lina El Kibbi in Alexandria, Egypt, and resistant health-care delivery —B.R.

(Fellowship, AUBMC 2005- 07), after graduating from Beirut Arab University in

64 MainGate Fall 2009 Beyond Bliss Street c l a s s n o t e s

2001, El Kibbi completed from AUB. She recently mar- intellectual and valuable ing as an associate auditor an internship at Makassed ried Shadi Najjar, a professor views, and the overwhelm- at Ernst & Young in Jeddah, General Hospital, a residen- of civil engineering at AUB. ing heritage. I leave AUB Saudi Arabia. Both he and his cy at Hammoud Hospital They live in Dbayeh, Lebanon. now for Qatar to start my sister Farah Saadeddine Medical Center, and her fel- [ajk01(at)aub.edu.lb] career as a young mechani- (BBA ’09) proudly graduated lowship in rheumatology at cal engineer. I hope to suc- from AUB in 2009. [bachir. AUBMC. She is currently Alaa El-Baitam ceed in my future endeavors saadeddine(at)gmail.com] a rheumatologist at the (BBA ’08) is a consultant and join the successful cul- Specialized Medical Center for Ernst & Young. She ture of all the AUBites who Manal Abdel Samad Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi lives in Abu Dhabi, UAE. have passed before me.” Najd Arabia, where she is chair [alaa.baitam(at)gmail.com] Jalbout lives in Mazraat of the Medical Education Yachouh, Metn Shmali, Committee. Kibbi is a mem- Ahmad Nakib Lebanon. [nadim_jalbout(at) ber of the American College (BS ’08) is a software hotmail.com] of Physicians, the American developer and automation College of Rheumatology, engineer for Consolidated Mirna Georges and the British Society for Contractors Company Khairallah Rheumatology. [linakibbe(at) (CCC). He lives in Beirut. (BS ’09) is on a Fulbright hotmail.com] [ahmadnakib(at)msn.com] scholarship pursuing a master’s in food science at Rami Rishmani Hadi Fathallah the University of Arkansas. (MBA ’09) is a department (MPH ’05) is a project man- [mkhairal(at)uark.edu] head at the VAT Directorate, ager in business develop- Ministry of Finance. She ment for GlobeMed/MedNet. Bachir Hassan also teaches management He lives in Beirut. [rishmani- Saadeddine courses at the University r(at)hotmail.com] (BBA ’09) is pursuing his of Saint Joseph in Beirut. CPA certificate while work- [maa111(at)aub.edu.lb] Aline Kahwaji Najjar

(BE ’09) is pursuing a master’s degree in public affairs at Cornell University [hmwf12(at)gmail.com]

Nadim Jalbout (ME ’06) is currently a geo- (BE ’09) writes, “Born as technical design engineer at the oldest son in a middle Dar Al-Handasah Consultants class and semi-liberal family, (Shair and Partners) in Beirut. I have inherited the best of She earned a BE in civil engi- Lebanese culture and val- neering from Notre Dame ues. I enriched them in the University (Louaizé) and an AUB atmosphere composed ME, also in civil engineering, mainly of tolerance, various

MainGate Fall 2009 65 Beyond Bliss Street c l a s s n o t e s

Recently Honored professor of psychology in heritage while promoting cul- Samir Traboulsi Hagop S. Pambookian 1987, Pambookian helped tural awareness. “Just as I (BE ’73, MBA ’80), PE, gen- (BA ’57), professor emeritus to develop the university’s believe we learn from other eral manager of Thermotrade of psychology at Shawnee psychology degree program cultures, I also believe people SAL in Beirut, Lebanon, State University in Ohio was and contributed to the inter- and social scientists in other and senior lecturer at AUB recently honored by Ohio national diversity of the uni- countries can learn from was elected to a three-year Governor Ted Strickland for versity. He started the tradi- the western point of view,” term as director-at-large the significant contributions tion of annual International Pambookian said. “By shar- of the American Society of he has made to that state Awareness Week celebra- ing knowledge, experienc- Heating, Refrigerating, and as a first-generation immi- tions, organized and hosted es, and cultures, the world Air-Conditioning Engineers grant. His efforts on behalf visiting Fulbright scholars becomes a better place.” (ASHRAE) at its 2009 of international awareness from Eastern Europe and Annual Conference in June have long been recognized Asia, and played a leadership Ali Krayim 2009. Traboulsi is the recipi- by Ohioans. In May 1997, the role in the founding and oper- ent of ASHRAE’s John F. Ohio Education Association ation of the Ohio International James International Award honored him with the “Paul Consortium. and the Student Activities Swaddling Award” for his Pambookian is a fellow Achievement Award. work in advancing internation- of the American Psychological al understanding and peace. Association, an emeritus Lena Kelekian After graduating from member of Phi Delta Kappa, AUB with his degree in psy- an international associa- chology, Pambookian earned tion for educators; a foreign

(BE ’61) received the Gold SOS Badge of Honor for his decades-long dedication to helping children in Jordan and the Middle East through SOS Children Villages, the organization founded in Austria in 1949 to provide orphans and (BS ’81), iconographer, Pambookian, left, with Governor Ted Strickland abandoned children with a muralist, restorer, geologist, a master’s degree from member of the International family, a house, and a vil- environmental designer, and Columbia University Teachers Academy of Psychological lage that they can call home. winner of the 2008 Beijing College in New York and a Sciences in Yaroslavl, Russia; Krayim was also awarded the Olympic Gold Medal and doctorate from the University the Armenian Philosophical Austrian Presidential Golden Torch for the Olympic Fine of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Academy in Yerevan, Medal of Merit. Arts for her painting Planet Michigan. He was a Senior Armenia; and the Academy He retired after a long Earth in the 21st Century, Fulbright Fellow (1978-79), of Pedagogical-Psychological successful career in civil Kelekian was recent- in the USSR and taught Sciences in Yerevan, engineering and contract- ly elected to the Board psychology at the Yerevan Armenia. ing in north Nigeria, Saudi of the Olympic Fine Arts State University in Yerevan, The son of Armenian Arabia, and Jordan where Association with a special Armenia. genocide survivors, he lives with his wife. They appointment as secretary/ Joining Shawnee State Pambookian has drawn have four children and five curator of the Exhibitions University as an associate strength from his Armenian grandchildren. Committee.

66 MainGate Fall 2009 Friends and accomplished writer, known of 93. In the 1940s, Nucho projects in Lebanon, Cana- Colleagues for her book, The Land and studied chest diseases at da, and Monte Carlo, where Robert K. Rizk passed People of Lebanon. She Columbia University and at he rebuilt the Interpol Hotel. away on February 2 at the started her journalistic the Trudeau School of Tuber- Starting in 1992, Boustani age of 76. He was a profes- career with the Princeton culosis in New York. He then was re-elected to Parliament sor and former chair of the Herald in the 1940s when joined the Hamlin Memo- several times from the Chouf Crown and Bridge Depart- she accompanied her father rial Sanatorium in Hammana district as a member of Walid ment at the University of to the first United Nations where he was mentored by Jumblatt’s platform. He was Detroit Mercy School of Den- Conference held in 1945 his father, Dr. Nami Nucho vice chair of Solidere’s Board tistry. His family noted that in San Francisco. Winder (AUB 1904). He served as of Directors and a main “he was proud of his Leba- was an active member of the sanatorium’s director shareholder in that giant real nese heritage and wanted the Princeton Middle East from 1955 until his retirement estate company. Boustani to somehow keep that con- Society and of the Nassau in 1990, earning a reputation received many distinguished nection. He was very much Club. She is survived by for pioneering medical care honors, awards, shields and an intellectual and always her son, Bayly Philip Winder, and life-long dedication to medals—most notably, a a teacher. Your magazine his wife Diane, and their two the hospital. He was a lec- medal from Pope John Paul gave him a way to feel a children. turer in tuberculosis at AUB. II in 1997. part of Lebanon in a way he He worked closely with his knew best—academics.” Alumni wife Winnie (MPH ’76), who Orthodox Bishop Elias Kur- Charles Abou-Chaar (BS was a nurse. ban (BA ’52, MA ’54) passed Viola Winder, wife, writer, ’36) passed away on Sep- Nucho’s dedication and away on July 30 at the age teacher, and mother of AUB tember 2. Born in 1915, care for his patients earned of 83. He spent 47 years trustee Bayly Philip Winder, Professor Emeritus Abou- him the Lebanese Order of in the service of his church, passed away in Princeton, Chaar was a pharmaceutical Merit (Gold) in 1954 and and is deeply mourned by New Jersey on September chemist and one of the vet- in 1974 he was knighted the Roum Orthodox Church 15 at the age of 90. Born in eran AUB scholar-teachers Chevalier d’Honneur of the in Tripoli and the Koura New York City, Viola Winder honored by the University in Grand-Prieure d’Europe de region. Kurban was born in was the daughter of Philip a special ceremony in June l’Ordre des Chevaliers Hos- the village of Ain al-Sindiy- Hitti, the prominent historian 2000. A former teacher in pitaliers. He was also hon- anah near Dhour al-Shoueir. and founder of the United AUB’s School of Pharmacy ored by the Order of Saint He was appointed deacon States’s first Middle East and the Department of Biol- John of Malta. in 1946 under then Patri- Studies program at Princ- ogy, he was an international Nucho devoted his arch Alexandrous Tahhan in eton University. She gradu- authority on plant medical retirement years to helping Damascus. ated from Connecticut Col- chemistry and a found- Winnie spread awareness In 1954, Kurban lege as a French major in ing member of the Leba- about the benefits of organ- traveled to the United 1940 and married long-time nese Association for the ic farming and the dangers States, and served as dea- Princeton professor R. Bayly Advancement of Science. of toxic chemicals. He is con at St. Nicholas’s Church Winder in 1946. The Wind- Abou-Chaar cataloged survived by his beloved in Brooklyn before joining St. ers lived abroad extensively, AUB’s 11,000 trees, calling wife, four children, and nine Vladimir the Russian’s Insti- residing in Beirut (1947), the AUB campus an ever- grandchildren. tute, where he received a Damascus (1956), and green campus of youth. He degree in theology. In 1957, Cairo (1961). During this authored The Woody Plants Nabil Majid Boustani he was named priest of the period Viola Winder began of AUB Campus (AUB Press, (former student, 1942-43) Boston chapter in the Unit- to teach English as a sec- 1991) and many articles passed away at the age of ed States, where he served ond language, first to Arabic about the AUB flora. 85 on July 31. A former for the next five years. speaking students, and later deputy minister and promi- On February 10, 1962, to Chinese PhD candidates Charles Khalil Nucho nent businessman, Boustani the congregation of Anti- at Princeton’s Internation- (BA ’39, MD ’44) passed built a global real estate con- och elected him bishop of al Center. Winder was an away on July 5 at the age struction company with large Tripoli and the Koura region

MainGate Fall 2009 67 where he stayed until his years, Doris Azzam (Diplo- After earning his master’s in death. Kurban, whose AUB ma, School of Nursing ’57), civil engineering at the Uni- degrees were in history, and their three sons and five versity of Michigan, Nasser was a prolific writer whose grandchildren. began a 37-year career at books included The Crisis Dar Al-Handasah Consult- of the Orthodox Patriarchate Shafiq al-Hout (BA ’53) ants (Shair and Partners) as (1890-1900). During his a founding member of the resident partner of opera- tenure, the Roum Orthodox Palestine Liberation Organi- tions. In 1997, he left to Church underwent a spiritu- zation (PLO), passed away establish both his own con- al revival establishing many on August 2 at the age of sultancy, Nassar Engineer churches, schools, insti- 77. Al-Hout was a power- Services, S.A.R.L., and the tutes, and charity organiza- ful politician and a prolific Lebanon branch of the UK tions as well as retirement writer who was prominent in construction firm, W.A. Fair- homes and health centers. the Palestinian struggle for hurst where he served as self-rule. He fled from his partner and CEO until 2002. Nakhleh Pacifico Zarzar native Palestine to Lebanon Nassar was a member (BA ’52, MD ’56) was born in 1948 when the State of of the Lebanese Order of in Bethlehem, Palestine in Israel was created. Engineers and Architects, 1932. Known as “Mike,” he Al-Hout was editor of Al the Society of Engineers is remembered as a humble Hawadith magazine, 1958- in Kuwait, the Society of man who devoted his life to 64 and founded the PLO Engineers in Bahrain and serving others. with Yasser Arafat in 1964. the Engineers Committee of After completing his He always had an excellent Saudi Arabia. He was instru- residency in psychiatry at the relationship with the Leba- mental in the success of University of North Carolina nese government and was the College Hall Fundraising Hospital in Chapel Hill, North appointed the PLO’s first committee which evolved Carolina in 1959, Zarzar representative to Lebanon. into the AUB Scholarship worked in the North Caro- He was a member of the Fundraising Committee, for lina Division of Mental Health Palestinian National Coun- which he served as Chair until 1977 as superintendent cil, the parliament in exile, in 2008. of both the John Umstead from its founding in 1964 Nassar is survived by and Dorothea Dix Hospitals, until his death. Al-Hout his wife Sylvia, two children, and also as commissioner of served as the PLO’s del- a daughter-in-law and the mental health for the State of egate to the United Nations family of his late sister Leila North Carolina. from 1974 until 1992. In Raja Elia. In 1977, he entered 1993 he resigned from the private practice where he PLO’s Executive Committee Firas Raoul Twal tragically remained until he retired in when Arafat accepted the passed away on August 10 2000. His three sons fol- terms of the Oslo Accords in a road accident near the lowed him into psychiatry, that recognized the state of town of Aley. A promis- and for a period of time, Israel. ing and popular student Zarzar proudly practiced Al-Hout was buried in who had just completed with his sons. the Palestine Martyrs Cem- his freshman year, Twal is He continued to serve etery in west Beirut. He is deeply mourned by the AUB others after he retired survived by a son and two community. through his involvement daughters. with the Foundation of Hope and the Rotary Club. He is Nabil Wadih Nassar (BSCE survived by his wife of 52 ’54) passed away on July 27.

Suliman S. Olayan School of Business Architects: Machado and Silvetti Associates, Boston, MA

OSB’s perforated stone and ceramic façade is a key feature in the design concept of the building, wrapping around the internal spaces and courtyards and floating over the glass base of the ground floor. The stonework, which is reminiscent of traditional mashrabiya, frames the surrounding views and provides delicate light and shading effects to the internal spaces.