Summer 2011 Vol. X, No. 4 The EntrepreneurialThe Edge Commencement 2011 Commencement MainGateAmerican University of Beirut Quarterly Magazine

Departments: Letters 2 President’s view: what the Arab Spring means for AUB Inside the Gate Views from Campus Picture this: debke meets broadway, Nahr Ibrahim before the flood, 6 Commencement 2011, Folk Dance Festival; search for the Byzantine Anastasis Church; citizen revolt in the Middle East; AUBMC’s 2020 Vision Reviews A Photographic Remembrance of Lebanon by John Waterbury; Arab Media: PGMC – Polity Global Media and Communication Series coauthored by Nabil Dajani (BA ‘57, MA ‘60) Beyond Bliss Street

Legends and Legacies First Among Equals John Wortabet (1827-1908) 41 Alumni Profile 14 under 44 Fourteen young AUB entrepreneurs on the best days, 42 the worst days, and their five-year dreams Reflections Campus Constellations Before Harvard, before the Smithsonian, 46 Owen Gingerich had a jewel in Lee Observatory Alumni Happenings Reunion 2011— Renewing Our Promise 49 Class Notes Najib W. Saab (BAR ’78) jointly awarded the Zayed International Prize for 56 Environment; Susan L. Ziadeh (MA ’78) appointed ambassador to Qatar; Tarek Yamani (BS ’01) takes music from Montreux to the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency at the Kennedy Center In Memoriam 66

MainGate is published quarterly in Production American University of Beirut Cover Beirut by the American University Office of Communications Commencement 2011 (© Office of of Beirut for distribution to alumni, Office of Communications Communications/Ahmad El Itani) former faculty, friends, and Randa Zaiter PO Box 11–0236 supporters worldwide. Riad El Solh 1107 2020 Photography Beirut, Lebanon Editor AUB Jafet Library Archives Tel: 961-1-353228 Ada H. Porter Ahmad El Itani Fax: 961-1-363234 Director of Communications Hasan Nisr New York Office Nishan Simonian 3 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza Responsible Director 8th Floor Nabil Dajani Contributing Writers New York, NY 10017–2303 Maureen Ali Tel: 212-583-7600 Art Direction and Design Fax: 212-583-7651 Office of Communications Jean-Marie Cook Najib Attieh Susanne Lane Zeina Tawil Sierra Millman [email protected] Printing Tomoko Furukawa Barbara Rosica www.aub.edu.lb Lane Press The Entrepreneurial Edge MainGate Summer 2011

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The (Beta) Twitter Beating the Biases Souk Sabra Revolution For women entrepreneurs, running a Students put their engineering and successful business is just the first landscape design skills to the test to Nurturing networking for a new kind of challenge improve one of Beirut’s busiest markets revolution

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Their Voices Heard Checklist For AUB volunteers teach languages to Successful Start-Ups migrant workers You’ve got a great idea for a new business. Or is it? A seasoned entrepreneur lists 10 steps to success. President's view

MainGate speaks to President the region and bring informed exper- a bridge between East and West. Dorman about the impact of the tise to policymakers, journalists, and Because the University is based on Arab Spring on AUB—and the pundits in the United States. Most of the model of a broad liberal arts opportunities it might present. the talking heads in the US media are education—which came to fruition exposed to events at a distance, so in the American context, but whose MainGate: Have the events of the the AUB perspective is quite different precepts stem from the European Arab Spring posed any particular and this presents a huge opportunity Enlightenment—we are by nature a challenges—or opportunities—for for AUB. As a follow-up to the panels vanguard of western educational ide- the University? this spring we are planning a similar als but grounded very much in the I think for those who are engaged in program in other locations in the US Middle East in terms of our regional teaching the youth of Lebanon it is and internationally. What is fascinat- aspirations, research orientation, and a challenge to try to integrate what ing, of course, is that we may not the composition of our faculty and is happening so unpredictably in the choose to bring the same panelists student populations. These circum- world around us into the class cur- and certainly our reflections will be stances make us very much a de facto riculum. We have had a couple of different than they were in the spring. interlocutor and one that I believe can panel discussions on campus this and will play a decisive role. spring, and in mid-May four speakers During the panel discussions in from AUB joined me in presenting a the United States, what types What could be the short and long series of programs on the Arab spring of questions regarding the Arab term implications of regional in New York and Washington, DC: Spring did you get from the change for AUB, in terms of Rami Khouri, Rami Zurayk, Rima Afifi, audience? admissions, for example? Is there and Karim Makdisi. The whole thrust The panel discussions were more of a financial impact? behind those panels was that AUB a give and take about events in the In the short term, while we are con- could bring something quite differ- region rather than a static question cerned by the implications of events in ent to conversations about the Arab and answer session. Our listeners Syria, for the most part AUB has not Spring because we have faculty who were especially interested in the indig- yet been greatly affected by changes have been working for some time on enous perspectives of those who are in the region. It is too soon to judge issues related to youth, media, the directly involved in the revolts as well what will happen in the longer term. economy, and politics. These things as in the possible prognoses for social The majority of our student applicants are at the heart of the revolutionary change. (Links to videos and tran- are Lebanese and though admissions movement or citizens’ revolt as we scripts of the events are on page 13.) are very slightly down from last year, refer to it. it’s hard to say that this has anything I think the value AUB brings to Can AUB be seen as an to do with regional events. the table is that we can present schol- interlocutor between the West and ars who are trained in the American the Arab World? tradition but who live and research in From its earliest days, AUB has been

2 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate President's view

Are the students engaged in the to contribute their talents to the bet- a period of Middle Eastern history in Arab Spring? Are you seeing terment of the societies in which which the outward political stability of increased activism on campus? they live. We hope that through their recent decades has now been rec- Students at AUB, predominantly experiences at AUB, our students will ognized as political stagnation, which Lebanese, have been more concerned become instruments for social change people in various countries have finally by the long process of government and to effect that change in their found the courage and the means to formation in their own country and public and professional lives. challenge. How this will finally play the question of how the international out, and whether it will result in demo- community will choose to interact with Regional change is leading to cratic systems that restive populations the new cabinet. So from this point myriad research opportunities are striving to attain, is too soon of view we have not seen increased across many of AUB’s areas to know. Will they have the staying student activism on campus in regard of expertise. Is AUB planning power to achieve their aims? How will to the broad phenomenon of the to introduce any new research their confrontations with armed forces Arab Spring. By contrast, the over- initiatives, academic programs, end? I do feel that AUB is in a unique seas students I have spoken to from or other activities in response to position to observe and monitor these Egypt and Yemen, for example, are recent political events? developments. very concerned with what is happen- Many AUB faculty members are —M.A. ing in their own countries, which is already involved in research into many understandable. of the factors underlying the Arab Questions for the president? Email Spring. How this research will mani- [email protected] You have described universities fest itself will depend on the initiative as positive instruments for social and personal commitments of our change. How is AUB playing that professors who are closely observing role in the Middle East today? what is happening. AUB is very involved in outreach projects throughout the community. I Over its 145-year history, AUB cannot think of a single faculty that is has witnessed many significant not engaged in some way in effecting changes in Lebanon and the change in the community by bring- region. How have these shaped ing education to different regions or AUB? How is the Arab Spring introducing self-help projects. different? AUB ardently espouses civic I suppose you could say that from engagement as an important part the beginning AUB’s history has been of our students’ experience, as we closely tied to changes in Lebanon feel that those who receive a fine and the region. The Arab Spring is, education also have a responsibility in many ways, the consequence of

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 3 from/to the editor

First, as a follow-up to MainGate’s Beirut spring issue, a note on a recent historic preservation issue roiling in certain circles of the city. In late July, rumors circulated wildly on the internet about the imminent demolition of the historic “egg” building on Martyrs Square. The Urban Planning Department at Solidere quickly denied that there was any such plan and has stated that a new design to use the structure as a cultural space is being investigated. Based on the wonderful letters we received from readers, it’s clear that even if many of you are far away, you hold the city near and dear to your hearts. We’ll take that into account in future issues. In this issue, don’t miss the report on the work being done by CCECS at Souk Sabra. We often talk about the virtues of a liberal arts education that seeks to train creative problem solvers who have the critical and analytical skills they need to be exceptional and adaptable communicators. The many entrepreneurs we profile in this issue are a case in point. They’ve applied their varied backgrounds in politics, sociology, nutrition, and computer science and gone on to excel in some surprising and completely new fields. As Hikma Pharmaceuticals founder Samih Darwazah emphasized at a recent talk at OSB, it was his liberal arts education that was an essential component of his monumental success, not just his professional training. We’re delighted to hear from so many readers and are already poring through the results of the recent readership survey, which is still available at MainGate on-line. Ada H. Porter Editor, MainGate [email protected] write us [email protected] write us [email protected]

Spring 2011, Vol. IX, No. 3 The spring edition is interesting and of English, so he had to repeat it in I stumbled upon a copy of MainGate bewildering. We become aware of his sleep. The next morning, when he today and I was taken by the brilliant the diverse innovations of our faculty was ushered into the Doctor’s office, design on the cover. The balance of and students. We are amazed at he said, “kidmani sar,” (which, instead everything resembling and represent- the extent of involvement in solving of “good morning sir” is actually an ing Beirut is breathtaking; from the Beirut’s many problems. This makes order that means “walk in front of Raouche to the old houses, the light- us wonder if AUB is shouldering the me.”) Dr. Van Dyck shot back, “Laysh house, Place de L’Etoile. It’s amazing. hard work expected of Lebanon? The khilfani kan?!” (meaning “Why—I used Mazen Fakih (BS ’05, MD ’10) distinguished work and dedication of to walk behind you!’)” Sarafand, Lebanon Professor Bilal Hamad gives us hope. Both laughed. Problem resolved. The artist responsible for the spring Likewise recounting the history of Nadim Khallouf (Pharmacy, ’50) cover is Najib Attieh, graphic design AUB through the distinguished life of Nashville, Tennessee manager (we prefer the title “designer Dr. Cornelius Van Alen Van Dyck. My extraordinaire”) in the Office of Communications. mother, Zubeida Mogabgab, a niece FuTuRE ISSuES of Na’oum Mogabgab, who was one I was inspired by this issue about our > What’s the greatest of the first 16 graduates of the 1874 beloved city Beirut. The cover is espe- professional or personal Class, used to tell this joke involving cially touching. I am writing to inquire discovery you’ve ever made? Dr. Van Dyck: about the contact information of Ronnie > Do you have a memento from Dr. Van Dyck became upset by Chatah, who gives the walk and talk AUB that’s near and dear to the actions of one of his daily aides. about Beirut. I often travel to Beirut with your heart? The worker was so worried about colleagues from all over the world. > What’s your special skill, losing his job that he confided to his Iffat Saadeh (BA ’84) something you think everyone neighbor about his predicament. His Jeddah, KSA should know how to do? neighbor advised him to go and greet Contact Walk Beirut by e-mailing Send us your “how to” text in 300 the Doctor and just say “good morning [email protected]; more information words or less. is available at www.bebeirut.org. sir.” The worker did not know a word

4 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate At AUB, 2,980 students received financial aid in 2009–10. Can you help one more?

“I have always appreciated what I have [email protected] and take advantage of opportunities that will make me a better and a more active member in any community or society.” That attitude has served third-year engineering student Wisam Aboulhosn well. Thanks to scholarship support from the Druze Foundation for Social Welfare, Aboulhosn is attending AUB where he is pursuing a BE in mechanical engineering and a minor in engineering management. In addition to managing a demanding course load, work responsibilities at the student computer labs and at Supporting the CCC Scientific Research Building, and co-instructing a couple of lab courses, he is also an active member of the Skiing Society, Latino Dance Club, and Communications Club. Although he is not sure what he will Students do after he graduates in June 2012, his summer plans are set: he is off of Today and Tomorrow to the University of Wisconsin at Madison to do a research internship.

Hear more: www.aub.edu/ development/scholarship_initiative Can you help To speak to someone about support an AUB supporting financial aid, contact us at [email protected] student?

See what’s possible! Viewfinder The Outdoors Festival 2011 brought "Old Beirut" back to life. Inspired by Beirut as "Sett El Dunya" (lady of the universe), the festival celebrated the glory and beauty of the city. It was a weekend of games, new music, great artists, and of course, debke. More On-line

6 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 7 Commencement 2011 About 1,885 students graduated this year, with nearly 1,700 attending the 142nd Commencement exercises on June 25. The AUB Board of Trustees, meeting in Beirut for the first time since 1983, proudly attended. Commencement was made all the more festive by a colorful parade including stilt walkers, barrel percussionists and live music.

More On-line

8 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate MainGate Spring 2011 9 Seen and Heard

To end the year on a high note, we canvassed the community about their best experiences in the past year.

My top moment during AY 2010–11 was 1. … when the first set of products devised by AUB-IBDAA Awards participants became reality. . . rivaled only by the launch, in June, of the first Ibsar “Biodiversity Village Award” with 21 municipalities competing for the best village green portfolio. Najat Aoun Saliba, Ibsar 2. … when a local friend of AUB became the first “Founder” of the University for Seniors by pledging a gener- ous donation. Cynthia Myntti, Neighborhood Initiative 3. … when listening to the inspirational talk by Samih Darwazeh (founder of Hikma Pharmaceutical Company). He emphasized not only his professional pharmaceutical training but also the importance of the liberal arts tradition in education. He chose to focus on the latter as an essential part of his success with the former. Bijan Azad, OSB 4. … when the student team from the Computer Science Department won the 2011 regional Microsoft Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition. George Turkkiyah, Computer Science 5. … a four-day field trip that covered 12 municipalities. In every village the introductory statement was: “They’re coming from AUB.” Selma Talhouk, LDEM 6. … the discovery of a series of sites along the coast of Lebanon where past tsunami waves had left depos- its. This will open the door to a better assessment of the tsunami hazard on the coast. Ata Elias, Geology 7. … when I received a grant for $74,000 to pursue an important research project studying antimicrobial resistance and its spread in the hospital. Dr. Zeina Kanafani, Medical Student Affairs 8. … when I submitted the final draft of the book I have been working on since 2008. It is expected to become a reference work on fisheries in the Mediterranean. Michel Bariche, Biology 9. … initiating a last-minute admissions process for US students evacuated from Egyptian universities in February, so that they could continue to study in the region by switching to AUB. Katherine Yngve, Office of International Programs 10. … seeing our last three members of the Mashrou3 Leila band graduate. Realizing how successful they have become through their music, while doing very well in their chosen fields [architecture and graphic design], makes me proud. Leila Musfy, Architecture and Design

Sacred History the St. George’s Museum in the heart Badre followed a hunch that Nestled into the foundations of St. of downtown Beirut is a remarkable St. George’s might have been George’s Cathedral, Beirut’s new achievement and well worth a visit. the site of the Byzantine In 1990, when the civil war ended, crypt museum offers a stroll through Anastasis Church said to centuries of religious architecture. the once splendid St. George’s have been used by students Opened in January after 11 years Cathedral was a devastated, bombed of excavation and preparation by an out shell. Badre took the oppor- of Beirut’s fabled law school AUB Archaeological Museum team tunity to explore what secrets lay prior to the destructive led by Museum Director Leila Badre, beneath the sacred structure prior to earthquake of 551 AD.

10 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate its restoration. Knowing that religious Badre and the team then mapped Displayed at the entrance to the sites are usually built one on top of out a 12-stop, self-guided tour through museum is a cache of relics includ- another, Badre followed a hunch that six eras of cathedral history. Push but- ing pottery from the Roman to the St. George’s might have been the site ton lights illuminate the archaeological Ottoman period, beautifully preserved of the Byzantine Anastasis Church remains in situ while an audio-visual medieval crosses and coins, and said to have been used by students of presentation covers the successive intact oil lamps, all of which were Beirut’s fabled law school prior to the renovations of St. George’s over the destructive earthquake of 551 AD. centuries. Three successive altars corre- Burial chambers, fragments of sponding to three churches from the mosaic, and the intriguing remains of "The current youth-led Ottoman period were excavated in the a hand-painted fresco all trigger the citizen revolt across quest to find the Anastasis beneath. imagination. A glass ceiling interlinks much of the Arab As layer upon layer of history was past and present, unifying the crypt world reflects massive unearthed, the idea of preserving the with the magnificently restored cathe- dissatisfaction with excavation for visitors evolved. dral above ground. prevailing conditions; it also indicates the desire and capacity of youth to work hard to fix the problems of the past and build more productive, more equitable Arab societies."

—IFI Director Rami Khouri at a forum hosted by Silatech, a Doha-based initiative that promotes large-scale job creation, entrepreneurship and access to skills development services for young people across the Arab world.

The museum in the crypt of St. George's Cathedral

Common Abbreviations found in MainGate (MG): CCECS: Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service IFI: Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy ACS: American Community School FAFS: Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and International Affairs FAS: Faculty of Arts and Sciences KSA: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia AUB: American University of Beirut FEA: Faculty of Engineering and Architecture LDEM: Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management AUBMC: American University of Beirut Medical Center FHS: Faculty of Health Sciences OSB: Suliman S. Olayan School of Business CAMES: Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies FM: Faculty of Medicine PSPA: Department of Political Studies and Public Administration CAMS: Center for Advanced Mathematical Sciences HSON: Rafic Hariri School of Nursing REP: Regional External Programs CASAR: Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Ibsar: Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures SPC: Syrian Protestant College Center for American Studies and Research IC: International College WAAAUB: Worldwide Alumni Association of AUB

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 11 found under the southern garden of The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer the cathedral. Night’s Dream, and The Tempest. As to the Anastasis Church—it Conference participants also remains elusive and its location is still meticulously analyzed a host of a mystery. other Shakespeare plays to further unearth the Bard’s terms of refer- More On-line ence. Addressing each other familiarly AuB is a place where on the minutiae of their findings, the academic freedom has Shakespeare’s Visit to scholars sometimes left other par- been fiercely argued and Campus ticipants scrambling to catch up, fiercely protected, in For two days in May, it seemed as while providing a rare and fascinating past years and in past if William Shakespeare himself were insight into the field of contemporary days. Indeed, freedom of stalking the AUB campus searching Shakespearean scholarship both liter- for his “Oriental roots” or at least ary and historical. expression is more than a glimpse of his “Imagined Orient.” The conference was conceived an abstraction or a right: Thanks to support from the Andrew by Professor Francois-Xavier Gleyzon in an academic setting W. Mellon Foundation, the Anis K. and his students and proved to be it is an obligation that Makdisi Program in Literature, the a fitting swan song for Gleyzon who defines much of what British Council, and sponsors MEA will be teaching in the United States this university proudly and Qatar Air, scholars visiting Beirut next year. stands for. at the invitation of the Office of the More On-line Provost and the Prince Alwaleed Bin —President Dorman, Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Center Commencement 2011 for American Studies and Research Confronting Taboos (CASAR) wrestled to pinpoint just what Arabic has a word for “fallen woman” Shakespeare did and did not know but not for “fallen man” said Professor about the Orient and to decipher the Samir Khalaf in his keynote speech true meaning of his many “Oriental” at the Issam Fares Institute for references, most especially in Othello, Public Policy and International Affairs

For the first time, Commencement 2011 encompassed the honorary doctorates ceremony in which the following influential figures were honored for their positive impact on the region and the world.

(Left to right) Mostafa El-Sayed, a prolific scientist and university professor specializing in nanoscience and physical chemistry; Owen Gingerich, a professor emeritus of astronomy and the history of science at Harvard University; Marcel Khalife, singer, songwriter, and master oud player, who seeks to revive the Arab musical heritage of his country; Mary Robinson, the first female president of the Republic of Ireland; Anthony Shadid, a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, currently Beirut Bureau Chief for the New York Times.

12 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate More On-line conference, “Youth, Women are “celebrated sex in Egyptian Sexuality and Self and glamorized if cinema, and sex- New On-line Expression in the they are sexually ual practices and Arab World.” What contraceptive attractive [and] are www.youtube.com/AUBatLebanon Khalaf was pointing behavior among condemned if they out was the pre- young people are sexually active.” Citizen Revolt in the Middle East vailing hypocrisy from German On May 18, towards sex in the and immigrant an academic region as demon- backgrounds. panel from strated, for example, by the way in AUB completed which women are “celebrated and Anatomy of Change a three-day glamorized if they are sexually attrac- Provost Ahmad Dallal invited five cam- speaking tour tive [and] are condemned if they are pus experts to provide their perspec- at the Council sexually active.” tives on “the regional transformation” on Foreign Khalaf, who heads the Center for of the Middle East during a panel Relations in New York City. President Dorman Behavioral Studies and has written discussion in West Hall on April 7. introduced the panelists, who offered varied widely on the topic of sexuality in the Rami Khouri, director of the Issam perspectives on the Arab Spring by positing Arab world, cited delayed marriage Fares Institute said that the trigger for universities as societal pillars in a region as one of several problems confront- what he called “the most important rocked by uncertainty. Rami Khouri (IFI) and ing a youthful society where extra- period of history in the modern Arab Professors Karim Makdisi (FAS), Rami Zurayk marital sex, especially for women, world” had been the humiliation of the (FAFS), and Rima Afifi (FHS), discussed how is still frowned on. He outlined the citizen and the de-legitimization of the agriculture, politics, history, and health could “deformations” of conventional mar- state, as exemplified by the story of bring a fresh perspective to the changing riage—basically temporary marriages Mohammed Bouazizi, the Tunisian fruit- political landscape. The group also engaged of convenience—that have emerged seller who set himself alight. “Citizens with audiences at the United States Institute in the Arab world and that sanction make a difference,” said Khouri and in of Peace, the Carnegie Endowment for short-term conjugal relations. this case “they captured the collective International Peace in Washington, DC, and Brigitte Khoury, clinical psychia- pain, demanded their humanity, and the River Club and Arab Bankers Association trist at AUBMC, explained that young changed the world.” of North America (ABANA) in New York City. Lebanese are becoming more open Rami Zurayk, professor of land and defiant in expressing their sexual- and water resources, examined the Read and watch more about the panel: ity, even though women especially still role that high food prices had played The Council on Foreign Relations: report they feel guilt and shame. AUB in previous bouts of dissention in the audio, video, transcript professor Faysal El-Kak considered region, and how these might affect http://on.cfr.org/lOkhpD how public health services and medi- the future. While he concluded that cal practices help regulate aspects of food had not been the main trigger for Carnegie Endowment for International youth sexuality through procedures the recent events, he warned against Peace: audio, transcript such as hymen replacement surgery. mismanagement, carelessness, and http://bit.ly/lQrD5x AUB contributors were joined by complacency. “Food security is a key experts from determinant of Arab Bankers Association of several countries, dignity. It is a North America (ABANA): video “They captured the who discussed a determinant of http://bit.ly/iC7bT1 range of topics collective pain, demanded freedom,” Zurayk from the lingerie their humanity, and insisted. “It is a River Club of New York: video industry in Syria, changed the world.” basic right, not a http://bit.ly/ltUH8S

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 13 charity. We are not bellies waiting to Actually, Life Begins at 80! poetry, stints in acting school and psy- be fed; we are human beings seeking “Live until you are 80,” says poet choanalysis, and in the company of freedom.” Edward Field. “After 80 you start other notable intellectuals and writers Karim Makdisi, PSPA assistant pro- feeling happy.” have all contributed to the remarkable fessor of international affairs, dissected A sprightly 87-year-old, Field is a narrative of his life. the differing approaches by the United leading figure in American poetry with Reciting poems such as “Flak,” Nations towards Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, ten books of poetry and a series of about choosing to live rather than die Bahrain, and Yemen. He said he was major awards to his credit. In his a hero; “Octopus,” a metaphor for his hopeful that if the uprisings succeed, lecture at AUB entitled “The Life of a lover; and “Winners and Losers,” a they would shift the debate and the Stand Up Poet” he shared with the comment on the post-Reaganite world, relationship between the international audience the moving and thought- Field chronicles his personal history community and Arab countries. provoking story of his life, told in prose with skill, wit, and touching humanity. Rima Afifi, professor of health pro- and poetry. What he also conveyed was pain with- motion and community health, said As someone who has borne wit- out pathos and sheer pleasure, mixed the predominant factor causing this ness to the tremendous social and with incongruity, that his life, while revolt is a sense of social injustice. cultural changes that have confronted largely frugal in material terms, had Drawing on her experience working America, Field represents one of the been so extraordinarily rich and fulfilling with disadvantaged Palestinian youth, last true Bohemians to have populated intellectually. “At 80 I have come out Afifi stressed that Arab youth feel Greenwich Village with nothing and dismissed, marginalized, and unheard. and miraculously Still surprised and everything,” he And while this “youth bulge” is often eked out a liv- delighted by the notion concluded. portrayed in a negative light, she said, ing purely from that he has survived and Reflecting Arab youth has shown itself as capable poetry. “I didn’t thrived through writing, on his visit to of being an agent for change, as well start out being a Field plotted out a journey AUB, Field said, as a voice that needs to be heard. poet,” he explains, “I’m particularly in his talk that took him History Professor Alexis Wick “because I did not grateful to AUB to war, bombing raids examined the current uprising in the know what a poet for giving me the context of the “three circles of revolu- was.” An anthol- over Germany, and a near opportunity, at a tion” of the last 25 years: the revolu- ogy of poetry, death experience when time of upheaval tion against fear as exemplified by handed to him by his plane was ditched in in many neigh- Palestinian and Lebanese resistance a Red Cross work- the freezing Atlantic. boring lands, to Israel, the revolution against colo- er to while away to visit a Beirut nialism including Egypt’s revolt against the time during a trans-American train bursting with new construction and the British and later the Nasserite crossing,changed Field’s life forever. “I energy. And in light of the complexities movement, and the revolt against read it and wanted to be a poet; it was of the Middle East, I was relieved that capitalism. He added that what we what nobody else wanted to do.” my poems, which express my some- are seeing now is not grounded in Still surprised and delighted by times alternative views but are devoted revolutionary theory or political ideol- the notion that he has survived and to sympathy for the downtrodden and ogy, but is a moment of great potential thrived through writing, Field plotted to understanding our differences, were when the voiceless masses make the out a journey in his talk that took him well received by students and faculty. experts voiceless. to war, bombing raids over Germany, “I can’t help repeating what must All five agreed that the engine for and a near death experience when be a cliché by now in the mouths of change in the Arab world today was his plane was ditched in the freezing visitors, that the AUB campus is an being driven by three pistons: dignity, Atlantic. Time spent in France and oasis of calm and orderliness. The democracy, and social justice. Greece exploring the mechanics of welcome I got was amazing—rather

14 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate than feeling a stranger, I immediately devices; from local- “What made IBDAA 2011 Village,” which found myself accepted, and even ly made, environ- unique was the Ibsar was meticulously after a short visit, with wonderful new mentally friendly air Boutique, which was a devised by Jawad friends hard to break away from.“ fresheners and bio- great success. We sold Fares and Abed Edward Field was a guest of degradable hand Hout, demonstrat- various natural products the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin wipes to a solar ing both original to many enthusiastic Abdulaziz Al Saud Center for American driven incinerator and convincing Studies and Research (CASAR), the to eliminate pine supporters, including calculations appli- Creative Writing Program, the English moths. As might be natural detergents, hand cable to large-scale Department, and the Fine Arts and expected, ideas for sanitizers, air fresheners, projects. Finally, Art History (FAAH) Department. As how to protect and perfumes, and insect in an area where well as his lecture, Field gave two replant the forests repellants, all inspired water conservation poetry readings/workshops. Those were high on the by AUB students and is a perennial topic, interested in his work can see him on agenda and includ- developed and produced the presentation, www.youtube.com/fieldinski. ed a novel new bio- “Saving Rainwater by Ibsar.” —Najat degradable cone in Reservoirs for use Saliba, Director, Ibsar Ibsar for aerial planting, in the Dry Season,” fire-retardant tree by Ingrid El Helou A Forest of Ideas protection, and a child-oriented cam- and Wael Assi convinced the IBDAA One hundred and seventy students paign to save the forests. Advisory Board to award them the prize submitted 78 entries, all hoping to win Mahmoud El Dirani and Adham for Best Idea Presentation." the annual Ibsar IBDAA Award created Farroukh took Best Product Prize for IBDAA took place in collaboration with to mark UN International Biodiversity “Deterring Goats: Plant Extraction,” AUB’s Entrepreneurship Initiative and Day. The theme of this year’s com- demonstrating how an extract from the was sponsored by UNDP-DCC (Donor petition was the International Year of indigenous Conium maculatum plant Coordination Council) and Aramex. A Forests. found in the Beqa’a could be used to loyal supporter of the event, Aramex The entries were on topics ranging repel hungry goats from vine leaves. provided $1,500 in prize money that from goat repellent to water saving Best Research Prize went to the “Vertical was divided among the three awards.

Eco-tour guide and Professor, Riad Sadek led AUB faculty members on an idyllic hike in Nahr Ibrahim this June. It may have been their last chance; according to Sadek, the area is fated to be submerged by an artificial water reservoir.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 15 Gasping for Air fumes that affect us. The bad news is told participants The good news is that AUB is prob- It is also the dusty that Beirut is one of that the prevalence ably the least polluted area of Beirut streets, the poor the most polluted of asthma is almost thanks to its relatively open frontage quality roads that cities in the world, 50 percent higher on the sea. The bad news is that release particles in Lebanon than in where 93 percent Beirut is one of the most polluted under heavy pres- Europe and that the of residents are cities in the world, where 93 percent sure from traffic, incidence of illness of residents are exposed 100 percent and the emissions exposed 100 percent from respiratory of the time to unacceptably high levels from wear and tear of the time to and coronary stress of nitrogen oxide (NO2). The bottom on brakes and tires. unacceptably high in response to pol- line: the air in Beirut has the potential Combine these levels of nitrogen lution is increasing to kill us. with a plethora of oxide (NO2). yearly. These are just some of the hard new high-rise build- AUB Chemistry facts that air pollution specialists, ings that transform Professor Najat epidemiologists, economists, and Beirut’s streets into urban canyons Saliba urged that solutions adopted government officials shared during the trapping stagnant, polluted air, and you elsewhere be implemented in Lebanon. Air Quality in Beirut seminar (cohosted have a deadly cocktail. These include converting to bio-fuels with the National Council for Scientific Lebanese own 1.3 private cars per and newer cars, more stringent traffic Research and Saint Joseph University, person. Over two-thirds of these cars regulations, a decent public transport and the municipalities of Beirut and Ile are secondhand and many are more system including electric buses and de France). than 10 years old, meaning their pol- modern taxis, plus a change in the Beirut’s appalling traffic drives up lution emissions are higher and more culture of transport to include car- levels of deadly particulate matter toxic than those of newer models. pooling, bicycle lanes, and park and (PM) to often double the World Health Marie-Louise Coussa-Koniski, pul- ride schemes. Organization’s recommended levels. monary specialist from the Lebanese AUB Economics Professor Jad But it is not just the cars and their diesel American University and Rizk Hospital, Shaaban provided an interesting perspective by pointing out that air pollution is costing at least $10 million a year in health care costs and lost working hours. “We live in a dangerous city,” Shaaban concluded.

From the Faculties

OSB

Dissecting Entrepreneurship With all the talk about entrepre- neurship and the Lebanese spirit of entrepreneurship, key questions arise: What is an entrepreneur? A risk View from upper campus overlooking the Green Field

16 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Folk Dance Festival 2011

taker, an opportunist, someone clever For Azad, who won Best companies by a factor of two to three enough to spot a niche in the market Conference Award for his paper at times?” he says. He is also fascinated and fill it, or an altogether different the 2008 Academy of Management by Lebanon’s fabled restaurant sector, creature? Is there such a thing as a (the first time a Middle Eastern scholar another local phenomenon that Azad quintessentially “Lebanese” or regional has been chosen for this distinction), believes deserves academic scrutiny. entrepreneur? What is it that sets the the center presents an invaluable “But how about we start with local entrepreneur apart from others opportunity to initiate quality research Samih Dawarzah,” he says. “There are elsewhere in the world? And then and provide outstanding opportunities many aspects to study: the products again, how does a local small-time or for graduate students. “One of the he developed, the processes he put family entrepreneur grow a company things we would like to find out,” Azad in place to develop those products, into a successful multinational in the explains, “is whether there are regional how he took the company public and way, say, that Samih Dawarzah of specificities or not. This is an empirical had it listed on the London Stock Hikma Pharmaceuticals did? question, and if AUB manages to con- Exchange. What kind of regulatory These are just some of the many tribute to it, then OSB and the center battles did he have to fight? After all, questions that Professor Bijan Azad is will really be on the map in this field.” this is a two billion dollar company. considering. He and Tony Feghali are Like other professors at OSB, What is contextual and local about codirectors of the new Olayan School Azad is already writing case studies it? This is very important, because we of Business Samih Dawarzah Center on Lebanese entrepreneurs. He is talk about the local culture and what is for Entrepreneurship and Innovation researching Nada Debs’s company different about it, but we have a hard Management. Inaugurated in January East & East (see page 50). He also time capturing this in our research and 2011 with a mis- has top choco- management practice.” sion to study inno- “Do you know—and latier Patchi in his Azad also envisages the center vation and entre- sights. “Do you focusing on local innovative mecha- this is a universal preneurship in the know—and this is nisms for corporate social responsibil- fact—that small region, the center a universal fact— ity—the logistics company Aramex plans to document companies like these that small com- being a case in point and on the and enhance inno- generate much more panies like these specificities of local and regional vative practices employment than big generate much family businesses, particularly the in the business companies by a factor more employ- challenges they face with regard to community. of two to three times?” ment than big succession and going public.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 17 FAS FAFS Both the farmers and cooperative employees were also trained in modern Ascending the Ivory Partners in Progress production methods. Karam Al Janoub Tower Ever wonder how those local soaps, assisted the farmers and coopera- Bilal Orfali, assistant professor of olive oils, spices, and treats make tives with marketing their products by Arabic studies and director of the their way to your farmer’s market or providing them with access to local CAMES Arabic Summer Program, neighborhood grocer? As part of its and international markets, arranging was recently named a visiting community outreach program, AUB stands at food exhibitions in key cities member of the School of Historical has teamed up with the Italian non- such as Beirut, Sidon, and Tyre; assur- Studies at the Institute for Advanced governmental organization Gruppo Di ing their participation in popular food Study, Princeton, New Jersey, for the Volontariato Civile (GVC) to benefit six markets, and securing transport for the 2011-12 academic year. villages in south Lebanon in a project products. Some 25 Nobel laureates have been known as Karam Al Janoub (officially Olleik says the project was instru- affiliated with the institute. Past faculty “Support to the Rural Production mental in establishing better links have included distinguished scientists and Strengthening of the Network of between the farmers and their respec- and scholars such as Albert Einstein, J. Cooperatives Karam Al Janoub”). This tive cooperatives in the region. This Robert Oppenheimer, Erwin Panofsky, project was designed to improve rural meant local farmers were able to George Kennan, and Hermann Weyl. production and strengthen coopera- provide for each cooperative’s needs Orfali says, “Much of the credit [for tives. In tandem with GVC, AUB field in terms of primary ingredients instead my appointment] goes to AUB, my coordinator Khalil Olleik worked with of having to secure them at market home, for many reasons: for being my local stakeholders to identify regional prices. alma mater and the place in which I needs, challenges, and capabilities. Overall, Karam Al Janoub has been have chosen to develop my academic Following his fact-finding field trip, a major success. In each of the vil- career and for the support I continue strategies were identified for the vil- lages at least 25 farmers and their to receive here. . .I thank my students, lages with guidance from Rami Zurayk, village cooperatives benefited from who have been a great source of AUB professor of landscape design training. Olleik, who followed up with inspiration, for their patience. I enjoy and ecosystem management. local constituents, has verified that the every single aspect of my life at AUB. Funded by the Italian Cooperation new methods and techniques are still However, given the heavy teaching and for Development-Ross Emergency being implemented and have benefited administrative obligations, not to men- Program and implemented in Aaitaroun, scores of other farmers in the region tion the demands of living in Lebanon, Ain Ebel, Bint Jbeil, Baldet Houla, who have learned by observing the the opportunity to spend a full year in Debel, and Al-Hallouthiyeh between work of their peers. the United States undertaking research August 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009, is a dream come true. the program trained local farmers and “The Institute for Advanced Study cooperatives in new farming techniques, FHS will be my ‘ivory tower,’ I will use production methods, and agricultural this unique opportunity to explore the marketing. The needs, strengths, and Mother Care rich intersection between Islamic stud- geographic particularities of each vil- The Faculty of Health Sciences recently ies and Arabic literature. Specifically, lage were assessed. Aaitaroun farmers, hosted a conference for regional experts my project will track the genesis and for instance, focused on growing and in maternal and newborn health. As well development of early Sufi poetry by marketing thyme and natural herbs, as sharing the results of a decade of examining the origins of the early Sufi while in Houla, laurel (ghar) soap and research at the Choices and Challenges poetic motifs in light of other genres oil became main priorities. Farmers in Changing Childbirth Research of Arabic poetry such as wine, ghazal, were also provided with the required Network (CCCC) that has yielded and madih poetry.” materials. over 40 peer reviewed publications,

18 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate FEA

Welcome Return Makram Suidan, PhD, returns to AUB as University of Illinois before joining dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the University of Cincinnati in 1990. Architecture. Until recently the Herman He has received many honors and Schneider Professor of Environmental was named Distinguished Lecturer Engineering at the University of at the Association of Environmental Cincinnati and director of the School Engineering and Science Professors of Energy, Environmental, Biological, and is the recipient of the 2008 and Medical Engineering, Suidan Frederick G. Pohland Medal. He has received his BEN in civil engineering written on a broad spectrum of topics from AUB in 1971. He earned his PhD including water quality and sustainable in environmental engineering from the water quality practices, authoring over University of Illinois, Urbana in 1975. 250 journal articles and 234 confer- Suidan taught at the Georgia ence proceedings. Institute of Technology and at the More On-line participants marked the 10th anniver- FM to be answered, and making proposals sary of the network. Professor Jocelyn to resolve them. This culture of doing DeJong, CCCC regional coordinator, Rewarding Research research is what a university should be observed that there has been a rapid Although breast cancer is decreasing all about and this is what we pursue and increase in the rate of cesarean section in the United States, it is on the rise nurture at AUB and AUBMC.” and other unnecessary procedures in in Lebanon. Alarmingly, over 50 per- More On-line the region that are not warranted by the cent of Lebanese women are under latest research. Laura Wick from Birzeit the age of 50 at the time of diagnosis. University, coordinator of the CCCC GlaxoSmithKline recently awarded a Steering Regional Palestinian team, said that women $250,000 grant to a team of AUB Research are not empowered to discuss issues researchers led by Drs. Nagi Saghir AUBMC faculty member and former related to their obstetric care and that and Nathalie Zgheib. They and their health minister Dr. Karam Karam has few women’s groups address maternal colleagues are hoping to determine the been elected to the Steering Committee health issues. Metin Gulmezoglu of the prevalence, penetration, and clinical of the Eastern Mediterranean Health World Health Organization in Geneva impact of two mutations (BRCA1 and Genomics and Biotechnology Network described international efforts to BRCA2) in young Lebanese patients (EMGEN). The network, under the improve the quality of maternal health with breast cancer. directorship of the Pasteur Institute of care. Oona Campbell, professor at the Commenting on the award and Iran, collaborates with selected centers London School of Hygiene and Tropical its significance, Saghir told MainGate, of excellence in health related molecu- Medicine, stressed that there should “[Getting] the Ethnic Research Initiative lar biology, biotechnology, and genom- be greater global political commitment grant was very competitive. This is the ics on short-term training and research to improve the health of mothers and culture [we want to encourage]: mak- exchange programs, workshops, and newborns. Participants concluded the ing observations about issues that we meetings. EMGEN also sponsors a meeting with a call for more regional deal with, for example, breast cancer in website and database to encourage exchanges to further facilitate shared young women, then performing situa- researchers and professionals to net- research findings. tion analysis, asking questions that need work and share information.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 19 The Middle East Medical Assembly, shown here, was held for the first time at the SPC in 1911. This year's 44th edition, held in joint sponsorship with the Cleveland Clinic, offered lectures, case presentations, work- shops, and an exhibit hall for pharmaceutical and medical related companies.

HSON East Medical Assembly, the Lebanese Stanford, MD Anderson, the Cleveland Society for the Study of Pain, and the Clinic, and other leading US medical Nursing Success Lebanese Cancer Society, HSON orga- schools. In the last 18 months, some 40 The Rafic Hariri School of Nursing nized a conference, “Cancer Pain and top ranking doctors—more than half of (HSON) had a busy spring, being at Palliative Care,” during which a National them alumni— have arrived at AUBMC the forefront of several key events Task Force on Pain Relief and Palliative in response to Medical VP and Dean that underline the school’s vital role Care was established under the presi- Mohamed Sayegh’s call to participate in in local and regional health care. At dency of Dr. Walid Ammar, director creating a new state-of-the-art hospital a ceremony held in the Marquand general of the Ministry of Health, and facility featuring interdisciplinary regional House gardens in the presence of the vice presidencies of Huda Huijer centers of excellence. Lebanese First Lady Wafa Suleiman, and Dr. Michel Daher. HSON was also Alongside the Naef K. Basile Cancer the Women’s Auxiliary Association a key participant in the launch of the Institute, the Mamdouha El-Sayed Bobst (WAA) recognized five graduate and Lancet-sponsored international com- Breast Center, the new Women’s Health five undergraduate HSON students mission report, “Education of Health Center, and programs like the Hamden for their achievements. Two HSON Professionals for the 21st Century,” Voice Unit, AUBMC is planning several students received Women’s Auxiliary which will lead to important develop- new specialized centers and programs Scholarships. HSON Director Huda ments in health care. At press time including a skull base surgery program Abu-Saad Huijer thanked the WAA for HSON was conducting its Summer and a heart and vascular center. The its generosity and continuing support. Nursing Institute in collaboration with incoming doctors are specialized in some She told those present, “A Gallup Johns Hopkins University. 12 disciplines and bring to AUBMC a poll conducted in the United States wealth of experience gained from work- ranked nursing as the most honest ing in some of the top teaching hospitals and ethical of all professions for the in North America. While their teaching eleventh straight year. In addition to AUBMC skills and research records will help being trusted and respected, nurses augment AUBMC’s stellar reputation as are often the most visible and vital an educational institute, their medical members of the health care team.” Top Reinforcements expertise will also be critical, helping to In collaboration with the Middle They have come from Yale, Harvard, make the AUBMC 2020 vision a reality.

20 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate 2020 Vision that has contributed to building an AUBMC revealed its 2020 Vision on excellent reputation for health care in April 20 detailing ambitious plans for Lebanon and [is] an institution which future growth and its commitment to has been strongly linked with the fields remain the leading provider of health of medicine and health care delivery care, medical education, and innova- in the country and the region. Let’s tive research in the region. Over the look forward to the 21st century with next nine years, AUBMC will pursue further improvement and continued its vision along six main paths: leadership,” said Mohamed Sayegh, • the development and implementa- vice president for Medical Affairs and tion of the new AUBMC 2020 the Raja N. Khuri Dean of the Faculty Medical Complex, a 600-bed of Medicine and Medical Center. medical complex that will include Provost Ahmad Dallal announced new adult and pediatric hospitals; plans for the Faculty of Medicine as • continued recruitment of top- well, including: caliber, highly specialized, and • curriculum restructuring to ensure accomplished faculty; an education that leads to better • focus on patients’ changing needs delivery of health care for patients; “The hand that AUBMC has and the delivery of patient-cen- • pursuit of additional international tered care; certification, particularly ACGME extended to the people of • the creation of clinical and research International (Accreditation Council Lebanon, reaching to Shabaa, centers of excellence, including a for Graduate Medical Education) Sidon, Tripoli, and other Heart and Vascular Center and a accreditation; regions may encourage Multiple Sclerosis Center, which is • and efforts to increase the diversity others to compete and set to open later this year. (AUBMC of the faculty’s student base and establish health services in is already home to three centers of accept more students from out- these regions. This would excellence in children’s cancer, the side Lebanon. benefit Lebanon immensely.” neurosciences, and the treatment Another pillar of AUBMC’s 2020 —Minister of Health and research of adult cancers.); Vision is to serve as a regional Mohamed Jawad Khalifeh • the establishment of academic, hub for research initiatives. “There clinical, or research-based strate- is a huge gap in data specific to gic partnerships populations of the “Through both calm and and collabora- Middle East and turbulent times, we have tions locally, Since 1867 the North Africa. As a cared for millions of patients. regionally, and Faculty of Medicine leading academic AUBMC in particular was internationally; at AUB has medical center in the face of healing and • and renewed graduated over 3,700 the region, it is humanity for communities commitment to medical students. our goal to help here in Beirut … The the academic address these dedication and resilience of research and needs in order to education mission of the Faculty provide more targeted care specific our talented medical staff of Medicine and AUBMC. to our patient population,” said Dallal. have been amply proven.” “The history of AUBMC has put a —President Peter Dorman great responsibility upon us. [AUB More On-line has] the responsibility of an institution

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 21 President’s Club 30th Anniversary Although it has provided an abun- dance of facilities to improve student life over the years, very few students or even faculty members know much about the President’s Club. "AUB students sip coffee in department lounges, work on computers in air- conditioned dormitories, type in Braille, take e-exams, pursue group learning in ‘smart classrooms,’ wash and dry clothes in dormitory basements, and play tennis and basketball at night, but not many have any idea where these amenities come from," said Club President's Club 30th Anniversary celebration, 2011 President Laila Baroody in an interview this spring. It was a discussion between AUB trustees Myrna Bustani and Ali Ghandour three decades ago about organizing people not specifically linked to the University to raise funds for projects not covered by the regular university budget that led to the idea

for the President’s Club. "If you had New Basketball Court Opening, 1998 First International Sports Tournament, 2010 asked me in those dark days of the 1980s whether the club would long survive, it would have been hard to imagine it would grow so efficiently and last so long," commented found- ing member Bustani. Paul Meers, former professor of music and director of the AUB Choir, said the club “was of inestimable help New Basketball Court Opening, 1998 Opening Ceremony for the Student Lounge of FAFS, 2010 in building the AUB Choir and Choral Society” and gave special help for hir- ing an orchestra for the annual spring concert. “From the beginning of this tradition, the President’s Club was there, eager to support the creation of fine music on campus.” It's a tradition that we hope will continue for decades to come.

New Student Computer Lab AUB Christmas Choir, 2010

22 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Reviews

Arab Media: PGMC – Polity Global Media and Communication Series (Polity Press, 2011) by Noha Mellor, Muhammad I. Ayish, Nabil Dajani, and Khalil Rinnawi

Your coauthors are affiliated with Tel Aviv University, Kingston University in London, and the University of Sharjah. How did you come to collaborate on this volume on Arab media? We are all Arab professors. I met Professor Rinnawi several years ago and he expressed disappointment that Arab academicians do not collaborate with Palestinian scholars in Israel. With the age of the internet, it was easy to exchange drafts and put into shape the present book.

You argue in the book that regulation and the economics of Arab media industries have had a lot to do with how they have been reorganized in response to the political, technological, and cultural changes that have recently taken place on the global media scene. Could you elaborate on this point a bit? The Arab media operate within the existing Arab state structures and media laws that are dictated by the overall social structures of Arab states. Because of the domination of authoritarian state systems and a laissez-faire economic outlook, the Arab media concentrate on political news of the ruling authorities and promoting the dominant economic structures. As a consequence the Arab media in general serves the existing authorities at the expense of public interest. The public sphere is thus narrowing in an age of communication revolu- tion and globalization.

Does Twitter or Facebook play a significantly different role in the Arab world than in the United States? The internet is not yet widespread in the Arab world. Twitter, Facebook, and other social media, which are used primarily by the educated middle class urban people, are necessary but not sufficient to introduce real change. For change in the Arab world to take place these and other electronic media need to converge with the folk media that facilitate face to face communication and are the main forces behind change. One only needs to note how most mass movements take momentum after the Friday gatherings at the mosques.

Nabil Dajani is a professor of media studies in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at AUB.

Outdoors Festival 2011

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 23 the most. He taught me to look for they start, innovate, struggle, and take R&D opportunities in every arena of life. risks for personal gain, they are also When I was 12 years old and asked changing the status quo of life and Nametag: John Hess, MA, Middle him for an allowance, he told me to finding solutions in a world of challenge. Eastern Studies, projected 2011. look around the neighborhood for They work in almost every field, from opportunities to make money. As science and technology to business Life before graduate school: Before you can imagine, that was not the and social causes. enrolling in the CAMES (Center for response I wanted. Nonetheless, Arab and Middle Eastern Studies) mas- we walked up and down the ter’s program, I worked for an NGO street, brainstormed, and that specializes in educational and came up with the idea entrepreneurial ventures in the Middle for a Saturday morning East. While studying Arabic at AUB, I car wash company. I found out about the program and was earned $60 on my first attracted by the opportunity to take day of business. I also courses related to entrepreneurialism had a mentor (Jeff) dur- in Lebanon and also do field research. ing my undergrad years who helped me to see What matters most: Ninety-eight things that I would have percent of small and medium enter- missed without his extra prises (SMEs) in Lebanon are entrepre- set of eyes and ears. neurs; they employ 74 percent of the population in Lebanon. My research is Why this topic interests important because it focuses on these me: Entrepreneurs gatekeepers of the economy who make things hap- bring products, services, and employ- pen. Although ment, which ultimately are the main ingredients of any healthy economy.

Research: I have developed a series of questions to find out why individuals choose to become entrepreneurs in Lebanon. I am also looking at the county's history to see if previous eras helped to shape Lebanon’s current business environment.

10 am Tuesday, 10 am Saturday: On Tuesdays at 10 am, I am probably trying to make sense of the data I am gathering and organize it into some useful form. On Saturdays, I am headed to the soccer field with my boys.

Most admires: I admire my dad

24 A Photographic Remembrance of Lebanon (Dar An-Nahar, 2011) John Waterbury

What prompted you to publish a collection of photographs of Lebanon? Some people urged me to write memoires of my time as president. I thought that would be of interest to a limited audience and the really interesting stuff, about people good and bad, I would have to leave out. So I saw this as a way to thank AUB and Lebanon for my ten years there in a pleasant and light manner.

When did you take these photographs? Between 1998 and 2010.

Do you have a favorite photo? Maybe the Tripoli facades.

Is there a photograph that you wish you had taken, but didn’t? Countless. The ones that got away outnumber the ones captured—often photos of people whose privacy I did not want to violate. Sometimes I simply did not have my camera with me.

What have you been doing since you stepped down as president of AUB in 2008? Some consulting, some teaching at Princeton, and now as senior adviser for higher education to the Executive Affairs Authority of Abu Dhabi.

The book may be ordered here: http://www.antoineonline.com/

John Waterbury is president emeritus of AUB.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 25 The Twitter

RNurturievolutionng networking for a new kind of revolution

The region-rocking political instability awakened by the Arab Spring may continue to grab headlines when it comes to the Middle East, but smart phone-wielding Arab technophiles plugged into Silicon Valley have a unique opportunity to help revolutionary change take root. Instead of signs and slogans, these “revolutionaries” brandish PowerPoint presentations and make their voices heard via web forums and email listservs. The sectarian divides exacerbating conflict across the region are being bridged, though not sealed, by volunteer-driven entrepreneur networks uniting the technological firepower of Silicon Valley with the brainpower of the Middle East. In other words, perhaps, the controversial phrase “twitter revolution,” coined with the rise of regime- changing movements in Tunisia and Egypt, might better describe the entrepreneur-driven movement currently making inroads in Beirut and other knowledge centers of the region. The twitter revolution—beta, if you will—is professional and cultural, its adherents determined to keep politics and religion at arms length. That said, it has its own liturgical language—punctuated by words like “network,” “mentor,” “ecosystem,” and “incubator”—and its own articles of faith.

26 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate coNNectiNg silicoN valley aNd New opportuNities for womeN the middle east eNtrepreNeurs Members of both LebNet and TechWadi, two leading Ingrid Salloum (MA ’06), one of Cisco’s first wave of networking organizations linking California’s Silicon interns, travelled half way round the world and back Valley and the Middle East, sum up that before finding a job opportunity in Beirut. At the end of secular creed with this similarly phrased her internship, Cisco invited her to New York to address guarantee: “We say, ‘When a LebNet the Lebanese community there. She told them: member calls, you pick up the phone.’” says Ra’ed Elmurib, vice president of corporate development at PMC-Sierra I was among [20] young men and women, graduating Inc. and a member of the LebNet working from premier learning institutions in Lebanon with no committee. opportunities and an uncertain future. Their deceptively simple but powerful Like many young graduates, I was at an important mantra had a demonstrated impact when, in the crossroad, struggling with the probability that I would aftermath of the 2006 war, President George W. Bush most likely have to leave the country to have any real asked American business leaders to create the non- sustainable career path. governmental Partnership for Lebanon. A handful of American and Lebanese corporate executives came together and formed a committee. One of those Salloum is now a program manager for Cisco’s global business leaders, John Chambers, Cisco Systems CEO, education team. Her fellow interns, including four other appointed LebNet cofounder George Akiki to head women, also returned to Lebanon and either found the partnership in Beirut. Under the partnership four work or continued their education. consecutive waves of interns travelled from Lebanon to Other women are eager to take advantage of similar Cisco’s Silicon Valley office for training, and after that opportunities and their progress signals an ongoing, if “the LebNet community sort of acted as a cocoon” for gradual, shift in this traditionally male industry. Dina the new recruits, says Akiki, now Cisco’s senior director Ibrahim, PhD, an associate professor of broadcast and of corporate affairs in California. electronic communication arts at San Francisco State George Skaff (BE ’83, MBA ’86), chief marketing University and a TechWadi board member, sees a marked officer at the technical computing company SGI and change in attitude among young women striving to another LebNet working committee member, makes it become entrepreneurs and in the reception they are clear why such action is necessary: “The job market is receiving. “I think there is a conscious effort to seek out very competitive nowadays…much more so today than and support more women in the field,” she says. when I started. It’s ‘Who do you know?’… and ‘Who Though the Cisco internship program ended, it can make your introductions for you?’” But LebNet and continues to inspire missionary-like zeal. The LebNet its MENA-wide counterpart TechWadi are more than and TechWadi members and their counterparts in the virtual switchboards. Middle East seek to cultivate an entrepreneurship- Cofounded by Elie Habib, LebNet emerged at the friendly ecosystem modeled after, though not height of the internet boom 12 years ago after a casual replicating, that of Silicon Valley in which members discussion in Habib’s family room. Since then it has thrive. This is not as easy as it sounds in Lebanon offered periodic speaker series, fundraising dinners, and considering the Janus-like business culture. mentoring opportunities to its hundreds of members. LebNet was recently incorporated as a nonprofit. “The we Need aN eNtrepreNeur benefits come from being part of the group,” says Habib, iNterveNtioN who worked in the Valley for years and now runs the “To get the license”—to even start a business in Lebanese Growth Capital Fund at Riyada Enterprise Lebanon—“you basically have to bribe people,” Development in Beirut. says Simon Neaime (BA ’88, MA ’90), chair of

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 27 AUB’s Department of Economics. He enumerates socio-political obstacles. But doing the “comparative advantages” of Lebanon’s access so can also mean courting dissent to the Mediterranean, its educated cosmopolitan when not everyone sees a necessary population, well-developed service sector, strong distinction between his politics banking system, and significant capital investments. All and business relationships. For Elie these advantages, however, are too often undercut by Habib, diversity—of politics, religion, paralyzing instability and the parasitic entanglement of ethnicity, and gender—is essential political and business interests typically conveyed by for making LebNet work, but also the word corruption. problematic. “How do you keep it “What we’ve been seeing in the Middle East is really true to its mission as a professional a leading public sector with no role whatsoever for the network where only professional private sector,” Neaime says. “The market is definitely discussions take place?” he asks. in need of any entrepreneur intervention,” particularly Habib has sometimes had to make when it comes to the creation of small- and medium-sized “brute” interventions, as in the months enterprises that play the role, say, of low-rise apartment following the 2005 assassination of buildings in the bustling village of entrepreneurship. former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and At the same time, a burgeoning private sector may the August 2006 ceasefire, when he be better equipped to navigate the inbuilt sectarian repeatedly shut down discussion. character of some aspects of Lebanese business precisely “I think it was the right thing to because many executives are working purposefully to do,” Habib says. As discussion migrates transcend it. from email onto LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media, however, Looking further East Habib and his colleagues will have to From the onset of the IT revolution, certain Lebanese find different strategies. “How do you entrepreneurs recognized the extent to which their peers moderate in social media?” he asks and on the Indian subcontinent had reaped rewards by facing answers, this time less decisively: “I down challenges similar to those in Lebanon. According don’t know how to handle that really.” to Nadim Maluf (BE ’84), the CEO of Qnovo Corporation Even the beta twitter revolution must and a board member of the Worldwide Alumni Association ultimately take its own course. of AUB (WAAAUB), these entrepreneurs aspired to the model pioneered by The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) and Weapons of enterprise other subcontinent networking groups. in Egypt—and beyond The business ethos of Silicon Valley acts as a The Arab network TechWadi is kind of beacon for imitators around the world and it confronting a different, if not entirely is undoubtedly competitive, but it is also inherently unrelated, range of challenges in post- collaborative for practical reasons—the more joint Mubarak Egypt and championing ventures, the more potential profits. Put more concretely, projects designed to institutionalize yesterday’s mentor to a promising start-up could be entrepreneurship training across tomorrow’s senior partner. The better the collaboration, the region. In a talk delivered this the more successful the venture may turn out to be. March at the American University in Cairo’s School of Business, Ossama Dissent, disagreement, and Hassanein, TechWadi’s chairman and a diversity phenomenally successful entrepreneur, In Lebanon cross-confessional partnerships are not suggested that a “great socio-economic always easy, but there are many who see encouraging war” has broken out following the diversity as a means to moving forward and overcoming fall of the regime in Egypt and that its

28 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate outcome will determine the ultimate don’t care, get lost.’ So you feel that sense of loneliness. success of the revolution. The incubator gives you tremendous moral strength and Hassanein might be called a encouragement to just keep plowing down a path that general in this war that he’s waging everyone says is just the wrong path.” with the weapons of enterprise: loads of investing, networking, mentorship, Introducing a Lebanese and incubators (in short, development incubator ecosystem centers for entrepreneurs). TechWadi’s Planners setting up a new incubator in Lebanon should virtual mentoring programming pairs look to the Berytech Technological Pole. Initiated the veteran entrepreneurs, executives, in 2001 by Saint Joseph University in Mkalles, the and investors of the “TechWadi 100” Berytech incubator hosts fledgling companies at its two with “high-impact entrepreneurs” in development centers. The incubator is legally distinct the MENA region. from the university and the Berytech Fund which, in the Over two decades, Hassanein has three years following its own inception, has disbursed $3 managed the allocation of more than million of its initial $6 million investment pool. $1 billion in international technology “We want to grow the ecosystem…the number of funds, but he clearly still relishes the entrepreneurs, the number of start-ups, so that we have opportunity to motivate the troops. more success stories,” says Nicolas Rouhana, Berytech’s In preparation for DEMO, the leading director. He adds that Berytech plans to open a third conference for emerging technology development center and will create an official network launches, he once pressed a young with two other recently established incubators supported entrepreneur to rehearse his six-minute by the European Union, the Business Incubation make-or-break presentation a grand total Association of Tripoli, and the South Business Innovation of 79 times. Hassanein says, “I’ve seen Center. guys that get such a mental block, they Endeavor opened an office in Beirut in January. forget the name of their products.” Here investment in entrepreneurship is more than He’s spearheading a push to create introductory. “We’re further downstream,” says Tarek entrepreneur incubators at universities Sadi, country director. “Our approach is focused on in Cairo—already in progress at AUC— identifying high-impact entrepreneurs who have a high Beirut, and Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. The potential or probability of tremendous success.” In other aim is to gather a “critical mass” of words: job creators, the point of the whole exercise. He accomplished and aspiring innovators adds: “And, of course, companies that are within the and provide them with space, resources, incubators today will be Endeavor companies tomorrow.” and training by entrepreneurs in For a revolution to be successful it must inspire residence, as well as regular guidance, lasting confidence in a different, better tomorrow, from and ultimately funding by, venture particularly in the midst of bleak economic and political capitalists. “These groups end up being circumstances. If history is a guide, many new AUB not only energizing, but also incredibly graduates will leave Lebanon in search of the right effective in the transfer of knowledge… job at the right salary. The brain drain cannot cease and avoiding costly mistakes,” overnight, but AUB’s business-oriented graduates could Hassanein says. be among those who have reason to stay put. With a The right environment is vital, little luck and a spell of peace, they can begin Maluf emphasizes. “If you’re an creating new opportunities for their peers, across entrepreneur presenting an idea and disciplines, to do so as well. you go talk to your neighbor, he’s probably going to say, ‘I don’t get it, I —S.M.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 29 For women entrepreneurs, running a successful business is beating just the first challenge.

There has been a growing appreciation in recent years of the important role that entrepreneurship plays in economic growth and development. While the majority of entrepreneurs are men (60-75 percent by some estimates), “more and more women are seeking economic opportunity and self-determination through enterprise creation.”1 In addition to the challenges that confront all entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs have to overcome additional hurdles such as unequal access to finance and lack of support— even opposition—from their families. The Goldman Sachs Foundation (GSF) and the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB) are teaming up to encourage female entrepreneurship—not just in the Middle East, but also throughout the developing world. Through the “10,000 Women Initiative,” GSF is funding the development of case studies to find out more about the challenges women entrepreneurs in the MENA region face and the lessons they have learned. OSB faculty Nada Debs, founder of East & East members are writing four such studies on successful female-led, entrepreneurial businesses in Lebanon: Bokja Design (www.bokjadesign.com), East & East (www. nadadebs.com), The Little Engineer (www.thelittleengineer. me), and Sarah’s Bag (www.sarahsbag.com). According to Carla Sayegh Hilton, who is director of continuous improvement at OSB, these case studies will be used by GSF in its capacity-building certificate programs for selected women entrepreneurs in developing countries and also in a variety of business school programs at AUB. “Regional case studies have served as powerful educational tools at OSB, highlighting real-life business problems and challenges facing small- to medium-sized organizations in the region. They have

1 Center of Arab Women for Training and Research and International Finance Corporation Gender Entrepreneurship Markets, “Women Entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa: Characteristics, Contributions and Challenges,” June 2007, page 5.

30 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate encouraged students to think through ways and means to navigate region-specific challenges using concepts biases and frameworks learned in class,” she says. Hilton adds the that in some cases profiled entrepreneurs have inspired AUB students to launch their own businesses instead of pursuing more conventional career paths. Like other case studies OSB faculty members have copublished with colleagues at Stanford and the Richard Ivey School of Business in Western Ontario, the AUB-10,000 Women Sarah Beydoun, case studies will be available on-line to leading business founder of Sarah’s Bag schools around the world. Maria Hibri (former student) and Huda Baroudi (BBA ’80), cofounders of Bokja Design, say they did not originally intend to start a business. “We started working together because we felt we had a unique aesthetic to share with people in Beirut, so we did this one-off exhibition of creations that combined special embroideries from Central Asia with secondhand modernist furniture that we had each collected over the course of the previous ten years.” Buoyed by the enthusiastic reaction they received to this “one-off” exhibit, they gradually developed their “shared activity” into the multi-million dollar business that it is today. Nada Debs (BBA ’84) also says that her business— East & East—just “sorta happened.” She explains, “I basically started with one small piece of furniture, showed it, then sold it, then another, and then another… I grew organically.” Rana El Chemaitelly (BE ’93, ME ’08), on the other hand, says she thought long and hard to come up with “a great idea to launch a new business.” That “great idea,” which was inspired by her children, became “The Little Engineer,” an after-school and summer program of hands-on activities in robotics, green technologies, science, and creative engineering for young people between the ages of four and seventeen. Sarah’s Bag traces its roots to Sarah Beydoun’s (BA Maria Hibri and Huda Baroudi, cofounders of Bokja Design ’94) sociology master’s thesis on women in prison in Lebanon. During the course of her research, she noticed that “the women prisoners had so much time on their hands and nothing to do all day… and decided with the help of an NGO (Dar el Amal) to teach them valuable skills that would help them earn a living… One bag led to another and this is how Sarah’s Bag started,” she recalls. OSB Associate Professor Dima Jamali reported in a 2008 article that although women offered

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 31 different reasons for why they became entrepreneurs (such as frustration with discrimination they faced in the labor market, their desire for greater independence, and the challenge of establishing a new business), they face many of the same challenges. Jamali explains that it is particularly difficult for women to launch and Rana El Chemaitelly, founder of The Little Engineer establish a business because, “The evidence generally reveals that female entrepreneurs start with lower levels of overall capitalization and lower ratios of debt finance than their male counterparts.”2 Once they make it past that initial start-up stage, however, female entrepreneurs overwhelmingly agree that their greatest challenge is juggling the demands of raising a family while running a business. This finding does not surprise El Chemaitelly who says she stopped working for five years “for the sake of my three kids.” Beydoun too, reports that it has not been easy to run the business and raise her family. Jamali says it is especially tough for women entrepreneurs in more conservative societies “where women are expected first and foremost to deliver on their family duties and responsibilities.”3 In these societies, women have to battle both the expectations of their immediate family members and those of society in general that “does not disapprove of female entrepreneurship per se but of female work more generally.”4 instability in Lebanon, which they say can interrupt Although the four women entrepreneurs who are operations and make it difficult to plan for the future. being profiled in the GSF case studies may resemble Despite the challenges, these women have ambitious women entrepreneurs everywhere, they differ in plans for the future. If you have not already, you may significant ways too. Their most immediate challenges— soon come across one of Sarah’s Bags at the mall in your weighing million-dollar buyout offers, struggling to neighborhood, enroll your child in a Little Engineer after- manage and control outsourcing processes, organizing school program, attend an exhibit of Bokja Design’s latest exhibits in Milan, and considering opening a line of creations, or read a story about Nada Debs and East boutiques in key fashion cities around the world, for & East in an architectural magazine. example—are not typical of most women entrepreneurs in the developing world. Hilton acknowledges this and Although very few BBA students choose management or says she and her OSB colleagues are seeking to identify entrepreneurship as their undergraduate concentrations, and highlight those aspects of these four businesses many of them eagerly sign up for OSB’s limited number of that would be most relevant to GSF’s target audience of entrepreneurship courses. Senior Lecturer Tarek Kettaneh, women entrepreneurs in developing countries. who teaches some of the courses, says that quite a few of The women who own and manage these four his students are interested in entrepreneurship and consider businesses also face specific challenges relating to political starting their own businesses eventually—but want work experience first. He points out that the courses taken by

2 Dima Jamali, “Constraints and opportunities facing women entrepreneurs in students concentrating in finance or marketing are directly developing countries: A relational perspective,” Gender in Management: An relevant to entrepreneurship and impart many of the skills they International Journal, Vol. 24, No. 4, 2009, page 234. 3 Jamali, page 243. will need to become successful entrepreneurs. 4 Jamali, page 243.

32 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Souk Sabra is one of Beirut’s most visited markets Souk..Sabrastretching from Tareek El Jdeedeh in West Beirut to Rihab Station in the southern suburbs. Its location places it in an area of socio-political complexity. Vibrant and diverse, the market was nevertheless characterized by adverse physical conditions and spatial chaos that did much to degrade this crucial and popular location. In an effort to “upgrade from within” a team from the Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS - AUB) partnered with the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development (HFSHD) to study the area, set a vision for a first phase of physical intervention, and define strategies for more to come.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION Despite its chaotic appearance ad tight quarters, Souk Sabra functions UNDER CONSTRUCTION on its own rhythm. The CCECS-HFSHD approach was to respect the way in which it operated while improving the physical quality of the space.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 33 Rainwater and sewage inflow had encouraged indigenous solutions based on informal water breakers. Temporary shading provided inter- The AUB team involved students and recent mittent protection from sun or rain. graduates from multiple disciplines such as social sciences and health, led by students doing their Final Year Project in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and in Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management (LDEM) and was supervised by Mounir Mabsout (CCECS director and CEE professor) and Rabih Shibli (CCECS projects leader and LDEM lecturer). An in-depth analysis of the site identified it as especially vulnerable to flooding from storm water, accompanied by uncollected sewage, which along with uncollected organic waste transformed Sabra Square into a fetid pool of wet waste even in dry weather. Phase one of the project focused on defining and achieving a model to physically upgrade the market street and improve basic infrastructural services. Shop- keepers had devised their own version of a “water breaker” to elevate the sidewalks in order to obstruct flooding infiltration to shops and houses. The “water breaker motif” was set as a determinant concept in the design process.

34 In partnership with the local (opposing) municipalities and shop owners, the complete rehabilitation of the sidewalks and shop facades and the installation of shading structures – all of which echoed existing informal solutions – was achieved in a selected block. Out of chaos a form of order was imposed allowing local stakeholders and street users to conduct their affairs in a clean and physically coherent environment. Regular, unofficial inspections confirm a pride in and a commitment to keeping the upgraded areas clean and tidy. In collaboration with Souk-Sabra merchants’ committee (that was formed in accordance to the project), CCECS, and HFSHD, phase 2 for Sabra will soon be launched targeting the upgrading of other blocks and tackling the waste-management and health issues. The Souk Sabra presented the students with an invaluable and challenging educational experience where they contributed with the partners to set a vision and develop a plan of action that was suitable and which was eventually implemented. This is a successful example on how learning and service were integrated in a participatory approach leading to a sustainable initiative that UNDER CONSTRUCTION impacted positively on the local community.

Reproducing the water breakers and sun shades in a uniform manner succeeded in creating a pleasant and coherent shopping street.

35 Photo © Mahmoud Kheir

AUB volunteers teach languages to migrant workers

To get to Bikfaya from Beirut, Myarana takes a bus, a Rights groups stress the poor conditions migrant minibus, and two taxis. Navigating this journey would workers face in Lebanon and in 2008 Human Rights be tough for any foreigner, but Myarana faces some extra Watch (HRW) reported that one migrant domestic challenges. worker in the country dies each week of unnatural First, she must make the journey in English, which causes. HRW said that most deaths are suicides or are is not her first language. Second, she isn’t really on the caused by falls from high buildings, often as workers run way to Bikfaya. On a recent Sunday in the leafy courtyard from their employers. of Sanayeh’s Zico House, Myarana and her teacher Janie Shen, originally from Sweden, moved to Rawand Madi are role-playing the trip using a hand- Lebanon just over a year ago. She founded MWTF with drawn map of the route Myarana takes to get from Beirut several like-minded friends, including Lioba Hirsch and to her employer’s house, where she is a domestic worker. Alex Shams, in January. Shen is the coordinator of MWTF. As they practice phrases such as “How much?” and “When you are an individual here you want do “I want to go to Bikfaya,” Myarana seems a bit shy about something about the situation [of migrant workers] but pretending to board a bus, but she persists. you don’t find an outlet,” she says. The organizations that In French and English, the two also debate the work with migrant workers, such as KAFA and Caritas, exact translation of an “autostrade” and where on the “work really well but they don’t have the capacity to take map Myarana should dismount. on a lot of volunteers. So we created the classes.” In Beirut on her biweekly Sunday out, Myarana, About 60 volunteers teach at the weekly two-hour who is from Madagascar, is one of some 60 migrant Sunday classes. As the teachers’ schedules vary and workers who are learning English, French, and Arabic workers are often not allowed regular days off or days out, at free language classes set up by the Migrant Workers there are an average of 20 to 30 students at each session, Task Force (MWTF), a group that aims to improve with a ratio of one teacher to two students. opportunities for migrant workers in Lebanon. The students hail from Sudan, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Estimates vary widely on the number of foreign Nepal, the Philippines, and Bangladesh. MWTF migrant workers in the country, from 300,000 to 1 distributed flyers about the classes before they started million. Some 200,000 of these are domestic workers. in February, but Shen says “talking to people was more

36 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Lioba Hirsch was a visiting student at the American University AUB, says “there is a huge problem with migrant workers of Beirut for the 2010–11 academic year. She recently completed coming to Lebanon and not being treated well…[the her bachelor’s degree in political science from SciencesPo in Paris. classes are] one way to help them feel that they can do Hirsch is currently in London where she is due to start her master’s whatever they want here.” studies in political sociology at the London School of Economics. This includes boarding a bus. MWTF takes a Originally from Germany, it was Hirsch’s desire to learn Arabic that mostly prompted her to come to AUB as a visiting practical approach to language.“We are focusing on the student. An interest in conflict studies and human and social social aspect, not necessarily fluency,” says Shen. “We psychology, as well as having Lebanese friends in Germany and ask what [the students] want to learn from us. So we France, were other factors that encouraged Hirsch to take this have topics like taking transportation, how to bargain for step. At AUB, Hirsch had an enriching experience studying in a food…, going to the doctor…, or being able to argue.” different environment outside of Europe. Most of the teachers are not trained in education, The attitude towards migrant workers in Lebanon and, and so the classes have been a learning experience for all more broadly, the problem of racism in the country, soon caught Hirsch’s attention and she started searching for ways to help. involved. “We are also new to this,” says Shen. When her friend launched the Migrant Workers Task Force, “So we get experience from other people and we get Hirsch joined in by teaching English and French. help. We just work on improving all the time.” Although she has no concrete plans now, Hirsch wants to Across the courtyard from Myarana, Abdullah speaks come back to the region in the future to work on issues related in halting but clear English, even though he thinks his to racism and discrimination. proficiency is only “maybe” improving. Originally from Rawand Madi is a mechanical engineering student at AUB with Sudan, Abdullah has lived in Lebanon for 10 years. He a passion for volunteering and the arts. Originally from Lebanon, works in a kitchen. she grew up both in Lebanon and Kuwait. Madi started volunteering “I want to learn English for the future,” he says. “If while still a student at the Kuwait English School where she helped my family do not speak another language, it will be very disadvantaged students who attended special classes at the school’s difficult.” He says that in business, English and French are Green Unit. She was also involved in several environmental projects the international languages. and actively participated in Model UN conferences. Abdullah plans to return to Sudan and teach his family In Lebanon and as an AUB student since 2009, Madi helped found the Chemical Engineering Student Society last year English. Myarana has two children in Madagascar, a boy and was elected its secretary. In addition to volunteering with and a girl, and she hopes to teach them English and French. migrant workers, she has worked with children at the Children’s Many students mention job prospects and teaching Cancer Center of Lebanon, where she plans to volunteer again their families as reasons for attending class, but there is this summer. another benefit—an increased ability to communicate the Madi also finds time to put her passion for the arts to challenges they face as migrant workers. practice at the Ceramic Lounge café in Lebanon, helping Abdullah thinks racism is a problem in Sudan, customers who drop by with their ceramic artwork. but it is worse in Lebanon. “[Many] Sudanese come to Madi’s future plans involve starting up her own engineering company in Lebanon and funding projects through this company Lebanon and they have degrees. Some are lawyers, some to help solve the problems of racism and sexism, and to tackle are journalists.” But they can’t find work. “Why? Because environmental issues as well. they are black.” “The idea was that a very efficient way to help migrant effective and then word of mouth helped. [The students] workers would be to give language classes and give them an bring their friends.” opportunity to communicate,” says Hirsch, one of MWTF’s But word of mouth is not always possible. Shen says founders, who also teaches language classes. she has “a Nepalese friend who lives in a village near “This gives them more opportunities to make Mounsourieh. She would see [other] Nepalese women on their voices heard. Not [through] us, but by the balconies, hanging up clothes, and she would wave. themselves.” They wave back, but they can’t say anything, because they —Annie Slemrod are not allowed to talk to anyone outside the house.” Reprinted with permission from The Daily Star Rawand Madi, who is Lebanese and a student at

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 37 You’ve got a great idea for a new business. Checklist For Or is it? A seasoned entrepreneur lists 10 Successful steps to success Start-Ups

1 The People Are you sure you have the right team with the required complementary skills to succeed?

» Is your previous work experience relevant to your venture? » Who is missing from the team? » Are you willing to recruit high caliber people? » How committed are you to seeing the venture through? 2 The Product Are you offering something better/cheaper/faster than what’s already available? You should be able to explain

» What it is. » Its purpose. » Why it is unique. » Why people need it. » How easily it could be imitated or improved. » What technology you plan to use. 3 The Market Are you addressing a big enough and expanding market? Is it an attractive segment to penetrate? Do you know

» Who your customers are? » What you need to do to convince a customer to buy your product or service? » How to price the product or service? » How to reach your target market? » How much it will cost (in time and resources) to acquire, retain, and keep a new customer? » How much it will cost to produce and deliver the product or service?

38 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate 4 The Competition 7 Tracking Your Progress Don’t say, “I have no competition,” because that tells me you Financial projections for a new company are an act have never heard of Google—not a good start. So tell me: of imagination, especially detailed month-by-month projections that stretch out for years. An entrepreneurial » Who are your competitors? venture faces far too many unknowns to predict revenues » How many are there? reliably, let alone profits. So, what you need to do instead » On what basis do they compete: Price? Sales volume? is to identify objectives and milestones such as Design? Quality? Service? » How does your product compare? » Completing product specifications. » How will your competition react? Will it retaliate? How? » Completing prototype design. » What are the strengths and weaknesses of the competition? » Completing prototype. » Testing product. 5 The Plan? » Beginning production. » Shipping to first customers. What model do you plan to use to make money? Is it: » Achieving the first full quarter of profitability. » The subscription business model (magazines, » Earning $1 million in sales. software…)? » Breaking even on a cash basis. » The razor and blades business model (Gillette razor and its blades)? » The network effects business model (stock exchanges)? 8 The People—Time to Take » The cutting-out-the-middleman model (Dell)? Another Look » The auction business model (EBay)? Growing sales is a top priority for start-ups. As sales develop, more sales people are needed, along with 6 The Money more after-sales service people, more trainers, more From the moment you make the decision to start a delivery people, etc. Planning ahead for human resource venture until you make your first commercial sales, requirements is critical, since new hires require several you need funding to cover market research, salaries, months before they are fully productive, and you may prototype production and also to pay for rent, need several weeks to advertise, interview, assess, and hire furnishings, inventory, equipment, and tools, etc. These the right people. You need to think about are your preoperating expenses. » When you need to hire more people? » With what skills? » How much cash do you need until you make your » How much will you have to pay them? first sale? » How much more do you need to cover your operating losses until you break even? 9 Preparing for the Unexpected » How much of what you need is investment and how If you have a messenger company and fuel prices rise much is for operating costs? significantly and your profitability is significantly » How much money do you need for the three years impaired, what would you do? Or if you produce after you break even? wine in Lebanon and are protected by high customs For at least several months (usually much longer) your tariffs and the government reduces these tariffs under monthly expenses will exceed your gross margin because World Trade Organization pressure, how would you your sales volume is still low, so you will need money defend against cheaper imports? Or you started a call to cover these cash losses. Finally, when—if—you take center and the government dropped telecom prices to off and start to grow, you will need still more money to international levels allowing VoIP (Voice-over Internet finance more inventory, more receivables, more staffing, Protocol), how would you seize this opportunity to win more equipment, etc. international clients? So, you need to think about

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 39 » What factors outside your control could influence your venture, either positively or negatively. » And how you would react to them. 10 The Payoff In the final analysis, entrepreneurs are asking investors to commit funds to a venture based on their business plan. Investors are being asked to take a very high risk that is difficult to quantify in exchange for a potential profit bonanza, which is even more difficult to quantify. So investors expect entrepreneurs to provide them with

» An assessment of everything that can go wrong and might go right and how the venture would respond. » Scenarios based on different assumptions yielding multiple outcomes.

—Tarek Kettaneh Senior Lecturer, Olayan School of Business

After graduating from MIT with a master’s degree in civil engineering and from the Harvard Business School with an MBA, Kettaneh joined his family’s business. Initially assigned to their substantial operations in Iran, he went on to become acting CEO of a multinational family group with interests in Brazil, Iran, and across the Near East. He later spent 12 years pursuing venture capital opportunities in the United States and Lebanon. Since 2001, Kettaneh has been lecturing on entrepreneurship, venture capital, and family business issues at OSB and doing some limited consulting.

40 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Beyond Bliss Street legends and legacies FIRST among equals John Wortabet (1827-1908), one of While he was in Edinburgh, the SPC as a professor of anatomy the founders of the Syrian Protestant Wortabet applied for a position with and physiology in 1866, Wortabet College (SPC), was an ordained minis- the Scottish Missionary Society as a asked for and received permission ter, medical doctor, and gifted linguist missionary to Syria. Because he had to attend the New York University who spoke Arabic, English, Turkish, been unhappy working with foreign Medical College. After earning his MD and Armenian. missionaries in Syria Wortabet insisted in 1867, he returned to the College The son of an Armenian priest, on certain conditions: “[First,] that he to become, along with Cornelius Van Wortabet was educated at American Dyck and William H. Thomson, one of 4 Board of Commissioners for Foreign its three original medical appointees. Missions (ABCFM) schools in Syria. Wortabet was one of the faculty mem- Ordained by the American Beirut mis- bers who resigned from the College in sion in 1853, he and his wife Salome, 1882 to protest the Darwin Affair (See who he had married in 1851, spent MainGate, Fall 2009). Like Van Dyck, five years in Hasbeiya, Syria, where who resigned then too, Wortabet Wortabet was a “native preach- continued to lecture at the College er.” Salome and Wortabet’s for many years. After leaving the sister Hanne, who had been College, he worked as a private classmates at ABCFM schools physician at the Hospital of the in the 1830s, taught women Knights of St. John in Beirut and and children in Hasbeiya. was one of the members and Wortabet left Syria for the first chairman of the execu- Britain in 1860 where he stud- tive committee that established ied theology at the Edinburgh the Lebanon Hospital for Mental 5 School of Theology in Scotland. Diseases at Asfuriyeh. While he was there, he authored Wortabet died in Beirut at The Religions of Syria, which was the age of 81 on November 22, widely recognized for many years 1908. He and Salome had six as the definitive work on the topic. children: three daughters and (Wortabet wrote many other books: in three sons. addition to an Arabic version of Gray’s Special thanks to the Archives and Anatomy, he prepared Arabic texts on Special Collections Department of Jafet anatomy, physiology, and public health. Library for their help in researching this He also collaborated with his son Henry, be equal to a European Colleague in article. who was briefly a member of the SPC standing and office, there being no 1 faculty himself, and with Dr. Harvey supervision of one over the other, Stephen B.L. Penrose, Jr., That They May Have Life: The Story of the American University of Beirut 1866-1941, pages 38-39. Porter, another faculty member, on and 2nd that he be equal with him 2 2 Ibid. an Arabic-English dictionary that was in the matter of salary.” Despite the 3 Ibid. 4 Although Thomson was offered a position “of the greatest value” and “required fact that these requests were fairly at the new medical school, he declined. Van numerous editions, enlargements, unusual—if not unprecedented—the Dyck, Wortabet, and George E. Post, who was appointed professor of botany and surgery in 3 and revisions to satisfy the constant church agreed. 1868, played pivotal roles in establishing the 1 medical school. demands for it by students.” ) When he was later recruited by 5 Penrose, page 38.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 41 Beyond Bliss Street alumni profile

under Fourteen young AuB entrepreneurs dish on the best days, the worst days, and 14 their five-year dreams. 44 Ayah Bdeir BE, Computer and Communications of the Arab world—especially young Engineering, 2004 girls and women—to become inven- tors, innovators, and scientists instead www.ayahbdeir.com of bakers and lawyers www.littleBits.cc Five-year goal: to create a first class www.KarajBeirut.org media lab for inventions in the Arab Business: littleBits, a kit of small construc- World based in Beirut tion bricks that allows kids, artists, and Best day at work: a day I spend building designers to create light, sound, sens- new electronic projects and not at my ing, and other interactive electronics computer Biggest challenge: making engineering Worst day at work: being stuck in traffic in 1 sexy and attracting the brightest minds Lebanon for hours on end

Tarek Nabil Dajani BAR, 1998 Five-year goal: establishing Cleartag as www.cleartag.com; personal blog: an international digital agency with a www.thethingsyoudo.co strong affinity for the Middle East Best day at work: at the lab doing Business: Cleartag, digital agency research work Biggest challenge: designing complex Worst day at work: a full day of meetings digital products/services for markets still dominated by instant gratification media 2 OuR ENTREPRENEuRS BY THE NuMBERS: Newspaper or newsfeed? BA or BS BA 43%, BS 57% Do you have an advanced Half-full or half-empty? HF 71%, Paper 14%, Newsfeed 57%, Do you email before 7 am? degree? Yes 86%, No 14% HE 14%, Depends 14% Both 21%, Neither 7% Yes 64%, No 36% Do you live in the city or country? Espresso, American, or Tea? Hummus or salsa? Hummus Siblings at AUB—past or City 78%, Country 7%, Esp 43%, Amer. 21%, Tea 36% 71%, Salsa 14%, Both 14% present? Yes 71%, No 29% Both 7%, Other 7% CNN or Al Jazeera? CNN 36%, Fairouz or the Rolling Stones? Member of the OLC? Do you play an instrument? AJ 7%, Both 21%, Neither 36% Fairouz 36%, RS 7%, Yes 36%, No 64% Yes 14%, No 86% Text or Twitter? Text 43%, Both 50%, Neither 7% LinkedIn or Facebook? Mac or PC? Mac 43%, PC 43%, Twitter 29%, BBM 14%, Halloumi or Cheddar? Halloumi LI 14%, FB 64%, Both 21% Both 14% Both 14% 71%, Cheddar 14%, Both 14%

42 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Beyond Bliss Street alumni profile

Rana El Chemaitelly BE, Mechanical Engineering, 1993; Five-year goal: introducing as many kids ME, Engineering Management, 2008 and teens as possible to renewable energy and innovations www.thelittleengineer.com Best day at work: when I convert a dream Business: The Little Engineer, summer into reality and after school activities for kids and Worst day at work: when I’m not sup- teens ported by my family Biggest challenge: continually provid- ing better solutions to invest in the community

Sarah Beydoun Hakim 3 BA, Social Studies, 1994

www.sarahsbag.com

Business: Sarah’s Bag, handcrafted, custom-made women’s fashion accessories Biggest challenge: becoming the leading accessory house in the Middle East working with women who have been and are still in prison Habib Haddad Five-year goal: opening boutiques around BE, Computer and Communications6 4the world Engineering, 2002 Best day at work: discovering that samples www.yamli.com we have been working on for weeks are www.yallastartup.org much nicer than I could have imagined Worst day at work: so many meetings that Business: Yamli, Arabic typing technol- I can’t work on my creations ogy and search engine; YallaStartup, promotes entrepreneurship in the MENA region Abdulsalam Haykal Biggest challenge: finding the work/life BA, Political Studies, 2000 balance Five-year goal: transforming the entrepre- www.transtek.com neurship ecosystem in the Middle East Business: Transtek Systems, software; and helping to create disruptive tech- Haykal Media, magazine and online nologies with a social impact; starting publishers a new concept in restoration Biggest challenge: time management Best day at work: getting great feedback Five-year goal: increasing the regional from clients and users: “informed” reach of our media and technology optimism products and starting a family Worst day at work: realizing the assump- Best day at work: finding a solution tions I had made were wrong that could Worst day at work: losing a colleague lead to a reset, informed pessimism 5 www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 43 Beyond Bliss Street alumni profile

Hind Hobeika BE, Mechanical Engineering, 2010

no website yet, but info at www.starsofscience.com

Business: Butterfleye, swimming goggles that measure heart rate Biggest challenge: encouraging Arab youth to focus on research and innovation Five-year goal: having my goggles available everywhere Walid Haidar Best day at work: when the first proto- BS, Mathematics, 1994; EMBA, 2007 7 type of the goggles was 8 www.gloriajeanscoffees.com fully functional Worst day at work: when the Google Business: coffee, dekkaneh, retail circuitry blew up after weeks of Biggest challenge: success long, hard work Karim Malas Five-year goal: to make Gloria Jean’s BBA, 1999 Coffees the most loved and respected coffee company in Lebanon, Saudi www.acumen-sy.com Arabia, and Syria. Business: Acumen, a market research Best day at work: any day when I learn and and financial advisory agency I do something good is a great day Biggest challenge: staying optimistic in Worst day at work: a day when I don’t Syria under current circumstances learn and don’t get the opportunity to Five-year goal: starting over do good things Best day at work: delivering the results of a cutting edge research project in the telecom sector Worst day at work: turning down assign- ments because of the situation in the country

Elie A. Nasr BE, Computer and Communication Five-year goal: to be the leading MENA Engineering, 2003 and European mobile app develop- 9ment firm www.foo.mobi Best day at work: when a client is happy, Business: FOO, a mobile apps develop- when creative product ideas are born ment firm Worst day at work: when a client is unsat- Biggest challenge: people at work resist- isfied, when a good team member 10 ing change leaves, when we miss a target 44 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Beyond Bliss Street alumni profile

Christine Assouad Sfeir Five-year goal: spreading Semsom BS, Nutrition and Dietetics, 1994 beyond the Middle East to Europe www.ddlebanon.com; Best day at work: touring the stores, 1 www.semsom.com marketing discussions, HR related activities Business: Dunkin Donuts Lebanon, Worst day at work: conflict resolution Semsom restaurants Biggest challenge: dealing with the politi- 1 cal crisis in Lebanon Wassim Sinno BBA, 1988; EMBA 2008

www.semsom.com

Business: Premium Partners, a global supplier of gifts and premiums servic- ing multinational clients from various Lara Tarakjian offices around the world EMBA, 2007 Biggest challenge: turning Premium Partners into a global player in the field www.silkor.com 1 of premiums and promotional items Business: Silkor Laser Medical Center, Five-year goal: Europe laser medical and skin treatment3 serv- Best day at work: having a big margin for 1 ice provider growth in my business means every Biggest challenge: establishing Silkor in day is my2 best day every corner of the world Worst day at work: feeling my team is not Five-year goal: growing the Silkor family— on the same wavelength as I am Sarah Trad and having one of my own EMBA, 2007 Best day at work: October 30, 1997 www.skoun.org when the first client walked into Silkor Worst day at work: When it feels like Business: Skoun, an outpatient drug and I’m working alcohol rehabilitation center in Beirut Biggest challenge: transitioning from the not-for-profit world to the for-profit world, which I am doing now as I implement a development of clinics in different loca- new venture in New York City—a café/ tions in Lebanon bakery that sells manakeech Best day at work: when I hear that some- Five-year goal: to be managing several one’s life has been changed thanks to “Manousherie” locations in New York Skoun’s services City and preparing to expand the busi- Worst day at work: when I get “no” to all ness outside the city; as president my requests and I cannot see of Skoun’s board, overseeing the the light 14 www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 45 Beyond Bliss Street reflections ConstellatCampus ons A riveting lecturer, Owen Gingerich taught for many years at Harvard and directed the Lee Observatory at AuB from 1955 to 1958. AuB awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2011.

out which journals were What do you think your students complete and which were might remember from your missing issues. classes? Another impres- Actually, I haven’t a clue. I think they sion—Beirut was an might remember that I started “Open international crossroads. Nights” at the observatory. Lots of People were coming students came to look at the planets through on their way and the moon because up to that time,

Gingerich with Minister of Foreign Affairs to India, for example. the observatory had been a building Charles Malik at the 1958 eclipse Distinguished physicists came on vis- closed to them. I probably reached When did you arrive at AUB and its, people whom [back home], as a more students than just those who what were your first impressions? small fish in a big pond, I would never were taking my classes. In late June of 1955 I caught a glimpse have met. But at AUB I was able to of the campus on my way back from go off on a picnic with Lee DuBridge, Are you still in touch with any of a visit to Columbo to witness a solar president of Caltech. your AUB students? eclipse. I had already been offered It was an interesting challenge There were a couple of students, a position as director of the AUB to get the observatory running again Bassam Shakhashiri and Kenell Touryan, observatory, so I went back home and and also to be thrown into teach- now distinguished scientists in America, collected my wife and lots of boxes ing the young men—physics classes who have reminded me that I taught and a big trunk full of our possessions. were almost entirely men—who were them at the engineering camp. We came by boat. There must continually testing the professor. You In addition there were two have been some kind of snafu in the would have a serious discipline prob- students of mine who wrote and New York Office, because when we lem if you showed any signs of weak- published papers with Ted Kennedy— arrived at the Beirut port late in the ness such as not being able to solve Victor Roberts and Fuad Abboud. I evening, no one met us. We left all the problems. So after several months I luggage in a big heap in the middle of could solve any problem in the text the customs area and took a taxi to book without prior preparation. AUB. I remembered where my friends Ted Kennedy, a distinguished profes- Do you remember where you sor and international expert on Islamic taught most of your classes? astronomy, and his wife lived. They It was down the hill. Maybe in the took us in. engineering building where the physics The observatory itself was an classes were first taught. The astron- interesting challenge—filled with jour- omy classes all met in the observa- nals that had been arriving for ten tory itself. The classes were limited in years and not unwrapped. It took size—20 students, so they could all fit me the better part of a year to figure in there.

46 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Gingerich, 1957 Beyond Bliss Street reflections

What impact has AUB had on your life? Crucial—because I was very annoyed at being drafted out of graduate school. Three years later, when I went back [to the United States], the world had changed. Sputnik had gone up; the Smithsonian had moved its observatory from Washington to Cambridge. It had the fastest computer in New England with lots of extra computer time for thesis research, so I was able to plunge into a real cutting edge thesis, which would not have been accessible at all had I continued on my initial track and not had those three years at AUB. In addition I got good teaching experience. I had been intimidated at the thought of passing my PhD oral exams, but when I returned, I went back full of confidence, having faced the somewhat obstreperous students at AUB. With that teaching experience I was able to step wonder what they have done since You left in 1958, but you were back into teaching the Harvard Astronomy then. Mark Lesley, the son of the once before this visit? Department’s general education offer- University’s architect, gave me a lot of Yes, we returned in the spring of 1971 ing, which by the time of my retirement moral support in fixing up the obser- on my sabbatical leave from Harvard in 2000 had become the longest run- vatory and I have kept up with him. and the Smithsonian. We spent the ning course then being taught under the first semester in Cambridge, England same management. You toured campus today. What and then drove here with our children. Thirdly, my interaction with Ted are some of the changes you We wanted the two older sons to see Kennedy, who was working on the his- noticed since your years at AUB in where they had been born. They were tory of Islamic science, acted in part to the 1950s? teenagers by that time, so it was an hone my general interest in the history Obviously, a big change is the larger interesting experience. The University of astronomy so that eventually I had a student body. Another thing, of course, agreed to pay for their tuition at the career change: instead of working on is the head scarves, which were essen- American Community School in return astrophysics, I began seriously working tially non-existent in the 1950s, though for my teaching a seminar. on the history of science. So, my pro- veiled women would still be found in In the seminar, in addition to Ted fessorial appointment at Harvard was the streets. Kennedy, were two of his graduate as a professor both of astronomy and The complete change is the students who have made very illustri- of the history of science. And I’ve had observatory—which is no more. The ous careers in Islamic science—David graduate students in both areas. telescope was vandalized some time King and George Saliba, who was AUB changed my whole life. during the civil war. The lenses were [Provost] Ahmad Dallal’s thesis adviser —J.M.C. stolen and the telescope is now entirely [at Columbia]—so that makes Dallal derelict. For me this is very sad. my intellectual grandson. Read the extended interview in MainGate on-line.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 47 Gingerich, 1957 Beyond Bliss Street time flies

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18 19 20 21

The Syrian Protestant College's (SPC) first graduating class was six students strong in 1870. The SPC awarded its first master's degree in 1906 and AUB awarded the first PhD in 1966—more than 80,000 degrees in the last 145 years. You can view all these images of our graduating classes (in much greater detail) in MainGate on-line. Left to right from top: 1. SPC 1901, 2. SPC 1912, 3. AUB 1927, 4. 1931: Dr. Edma Abou Shadid, center, is one of the earliest female graduates; 5. 1935, 6. 1940 commencement in Assembly Hall, 7. 1955; 8. 1959 commencement on the Green Field, 9. 1965, 10. 1973, 11. 1870: first graduating class of the SPC; 12. 1981, 13. 1986, 14. 1992, 15. 1992, 16. 1997, 17. 2001, 18. 2006, 19. 2009, 20. 2008, 21. 2009.

48 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate The WAAAUB Riyadh Chapter held its first event in 2011 on May 5 at the Arizona Golf Resort. Around 250 alumni and many friends

attended the dinner party where the guest of honor was Lebanese Riyadh Ambassador General Marwan Zein. Lebanese pop stars Manel Mallat and Raja Rayess and their band topped off an evening made extra special by the sound and light effects and wonderful Alumni at the Riyadh Gala catering. Save the date for two upcoming gala dinners, both at the Arizona Golf Resort: October 6 and November 29.

On May 15, the WAAAUB Athens Chapter organized an outdoor Athens event for 200 people at Dimitrios Contominas's (BBA ’62) estate in the northern suburbs of Athens. Families and their friends chat- ted and got to know one another while enjoying food, music, a sing-along, and a trip down the AUB memory lane.

The WAAAUB Engineering and Architecture Chapter held a The Athens event had food, entertainment, and games for adults panel discussion to explore the pros and cons of the private and and children alike. public sectors on April 20 at AUB’s Charles W. Hostler Student Center. FEA Chapter President Samir Traboulsi welcomed the distinguished panelists including Tripoli Mayor Nader Ghazal, Beirut Mayor Bilal Hamad (BEN ’76), and Cornet Chahwan Mayor Jean-Pierre Gebara (BAR '82). Hamad described some of his frustrations as Beirut mayor such as a lack of qualified experts at the municipality, the slow pace of change, and some instances of wrongdoing by a few employees. He suggested that privatiz- ing some municipality projects could improve efficiency. Ghazal reported that he was also facing similar challenges. Panelist Jean- Engineering/Architecture Pierre Gebara, who is a professor at the University of the Holy Mayor of Tripoli Nader Ghazal, Mayor of Beirut Bilal Hamad (BEN '76), Mayor of Cornet Chahwan Jean-Pierre Gebara (BAR '82)

Jordan Chapter The Athens eventSamir had Abou food, Samra entertainment (BEN ’68), and gamesPresident for adults and Abdul Hamid Bibi (BBA ’64), President children alike!Rima El Kadi (BBA ’79), Vice President Haya Imam (BBA ’99), Vice President Salwa Walieddine (former student, 1977-80), Farah Mustafa Hudhud (BA ’06), Secretary Secretary Flare Zawati Majali (BA ’75), Treasurer Badr Aftimos (BS ’71, MS ’73), Treasurer Maha Al Amir (BA ’94), Member at Large Rafi Atamian (BS ’85, MD ’89), Member at Large Tala Habib Faris (BBA ’06), Member at Large Nawar Hage (former student, 1990-92), Eyad Halabi (BBA ’94), Member at Large Member at Large Rana H. Hazboun (BBA ’04), Member at Large Tony Harrouk (BEN ’91), Member at Large Recently elected Randa Nabulsi (BS ’77), Member at Large Nasser Issrawi (BBA ’85, MBA ’87, MMB ’91), Ammar Moh’d Akram D. Queider (BBA ’04), Member at Large Baltimore Chapter Member at Large Lena Kelekian (BS ’81), Member at Large Ramzi Namek (BEN ’90), President Omar Nabil Al Ghawi (BS ’06), Reserved Member George Radi-Yammine (BS ’97), Member at Large Elias Ghandour (BS ’81, MD ’85), Vice President Jean Carol Eid (BEN ’04), Reserved Member Zeina Zeidan (BS ’86, MPH ’91), Member at Rabih Jabbour (BS ’93), Secretary Large Maen Farha (MD ’82), Treasurer Mount Lebanon Chapter Salma Kodsi (BS ’85), Member at Large Nabil Torbey (BS ’73, MD ’77), Chairman of the Iman Sbaity (former student, 2005-10), Member Board at Large Samir Abou Jaoude (BS ’58), Chairman of the Alan Shikani (BS ’76, MD ’81), Member at Large Elections and Nominations Committee

MainGate Summer 2011 49 Spirit-Kaslik, commented that because his municipality is much smaller, it provides better services. Many panelists agreed that their experiences in the private sector were helpful in dealing with some of the challenges they faced in the public sector.

North Carolina The North Carolina Chapter went to the Lebanese Festival in April… and came home raving about the dabke groups, chicken

Chapter booth at the Lebanese Festival shawarma, and knafe provided by local restaurants. Alumni staffed the chapter’s booth distributing brochures and knickknacks and bragging about the beautiful AUB campus. More On-line

The WAAAUB Philadelphia Delaware Valley Chapter gathered for a happy hour at Chapter Vice President Samir Akruk’s (BS ’65, MS ’67) home in Holland, Pennsylvania on May 7.

Sixty dinner guests attended the dinner hosted by the North Texas-Dallas Chapter at the Samar by Stephan Pyles Restaurant

Philadelphia Delaware Valley Philadelphia Delaware in Dallas, Texas on April 17. Dr. Mona Al-Mukaddam (BS ’01, MD ’05), Dr. Houry Puzantian (BS ’96, MS ’01), Sonia Shamlian Kurkjian (BS ’69, MS ’77), Maya More On-line Khezam (BS ’08, MS ’10), Asma Al-Naser (BS ’82), Suzane Juraydini (BS ’84), and Issa Juraydini Karaoke was on the menu when members and guests of the Montreal Chapter and the LAU Montreal Alumni Chapter got together at Boîte à Karaoke in Montreal on April 16. The chapter also held a brunch at Buffet La BonneCarte at the Casino de Montréal on June 4.

Thanks to the efforts of the Ottawa Chapter, a sold-out crowd at the University of Ottawa was treated to a memorable performance North Texas-Dallas of “On the Litani Bridge.” Written and directed by Rafic Ashkar (friend of AUB), the play dramatizes the suffering of a group of people in south Lebanon. Dallas dinner After a long, cold Canadian winter, the Ottawa Chapter cel- ebrated the arrival of summer on a sunny June 26 with its annual picnic at Vincent Massey Park. The gathering was a great success with more than a hundred people in attendance. The many alumni included Adel Khalaf (BBC ’50) and Suad Jabir (Jabir-Khalaf) Montreal (BA ’53), who reports that she was one of only two women to graduate from the Math Department at the time. Alumni, friends, and their families enjoyed the delicious mashawi, humus, fattoush, desert, and coffee followed by tawleh, tarnib, badminton, volley- ball, dabkeh, singing, and nargileh. Special thanks to Moe Attalah (former student, 1976) and Ferial Abdel Nour for their support of this great event.

Montreal Chapter brunch

50 MainGate Summer 2011 Ottawa

Left: "On the Litani Bridge," presented at the University of Ottawa Top: Ottawa chapter picnic

More than 100 AUB alumni, friends, and family attended the WAAAUB Toronto Chapter’s gala dinner on April 16 at Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto. After a brief Toronto welcome from Chapter President Rana El-Mogharbel (BA ’97, MA ’99), all eyes turned to featured speaker Janice Price, who is the CEO of the Luminato Festival in Toronto. She told the audience that hard work, networking, and collaboration had been the keys to success in her “journey to the top.” Alumni also enjoyed dancing and the chance to win some of the many raffle prizes donated by local businesses. The Executive Committee also honored Teddy

Abdo (BBA ’61), who returned to AUB this summer to celebrate Annual gala dinner at Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel his 50th Class Reunion. Congratulations Teddy! Ohio Valley The tradition contin- ues! Around 1,700 students received their AUB class rings during a ceremo- ny on June 23. The

University Student The chapter organized a picnic at Caesar Creek State Park in Waynesville, Ohio on June 12 for alumni and their families. Faculty Committee (USFC) plans the event with support from the WAAAUB Programs Committee. “The ring…signifies a lot more than a piece of jew- elry or accessory, it symbolizes our pledge to our alma mater, our everlasting bond with our fellow graduates, and acts as a United Kingdom constant reminder of our memorable and successful AUB expe- rience,” said USFC Vice President Ali Sheet. “I invite each one of you to become involved in WAAAUB. Your alumni associa- tion needs you. We need your advice, your suggestions, your

wise counsel, your enthusiasm, and your support,” WAAAUB The UK Chapter held a delightful wine and cheese reception with live music on June 29 at the Savile Club in London. Friends and President Khalil Makkawi concluded at the end of the ceremony. alumni graciously welcomed President Dorman to the event.

MainGate Summer 2011 51 Renewing our promiseReunion 2011 A whirlwind of activities, finding old friends, gathering for photos at Main Gate, an elegant reception at Marquand House, sunsets over the sea, an excursion to the Chouf, a chance to eat in the new AUB Food Court, late night partying at The Library Rest Bar—all of it an opportunity to remember why we love AUB and renew our promise “to be faithful and committed to our beloved AUB.”

Special thanks to Byblos Bank and Le Bristol Beyrouth Hotel for helping to make the weekend a success. July 1: “Many alumni have come to appreciate the educational gift [they have received] during their years at AUB, having to master multiple academic subjects, to engage intellectually with their peers, to respect dignity, and to nurture the environment,” said President Dorman, speaking at the Friday night honoring ceremony for alumni celebrating their silver (25 year) and golden (50 year) anniversaries of graduation. WAAAUB President Khalil Makkawi (BA ’54), welcomed the graduates of ’86 and ’61 while Master of Ceremonies Ricardo Karam (BS ’91) chief executive officer of RK Productions and WAAAUB Board of Directors member, introduced keynote speaker Ghaleb Mahmassani (BA ’61). “We are all here tonight to celebrate what hasn’t changed [at AUB]… It is the core mission and values of AUB that bring us all here tonight because they have stayed strong and relevant throughout years and generations,” said Mahmassani, noting that his own father, and later his daughter, like himself, had all graduated from AUB. Raffoul Raffoul (BBA ’86, MBA ’89) chief operating officer at Byblos Bank, high- lighted the importance of freeing oneself from one’s own misconceptions and prejudices. Raffoul encouraged his fellow alumni to give back to AUB to foster “a positive change.”

July 1: A Friday evening reception hosted by President and Mrs. Dorman in the gardens of Marquand House brought together generations and many old friends.

53 Arminee Choukassizian (BA ’66) performed during the ceremony honoring alumni celebrating their 25th and 50th reunions. July 2: WAAAUB Programs Committee Chair Ghada Rihani (BS ’84) welcomed alumni and their families to the Ring Ceremony in Assembly Hall. In his keynote address, Fadlo Touma (BE ’66, ME ’69) noted, “There is no substitute for freedom of thought and expres- sion. . .There is no substitute for respect of diversity. The liberal education of AUB [as well as] the diverse mix on campus make an incubator for ideas and nourish the spirit of leadership and social responsibility and engagement.”

54 JULY 2: Alumni attended Don Quixote at the Byblos International Festival.

JULY 2: A generous brunch for alumni, their families, and friends was hosted by AUB and WAAAUB at the Food Gallery in Ada Dodge Hall. Two stations, one for drawing and crafts, the other a magician show, were set up behind the JULY 3: Lunch was organized at the Mir Amin Food Gallery to entertain children. Palace in Beiteddine.

JULY 2: Dinner at The Library Rest Bar Beyond Bliss Street class notes

Now submit class notes through the On-line Community! 1960s Jarir F. Halazun (BS ’62, Your OLC profile will automatically feature your news for friends Muhamad Usama Al-Azm MD ’67) is a pediatrician who to view and you’ll have the option of posting your class note to your (BA ’60, MA ’64) writes: “Will did residencies and training Facebook page: www.alumniconnections.com/aub be finally retiring next year at children’s hospitals in Questions? Contact [email protected] after half a century of work, Cincinnati and Boston. work, work. Time then to He was recently elected 1950s have some fun and enjoy chairman of the Pediatric academics who contributed the golden years, inshalla.” to a mid- to late 20th cen- [usama(at)sultan.com.kw] tury educational and cultural renaissance that influenced Saïd Sukkar (BBA ’61) the region and beyond. The retired in April 2006. He and book pays tribute to many of his wife Nuha live in suburban Lebanon’s great intellectu- Damascus. They have three als, artists, politicians, doc- children: Rula, who lives with tors, and teachers. Jeha them; Ramez, who is cogni- earned his doctorate at tively disabled and has lived the University of Munster in a group home in the United Wujooh Nayyiri (Luminaries), in 1961. He taught at AUB Kingdom since 1980; and Department at Jordan written by Michael Jeha (1961-63) and the Lebanese Reem, who is married with Hospital Medical Center in (BA ’55, MA ’57) and pub- American University and was two daughters and lives in Amman, a teaching center lished by Nelson Press in full professor for many years Middlesex, United Kingdom. with a full range of medical Beirut, focuses on 25 AUB at the Lebanese University. [saidsukkar(at)gmail.com] specialties. Pictured in the

Bulus Bishara Emile Dumit Laura T. Hubeny If you know the whereabouts Lost Alumni Kanarik Bosnoyan Emile Edde Ismail Hummadi or contact information of Angele Boyadjian Yusuf Eid Suhayl Humsi Class of 1972 someone on this list from the Harout Bronozian Rafi Ekizian Farizah Hunaydi Class of 1972, please send Muin Bushnak Shelly Florence Elliston Huda Huri Can you help solve Mary Carmen Busuttil Vazken Ezakel Sa’d Huri an email to alumni@aub. Samir Butrus Alyan Farajallah Ghaniyyah Husayn any of our lost edu.lb and type “lost alumni” Paulette Cabbabe A.B.M. Abdul Fattah Frederick C. Huxley alumni mysteries? in the subject line. Thank you. Katayoon Changizi Hanna Georgi Fadya Ilyas Andreas Charilaou Najwa Ghalayini Claude Irani Marie Abahouny Salim Aftimus Mohd.Rabi’ Asir Jamil Ahmed Chaudhary Joseph Ghanim Shaheen Irshad Mamun Abbasi Talal Akashah Antunyus Assaad Mhd.Rafiq Chaudhary Andre Ghurayyib Ramadan Iskandarani Ilyas Abbud Anwar Fazal Alamgir Samir Atik Tateos Chouljian Sharon Gibson Maurice Issi Abu-Mohammad Mehmet Aldemir Annie Avakian Barbara Dabbas Gungor Goksel Ahmad Itani Abdallah Saud Al-Gharaballi Basim Azar Mazin Dabbas Mayram Gulumian Muhd Tahsin Jabasini Khalil Abdul-Al Ghayda AlGhazzi Nasri Bahnam Lilian Daghir Nadim Habib Ahmad-Fahim Jabr Salwa Abdul-Al Kamal Aliyah Ohannes Balian Jalal Daoud Khalid Hafiz Rad Jalabi Farihan Abdur-Rahman Akis Anastassiades Esma Nadine Barbir Ahmad Daouk Ghadah Halawi Ahmad Jamal Amal Abla Nada Andrawus Krikor Berj Bardakjian Hasmig Darakjian Mounir Halawi Mudar Jamaluddin Rubhi Abu-Isnaynah Carlos Apcar Krikor Hratch Barsumian Riyad Darwish Elie Hallak Ghalib Jamus Satenig Abu-Khalil Ahmad Arki Bahij Barudi Nancy DaSilva Samir Hamdan Ghassan F. Jibrayil Yusuf Abu-Mahanna Mazin Armuti George Barudi Photoulla Demetriou Rina Harawi Majid Jubayli Walid Abu-Sa’d Ara Artinian Husam Baydas Pierre Dibs Viken Havandjian Laurette Juraydini Janine Abu-Shaar Garabed Artinian Majidah Bazirji Khajag Dikidjian Dalal Hermez Bernard Kaminker Mehvesh Acet Victor Asfur Waha Betian Armine Dilanian Zakariyya Hissu Pierre Kanaan Yeghia Adamian Najwa Ashkar Krikor Bezdjian Rashad Dindo Taye Horo Nuha Kanj Emily Afif Farid Asi Ghassan Bikhazi Hagop Djoumboushian Ian Keith Howard Ibrahim Kankashian

56 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Beyond Bliss Street class notes

family photo are Halazun, his is retired from the executive Arpine Konyalian Grenier Concession Stand (“science wife Shermine, and two sons: search business and weds philosophy to yield Karim, who is chief resident doing volunteer work. Her the poetic”) has been in surgery, and Hadi, (in cap husband John Watson described as exhibiting “a and gown), who is a sec- (BA ’64) passed away in materiality that is luminous ond-year resident in internal 2006. Sa’id has one son, who and forgiving of matter.” medicine, both at Columbia lives with his wife and daugh- Grenier is a former scientist, Presbyterian Medical Center ter in western Massachusetts. musician, and financial ana- in New York City. [hadih(at) She lives in New York City. lyst. She has been featured nets.com.jo] [hswatson(at)nyc.rr.com] in numerous publications including several antholo- Hanan Sa’id (BA ’64, MA ’66) Sally Everett (student ’65) gies. The recipient of a Pima writes: “I have just finished Arts Council Award and writing a memoir that I hope author of four collections of will be published later this poetry, Grenier lives in year. It brought back won- (BS ’65, MS ’67) recently Tucson, Arizona. [arpine(at) derful memories of my year presented her latest collec- cox.net] at AUB. Over the last year, tion of poems, The I’ve tried to find many of my Concession Stand: Raid Ziadeh (BA ’69) is old friends, with no success. Exaptation at the Margins financial director at Areen I’d love to hear from any (Otoliths, 2011), at the Design Services, Ltd. in of you who remember me.” Congress 2011 Conference London, England. [Raid. [seeverett1(at)mac.com] in Fredericton, Canada. The Ziadeh(at)areen.com]

Munir Kaptan Ohennes Khoshafian Elene Manassah Agopic Papazian Ali Shair Walid Tannir Riyad Karam Nuha Khouri Claude Mantoura Lorris Peckmezian Ibrahim Shami Raffy Tejirian Ghassan Karaman Gabriel Khuri Nabil Matar Sirvart Pilikian Diana Shamiyeh Garabed Tokmakjian Nazenig Karamanougian Haifa Khuri Ahmad Mirib Christina Pillot Madelaine Shammas Parsegh Topjian Mohammad Abd Karim Nadya Khuri Hala Mitri Vicken Poochikian Mary Shammas Sossy Topjian Abdallah Karimuddin Mansur Kikhya Bilal Mneimneh Antonios Pyrros Wijdan Shammas Haigram Toroyan Fahed Karnik-Sarkissian Habibullah Koraganie Sayed Muhd. Moatamedi Muhammad Kalim Sharuh Sharif Ivan Toshev Nadya Kashshu Ceasar Korey Zenah Morisson Qamar Ghadah Sharif Lachmandas Marleine L. Kassab Elmast Kotchounian Shahan Muhajir Md. Siddiqur Rahman Salim Sharuk Udernomall Erendiz Kayimoglu Ohannes Kouiroukian Ghassan Munla Tarik Rawdah Dorothy Shawi Fahri Mustafa Unsal Selcuk Kayimoglu Ovsanna Kouyoumdjian Najiyyah Murani Fazal Rehman Glen Melvin Shellrude Khayruddin Uwaydat Salih Kays Nawal Koyess Farid Naddour Jalal Saad Kamal Shihab Haydar Uzri Ani Kazarian Ekaterini Kramvi Vahe Nahapetian Fawwaz Saadah Emile Shikhani Taline Voskeritchian Hovhannes Keoylian Robert Krikorian Anuar Naim-Said Sylvia Saadah Dina Shiyati Ruth Weckerling Hermineh Kessoyan Samirah Kupti Abdul-Karim Nakkash Jumah Sabbah Feryal Shoup Samuel P. Whitsitt Vartan Kessoyan Katherine Kyprianides Paul Nakkash Joseph Sadikian Huda Shuayb Jurjus Yazbik-Karam Silva Khachadourian Abdul Latif Ramzi Nasif Sayad Kazem Sadr Salim Shumaylah Berj Yenovkian Tarik Abd. Khal Charis Loizides Kamil Nasir Nizar Ahmad Saleem Riyad Shurbaji Muna Yunis Muhsin Khalil Tawfic Mabsut Muna Nasr Nasr Salih Antoine Sioufi Nabil Zakhariyya Abid Khan Yusuf Mahmud Muna Nasrallah Amal Sallum Harrys Stephanou Ramiz Zakhariyya Dilshad Khan Muhammad Mahmud Howard Kenneth Maladh Salman Bushra Sultan Sami Zakka Mhd Azam Khan Mhd.Javad Majd- Norrish Samih Samaha Raja’ Sultan Jean Jacques Zamet Saleem Khan Zarringhala Nahla Obeid Edward Sarkis Ohannes Sussanian Vahan Zanoyan Hasan Khansa Amir Ali Khan Majlish Peter Ourfalian Shoushanig Sarkissian Ni’mah Tabit Themis Zavrou Hovsep Khatchadourian Razaq Ahmad Malkana Minas Ozkaya Maha Sayigh Omar Take Amal Zayn Nabil Khayrallah Aida Mary Mamarbashi Simpson Pao Sossy Scheier Vartkes Takhtajian Marwan Zaytun Suhair Khayri Serpouhie Mananian Katina Papastylianou Raymond Sfeir Ziad Takieddin Ziad Zennie

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 57 Beyond Bliss Street class notes

1970s Wafa Kays (BA ’80) has earned a master’s in educa- Mohamad Khawlie (BS been a full-time language tion/psychology and her ’71) is a free-lance consult- teacher at the American teaching diploma at LAU. ant at the Qatar Foundation. Community School in Beirut During Lebanon’s civil war In 1975 he earned his PhD since 1993. Since 2005 she years, Kays lived in in environmental geology has also taught intensive Washington, DC. She is the at the University of Illinois. Lebanese dialect for the author of Communicate Khawlie and his spouse SINARC summer program at Wafa’s Way, a work on spo- Sawsan Yamout (BA ’75, the Lebanese American ken Lebanese Arabic. Kays is MA ’85) have one daugh- University. In 2004 Kays the very proud mother of ter, now a student at AUB. in constructing power substa- They live in Doha and Beirut. tions: GTI (Qatar) and GTPP [khawlies(at)yahoo.com] (Saudi Arabia). Stephan and his spouse Viviane Tarabay Khalil Klink (BEN ’70) is a (BS ’85) have three children: senior civil engineer at the Kristina (expected BE ’12), Council for Development and Carla (a pre-med sophomore in Reconstruction in Beirut. Klink biology), and Caline. The fam- and his wife Minnie Zeenni, ily lives in Jal El Dib, Lebanon. who has a master’s in jour- [a.stephan(at)asc.com.lb] nalism, have three children: Antoine (BEN ’03) has a 1980s master’s from the University Nazih Abdulrahman Kalo of Southern California, Rania (BBA ’05) has an MBA from Manchester University, and Issam (BBA ’07). They live in Mark Hamdan (BEN ’80) CEO of HRSmart Inc., the company Beirut. [klink48(at)hotmail.com] he founded in 1999, opened a branch in Lebanon in 2006 because he wants to hire AUB graduates. His Texas-based Walid Nasr (BEN ’71) is company creates software a contracts formation man- that helps companies man- “If I were to attribute ager at Heisco. [walidn(at) age their human resources. my success to one hotmail.com] Hamdan started down this single element, I (BS ’80) has been awarded a path when his older brother would choose AUB.” Vera Ghali (BA ’78, MA chartered manager certifi- took out a loan to fund his —Mark Hamdan ’83) is a pediatrician and cate from the Chartered first year at AUB; scholar- psychologist. She works for Management Institute in the ships enabled him to con- founder of HRSmart Inc. the Middle East Institute of United Kingdom. Kalo is the tinue and graduate. “If I were Health in Bsalim, Lebanon. executive manager of King to attribute my success to one single element, I would choose Fahad Quran Printing AUB,” he writes. He’d like to thank his wife, Weeda, for her Aziz Stephan (BE ’79) is Complex in Al-Madina support. [mhamdan(at)hrsmart.com] Extended interview: founder, CEO, and manag- Al-Munawara, Saudi Arabia. ing director of Aziz Stephan He is married to Zubaida More On-line Contracting (Lebanon) and Naamani. [kalofamily(at) two companies that specialize yahoo.com]

58 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Beyond Bliss Street class notes

Morgan, who works for AIR Carla-Maria Khanjian (BA ’82, MA ’86) Hollywood in California and and Irma Khanjian (BA ’81) have been busy graduated from the since they last lit up the pages of this maga- zine two years ago. Now CEO and executive director, respectively, of Befutur Suisse, the biotechnology company behind La Peau anti-oxidant and anti-wrinkle cream (www. LaPeauSkincare.com), the two sisters recent- ly told the story of their “miracle product” on famed Canadian interviewer Robert Scully’s “The World Show.” Their reach is increasingly global, from Beverly Hills to the Middle East; they expanded, most recently, to Lebanon, Dubai, Qatar, and Jordan. The two sisters found them- University of California at selves working in biotechnology, then put up their private savings San Diego in 2006 where he to buy the company when they saw the cosmetics potential in an studied communications auspicious scientific discovery. Nowadays they regularly enter- media; Lara (BBA ’08), who tain offers by major players to buy the company but, as Scully works as an event organizer put it and the two agreed, they’re “dating” but they’re not yet at Mix FM radio station in ready for “marriage.” [irma(at)befutur.com] [carla(at)befutur.com] Beirut and is a member of Extended interview on-line. the AUB Choir Society; and More On-line Sergio, who is a sophomore at AUB. Kays reports that of Obstetrics and Gynecology Samir Hulileh (MA ’84) and all three children are talent- at Baptist Women’s Hospital ed in music and have beau- in Memphis. He is married to tiful voices. [wkays(at)acs. Suha Tamim (BS ’84, MPH edu.lb] ’86). They reside in Germantown, Tennessee Riad Homsi (BS ’82, MD ’86) with their two children: Maysam and Sami. [riad(at) homsi.org]

Mowafak Taha (BS ’82, cation from the International MS ’84) is a project man- his wife Sawsan B. Dweik Purchasing and Supply agement consultant. After (MA ’86) earned their mas- Chain Management Institute earning his master’s in irri- ter’s degrees in social and (IPSCMI). Jamaleddine cur- gation at AUB, he earned a behavioral sciences. They rently lives in Dubai, UAE. second master’s in environ- have an eleven-year-old [Hassan133(at)hotmail.com] mental engineering from the daughter. is a fellow of the American University of Toledo in 1997. Mona El Kouatly (BS ’88, College of Obstetricians and Taha and his spouse Nadia Hassan Ghanem MPH ’93) is an adjunct Gynecologists, a member of Farhat (expected BS ’11) Jamaleddine (BA ’86) is a instructor at AUB. She and the North American have two children and live customer service manager her husband Yehia Kambris Menopause Society, and in Toledo, Ohio. [motaha(at) at MSD (Gulf). In 2009 he have three daughters and chairman of the Department sbcglobal.net]. earned supply chain certifi- live in Beirut.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 59 Beyond Bliss Street class notes

Ghinwa Jalloul (BS ’83, MS ’86) founded and leads three children and live in 2007. Haidar-Ahmad mar- the international IT consultancy *.Technology sarl. She Beirut. [maha.ismail(at)soc- ried Rana Sabra in served as a member of the Lebanese Parliament gen.com] or [mahayounes Lebanon in 2010. They cur- for eight years until 2009 during which she headed 2000(at)gmail.com] rently live in Phoenix, Arizona. the Information Technology Committee and drafted related laws. UNESCO honored her with its Samer Zeinoun (BEN '92, Lama Nassar (BA ’93) is a 2009 Creativity Award and the Stockholm EMBA '11) In June 2010 Challenge selected her as a winner in 2010 Zeinoun moved to Qatar as for joining the fight against illiteracy with IKRAA general manager of Circle e-learning software. Jalloul received the dis- Qatar, Ltd. Zeinoun mar- tinguished Arab Woman Award for her achieve- ried Caline Jabbour in ments in the public sector in 2008. Lebanese women 2000. [samerzeinoun(at) entrepreneurs, designers, and young people have taken a hotmail.com] step forward thanks to her pioneering on-line marketplace, Souk Orjuwan. As a professor of computer science at AUB Dalal Aref Aziz (BS ’93, (1994-2000), she contributed to the establishment of MD ’97) is a general surgeon bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science (fellow of the Royal College market research consultant at and AUB external programs in information and com- of Surgeons of Canada) and MRO. Nassar and her spouse puter technology. [ghinwa.jalloul(at)gmail.com] works at Halton Healthcare in Dr. Salem Taghlabi have two Ontario, Canada. [dalalaziz children and live in Houston, 1990s Partners. In 2001, he joined (at)hotmail.com] Texas. [lillasal(at)aol.com] Mirna Abbas (BA ’90) is the Master of Urban Design program at AUB. Raad and Zahi Haidar-Ahmad (BS Marwan El Khalil (BA ’94, his spouse Bariah El Zein ’93, MD ’97) is a neonatologist (BS ’89, MS ’91) have four with Neonatology Associates children and live in Muscat, Oman. [muscat(at)dargroup. com]

Maha Younes (BA ’91) is a

a translator at the United Nations. In 1993, she MMB ’97) is the manager of earned a diplôme d’études the main branch of Banque supérieures spécialisées in Phoenix, Arizona, a medi- Libano-Francaise SAL in (DESS) in specialized trans- cal director of the Newborn Hamra. El Khalil and his spouse lation from the Ecole supéri- Intensive Care Unit Rayane Hallab have a baby eure d’interprètes et de tra- at Phoenix Baptist Hospital, boy, Karim and live in Beirut. ducteurs (ESIT). She lives in branch manager at Société and has been a clinical assis- [marwan.elkhalil(at)yahoo.com] New York City. Générale de Banque au tant professor at the Liban. In 2005, she earned University of Arizona since Serge Cherfan (BEN ’95) is Bilal Raad (BAR ’91) is a her MBA in management. 2008. He completed his the chief financial officer of resident manager at Dar Younes and her spouse MBA at the University of Amwal Al Khaleej, a lead- Al-Handasah Shair and Omar Ismail (BEN ’83) have Rochester, New York in ing private equity invest-

60 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Beyond Bliss Street class notes

Aida Mansour (BA ’90) fulfilled a lifelong dream in 2010 when she opened Café Arabia in Abu Dhabi. “This cafe embodies my love of art and literature,” she writes. “It’s an open forum to have a dialogue and learn about each other over a cappuccino and a fatouche salad.” Dignitaries, book clubs, and traveling musicians have quick- ly taken to the two-story café and its mis- sion. Mansour credits her father, ment company in the MENA (1993–2006) as a teacher and Abdul Rahman Mansour (BS region. Cherfan and his wife team leader at the American ’70), for inspiring her with his Randa Abla (BBA ’97, MMB Community School (ACS) in tolerance and humanity. By ’01) have three children and Beirut. She left ACS to com- happy coincidence, the café live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. plete her doctorate at Saint is just across the street from [serge(at)amwalalkhaleej.com] Joseph University in Beirut the Choueifat International School in 2008. Other professional he once directed. Abdul Rahman Amer Karam (BS ’96, MD achievements include devel- Mansour left Choueifat in 1996 and is now ’00) is an assistant clinical oping the Lebanese new sci- the CEO of the Abu Dhabi-based Global ence curriculum, writing three Education Consultancy [servicerangers science textbooks for Grades (at)yahoo.com] 1-3 with the National Center for Educational Research and Leila Serhan (BBA ’96) Development in Beirut, and clearly thrives on chal- presenting numerous work- lenge. She spent her shops nationally and inter- childhood abroad, but nationally on teaching and calls enrolling in AUB a assessment methodologies. turning point in her life. Mazraani plans to move to Ever since then she has professor at the David Istanbul, Turkey in 2012 to chosen jobs with the Geffen School of Medicine at work as the academic coor- larger aim of helping to UCLA. He currently lives in Los dinator at the Enka Schools. build Lebanon’s econ- Angeles, California. [akaram(at) [nohamazraani(at)hotmail.com] omy. As country manager for Microsoft Lebanon, Serhan is MedNet.UCLA.edu] responsible for the sales and marketing of Microsoft products Dana Chamseddine and services, and oversees business operations in emerging Noha Mazraani (MA ’96) markets, specifically in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, is currently working in Abu and the Palestinian territories. Seven years experience with Dhabi as a curriculum and Microsoft has given her a multilateral view of the company, staff development consultant from finance and business strategy to marketing and sales. at Horizon, a private school. Previously, she spent six years as a finance manager with Prior to that, she spent three LibanCell, which provides GSM mobile services in Lebanon. years in Cairo at Hayah She is currently vice president on the board of the Lebanese International Academy as head networking platform, Women in Information Technology (WIT). of its Science Department. [leila.serhan(at)microsoft.com] Mazraani spent 13 years

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 61 Beyond Bliss Street class notes

(BEN ’99, BA ’07) is MIS (Management of Informa- tion Systems) department manager at Al-Mawarid Bank in Beirut. [dana. Chamseddine (at)almawarid. com]

Lilian Ghandour (BS ’99,

Zeina Kronfol (BS ’06) and three partners—Jamil Corbani, Oliver Wehbe, and Marc Abi Haila—prevailed over 10 other finalists to win the 2011 Grow My Business Competition cosponsored by the Beirut Traders Association, the MIT Enterprise Forum of the Pan Arab Region, and Bank Audi. Kronfol cofounded and is creative director of Green Studios (http:// www.greenstudios.net/), a Beirut-based landscape architectural platform established in 2010. Green Studios specializes in landscape designs that incorporate hydroponic solutions. They plan to spend the LL50,000,000 prize money to expand their research unit on roof and wall gardens. Previously, Kronfol worked as a landscape designer at Exotica Emirates LLC MPH ’01) earned a doctorate in Abu Dhabi. [zkronfol(at)greenstudios.net] from the School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins Farhat (BS ’01). [kaafarani(at) Najwa Jureidini (BA ’00) is Kamal Sanjakdar (BEN ’01) University in 2008. She and gmail.com] is currently manager of corpo- her husband Mohamad rate planning at Transocean. Abiad (BEN ’98), who earned 2000s He earned an MBA from a PhD in food processing Mohamed Ghalayini (BA INSEAD in 2008. Sanjakdar engineering from Purdue ’00) is the CFO of Lumiere lives in Geneva, Switzerland. University, were married in Group. He previously worked December 2010. Both are with KPMG Lebanon Fawzi Melhem (BS ’01, MS currently faculty members at ’02) was elected to AUB’s AUB. Since 2008, Ghandour Board of Trustees for a three- has been an assistant profes- year term as a young alumni sor of epidemiology and bio- a lecturer at AUB, Antonine trustee in 2010. He is statistics at the Department of University, Amideast, and Epidemiology and Population American University of Health [lg01(at)aub.edu.lb] Science & Technology. In 2009, she earned a doctor- Haytham Kaafarani (BS ’99, ate in education at Saint MD ’03) is a fellow in acute Joseph University. Jureidini care surgery at Massachusetts and Abdul Latif Jameel and her husband Raed General Hospital and Harvard International Company in Jureidini, who earned a doc- Medical School in Boston. Lebanon and Algeria. He is torate in 1994, have two chil- He also earned an MPH at married to Yasmin dren and live in Beirut. Harvard University. Kaafarani Iskandarani. [ghalayini. [lamirico(at)gmail.com] general manager of Radius is married to Dr. Maha Reda mohamed(at)gmail.com] (a water conservation com-

62 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Beyond Bliss Street class notes

pany) and the regional man- writes, “The change was management at Middlesex ager for FITCO Industries mainly driven by my pas- University. Poort and her hus- London (landscape irrigation) sion for distributed systems band David, who is a produc- for the Middle East. Melhem is and cloud technologies, er at Al Jazeera’s English tel- a lecturer at AUB’s Landscape which my new position deals evision network, live in Doha, Design and Ecosystem with on a day-to-day basis.” Qatar. [hiba.abboud(at)gmail. Management Department and [jade(at)naaman.info] com] a regional consultant for water conservation and irrigation. Samah Rifai Osman Shadi Mashal (BS ’05) He lives in Baabda, Lebanon. (BS ’03) and her husband is a senior consultant [f.melhem(at)hotmail.com] and enterprise architect at A W Rostamani, Shift Nael Alami (MS ’03) is a Technologies. In 2005, he post-doctoral research fel- started his career with SABIS, low at St Jude Children’s Oman, and then moved Abdelrahman Abdalla (BBA Research Hospital. In 2009, to the UAE to work with ’07) is MENA business TECHNIP as senior software development manager with developer/specialist, quality engineer, and later as project leader. During his work with Walid Osman are proud to TECHNIP, Mashal was elect- announce the arrival of their ed with another colleague to the three-year-old global net- son Omar who was born on represent his department on work EFactor, which bills itself November 29, 2010 in Al a six-month critical mission as the “World’s Largest Mashrek and weighed 5 of knowledge transfer from Entrepreneur Community.” pounds, 5 ounces. TECHNIP-USA to TECHNIP- For Abdalla, it’s part of a larger he earned his doctorate in UAE. The mission was a suc- mission: “I want to raise neuroscience at Ohio State Ibrahim Jour (BS ’04) writes: cess and was published in awareness about investing in University. Alami moved to “I would like to express my numerous magazines and entrepreneurs and motivate Memphis, Tennessee in 2010 appreciation for your continu- newspapers, including USA [entrepreneurs] in the Middle to join the lab of Dr. J. Paul ous efforts in updating me Today. Shortly after his return East.” He invites members of Taylor investigating the with all AUB news. This is to the UAE, Mashal and his the AUB community to regis- molecular mechanisms of a beloved university which I team won the 2009 Franklin ter at the website (www.efac- neurological diseases. [n. was proud to graduate from Award for most innovative tor.com) and take advantage alami(at)gmail.com] in 2004.” Jour is a medi- technological achievement of the opportunities for men- cal doctor who is the great for their work on the navy torship. Abdalla has also Jade Naaman (BS ’03) grandson of Sultan Abdul tracking system that helped worked as a financial analyst recently accepted a posi- Hamid the Second. TECHNIP defend its ves- for global investment firms tion as a software develop- sels and staff against piracy. and oil and gas companies ment engineer at Microsoft Hiba Abboud Poort (BS ’04) Mashal lives in Abu Dhabi, such as ME Invest and Shell Corporation in Redmond, is a senior human resources UAE. [shadi.mashal(at)gmail. Oil Company. He expects to Washington. Naaman was advisor at Halcrow Consulting com] become a chartered financial formerly employed as a Engineers and Architects. analyst in 2012. [aabdalla(at) software engineer at Epic She is working towards her Issam Shihab (BBA ’06) efactor.com] Systems Corporation. He master’s in human resources is an internal auditor at

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 63 Beyond Bliss Street class notes

is a third grade homeroom RECENTLY teacher at Sagesse High HONORED School in Ain Saadeh. In Fall Yusuf Hannun (BS ’77, MD 2011, she expects to earn ’81) was recently named the an MA in educational leader- winner of the Avanti Award ship at the Lebanese in Lipids by the American American University. Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). In Mohammad Farhat (BE ’07) addition to a plaque, Hannun received $3,000 and travel Fransabank SAL. In 2011, and graduated with high dis- expenses to present a lecture he earned a certificate in tinction. During his studies, at the ASBMB annual meeting. internal audit (CIA) at Morgan he interned at DTE Energy, The annual award recognizes International. Shihab lives in a Fortune 500 electric util- Hannun’s work on bioactive Beirut. [i.shihab(at)gmail.com] ity. He has just started his sphingolipids, a class of lipids engineering career at Chrysler that have emerged as criti- Josiane Dagher (BA ’07) LLC working in engine devel- cal regulators of a multitude opment. [ayyash.a2(at)gmail. of cell functions. Hannun has com] [FB.com/akram.ayyash] authored hundreds of peer- lives in Doha, Qatar. reviewed publications. He [jaguar.002(at)gmail.com] has also edited seven books and published five patents. Akram Ayyash (former stu- He spent nearly two decades dent, 2007–09) transferred working in multiple capaci- to the University of Michigan ties at Duke University and its medical center. Hannun is professor and department chairman at the Medical Attention University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. alumni! He is married to Lina Marie Ubayd (MD ’83).

Get on the Thomas L. Khoury (BS ’77, MD ’82) was awarded the Master Faculty Award WAAAUB social networks by Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and keep up to date with your friends and AUB! (OU-COM). He is a clinical professor of general surgery To find us on Facebook search: WAAAUB-AUB Alumni at Southern Ohio Medical Check our tweeting on Twitter: @aubalumni Center. Awarded only every five years, the Master Faculty WAAAUB Facebook and WAAAUB Twitter Award recognizes exem- plary faculty members of

64 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Beyond Bliss Street class notes

the Centers for Osteopathic Forum for Environment and the University of Washington. recordings. His musical curi- Research and Education Development (AFED); and She is a 2004 distinguished osity also led him to explore (CORE), OU-COM’s system president of LATA/MECTAT, graduate of the National War other styles of music includ- of affiliated teaching hospi- an environmental resource College, National Defense ing Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, tals in Ohio. In 2006, Khoury center he founded in Beirut University, with an MS in Flamenco, electronic, and was awarded the CORE in 1982. His professional national security studies. Arabic. After receiving his Outstanding Faculty Award. experience ranges from bachelor’s degree in computer He received additional medi- designing for multination- Tarek Yamani (BS ’01) was science, he decided to focus cal training at the University als like General Motors to chosen to perform at the full-time on music. In 2005, of Miami, Harvard University/ lecturing in architecture at Montreux Jazz Piano Solo he received a full scholarship Beth Israel Hospital, Tufts AUB, advising various gov- Competition in 2010, was to attend the Netherlands’ University/Baystate Medical ernments and agencies on presented with the prestig- Prins Claus Conservatorium, Center, and Boston University. environmental issues, and ious Prins Bernhard Cultural where he graduated summa Khoury is board certified in writing on sustainable devel- Foundation grant, and select- cum laude in 2009. Yamani nutrition, surgery, and vascu- opment and technology. He lar technology. is the 2003 laureate of the United Nations Environment Najib W. Saab (BAR ’78) Programme’s Global 500 Award for environmental achievements. As a Zayed Prize winner, Saab received a trophy, a Zayed Prize diplo- ma, and a financial award.

Susan L. Ziadeh (MA ’78) has been appointed ambas- sador to Qatar. Ziadeh, who is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, has served as deputy chief of was jointly awarded the mission at US embassies in Zayed International Prize for Bahrain (2004-07) and Saudi Environment with Dr. Mathis Arabia (2010-11). She was Wackernagel in March also the official spokesperson 2011. The prize is awarded at the US Embassy in Iraq for action leading to posi- (2008-09). Ziadeh’s career ed to participate in the 2011 has performed at festivals tive change in society. An has also included overseas Betty Carter Jazz Ahead resi- and venues across Europe, architect by training, Saab tours in Kuwait, Jordan, and dency at the Kennedy Center. the Middle East, and North is editor-in-chief of Al-Bia Jerusalem. She worked in He studied classical piano as Africa. He has produced and Wal-Tanmia (Environment Washington from 2001 to a child and then turned his performed with the hip-hop and Development), the lead- 2003 as the desk officer for attention to guitar and heavy band Aksser, written music ing pan-Arab magazine on Jordan. In addition to her AUB metal until he discovered jazz for dance and theater per- sustainable development; degree, Ziadeh earned a PhD at the age of 19. Yamani formances, and led jazz founding member and sec- in history from the University taught himself jazz theory workshops at the Palermo retary general of the Arab of Michigan and a BA from and immersed himself in jazz and Realmonte jazz festivals.

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 65 FRIENDS and on April 12 at his home in prominent classical music States and Britain. In 1954 Colleagues Southfield, Michigan. He was conductors, composers, she returned to Beirut to start Nasser Mohammed 89. A graduate of Aleppo scholars, and promoters of the Rehabilitation Department Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi College (1944), Chalabian western classical music in the at AUH where she met and passed away on April 17 joined AUB’s Physiology Middle East, Gholmieh was married Amin Hajj. After train- in Kuwait. He served as Department in 1950 where he president of the Lebanese ing in the United States, he chairman of the MA Kharafi stayed for 27 years. He collab- National Higher Conservatory joined her in the Department Group, which was founded orated with Professor Stanley of Music and founder of of Prosthetics and Orthotics. by his father and is one of the Kerr (former AUB President both the Lebanese National They worked there together largest private companies in Malcolm Kerr’s father) on The Symphony Orchestra and the until 1976 when they moved the Arab world. He was also Lions of Marash in 1973. Lebanese National Arabic to the United States where founder and chairman of the Several years later, Chalabian Oriental Orchestra. “Gholmieh they continued their work in EK Holding Company (Egypt- and his family emigrated to rebuilt the Lebanese National rehabilitation until they retired. Kuwait); managing direc- the United States and set- Symphony Orchestra from Hajj is survived by her sib- tor of Aluminum Industries tled in Detroit. In 1984 his below zero,” recalled AUB lings, Marilyn Loos and David Company WLL; and director first bilingual book, General Trustee Myrna Bustani, Sutton; three children and of a number of other com- Antranik and the Armenian the founder of Lebanon’s their spouses, Nadine and panies. His business empire Revolutionary Movement, Al-Bustan Classical Music David, Karen and Alan, and spread over more than 10 became an international best Festival. “He had a remark- Jamie and Lisa; nine grand- countries and reflected his seller. Chalabian was award- able drive, running not one children, and two great investment philosophy: “I’m ed a doctorate in history by but two conservatories and grandchildren. not in one pot, not in one the University of Armenia in not one orchestra, but two. place, not in one currency.” 1989. He is survived by He brought beauty back to ALUMNI Nevertheless, he had an espe- his children, Annie Hoglind, Lebanon.” Angela Jurdak Khoury (BA cially keen interest in Egypt Jack Chelebian, and Karine ’37, MA ’38) passed away where the Kharafi Group built Koundakjian, eight grandchil- Patience (Penny) Sutton on May 29 at the age of 95. the Port Ghalib International dren, and one great-grand- Hajj passed away on August Khoury, who was Lebanon’s Marina. Al-Kharafi was a child. His wife Siran prede- 24, 2010. Born in 1928 in first woman diplomat, earned generous supporter of AUB, ceased him. Jerusalem to James and a doctorate in international endowing the Mohammed Phyllis Sutton, she grew up in relations from the American Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi Chair Etaf Farah-Bathish was Jordan and Beirut, graduat- University in Washington, in Engineering. Among his born in Lebanon in 1927 and ing from the American DC in 1968. The daugh- many honors are the high passed away on May 19. She Community School. After ter of noted mathematician medal of honor presented by was managing director of and astronomer Mansur HM King Abdullah II in rec- Haski Technical Services in Hanna Jurdak (BA 1901, ognition of Al-Kharafi’s activi- Egypt. Farah-Bathish estab- MA 1907), Khoury began her ties in Jordan and other Arab lished the Bathish Auditorium career as a sociology instruc- countries and an honorary at West Hall in honor of tor and an administrator at doctorate from AUB. He was her late husband Suhail R. AUB. During World War II, a trustee of the American- Bathish (BEN ’59). She is sur- she was assistant director Kuwaiti Alliance and a mem- vived by her two sons, Tawfic of the Allied Powers Radio ber of the board of the Sheikh and Fawzi. Fawzi Farah is Poll of Syria, Lebanon, and Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah on the Middle East Advisory Palestine. In 1945, she was Foundation. Board of the Suliman S. appointed secretary-gener- Olayan School of Business. al of Lebanon’s delegation Antranig Chalabian (former to the UN Conference on faculty), the widely acclaimed Walid Gholmieh passed International Organization author of several volumes away on June 7 at the age of World War II she studied in San Francisco. She later of Armenian history, died 73. One of Lebanon’s most physical therapy in the United represented Lebanon in

66 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Washington, DC and was con- age of 79. He graduated from Moufid Jamil Farra (BBA advisor to the Ministry of sul of Lebanon in New York AUB with a degree in phar- ’58) passed away on March Energy and Mining in and Lebanon’s representative macy. In addition to acquiring 31. He was born in Syria in Khartoum, and as a consul- to the UN Commission on the a pharmacy in Souk el Gharb, 1932. He was deputy chair- tant for sanitary engineering Status of Women. In 1959, he taught biology at IC for man of Capital Guidance for the United Nations World she was awarded Lebanon’s almost 30 years and pub- Corporation and a generous Health Organization for the Order of the Cedar. After lished a textbook on biology supporter of AUB’s Olayan Eastern Mediterranean Region resigning from the Lebanese School of Business, Center in Yemen. He married in 1968 Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Advanced Mathematical and had seven girls: three in 1966, she joined George Sciences, and the College doctors, two engineers, one Mason University in Virginia Hall and Brave Heart Funds. nutrition specialist and one as a professor of govern- Farra was also a board mem- administrative employee. ment until her retirement in ber of the Children’s Cancer 1982. Her husband, Shukry Center of Lebanon and an Salah Mitri Nasrallah (BS E. Khoury, an attorney, pre- adviser to the board of Audi ’61, MD ’65), a gastroenterol- deceased her in 1985. She is Saradar Investment Bank. ogist who had recently retired survived by two sons: Philip S. Khoury (former student Awad Abdelssalam (BEN 1969-70), chairman of the ’61) passed away in AUB Board of Trustees, and September 2010. In addition Professor of History at the to his AUB degree, he earned Massachusetts Institute of for baccalaureate students. a master’s in civil engineering Technology, and George S. Bessos was also a mem- at Colorado State University Khoury, a businessman in ber of the Board of Trustees and received a diploma from Darien, Connecticut; two sis- of Haigazian University for the Building Center of ters, Salma M. Jurdak (BS many years. In 1989, he and Rotterdam. Abdelsalam had ’42) of Washington, DC and his late wife Arpninai emi- a long and successful career Salwa Nawas (BA ’47, MA grated to the United States, as a civil engineer, notably ’48) of Atherton, California, where he continued teaching and two grandchildren. at an Armenian school near his hometown of Glendale, from Johns Hopkins Hospital Rafic Chahine (former stu- California. After obtaining his in Baltimore, Maryland, died dent, 1944-46) passed away American Pharmacy License March 31 after a long illness. at the age of 86. Chahine, in 1994, Bessos switched He was born in Hadeth, who received his doctor- from teaching to manag- Lebanon in 1939. Nasrallah ate from the University of ing a pharmacy. He will be held academic appointments Southern California, served remembered as an inspi- at Hahnemann Hospital in three terms as a member of rational teacher and an Philadelphia (1970-72), AUB parliament. He also headed engaging pharmacist whose (1972-76), Grady Memorial the Ministry of Planning under cheerfulness and enthu- Hospital and Emory former Prime Minister Saeb siasm motivated many to University’s School of Salam (1960-61) and was overcome obstacles and to Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia minister of labor and social succeed. Bessos enjoyed as Sudan’s director of the (1976-81), and the University affairs in 1968. Chahine was gardening, classical music, Surface Water Department, of Maryland School of posthumously awarded the traveling, and the company director general of the Medicine (1981-87). In 1988, National Medal of the Cedar. of his long-time friends and National Administration for his wife E. Eileen Wheeler loving family. He is survived Water, chief construction engi- and his son Marc were killed Bessilios Bessos (BS ’58) by two daughters, a son, and neer at Sudan’s Rural Water in a tragic automobile acci- passed away in 2010 at the four grandchildren. Corporation Headquarters, dent. From 2005 to 2010, he

www.aub.edu.lb/maingate | MainGate Summer 2011 67 was a part-time associate in Brazil, Turkey, and Libya ed reproductive technology contributor to AUB, serving professor of medicine in the before attending AUB. After (ART). In 1982, he helped as president of AUB’s Alumni Division of Gastroenterology earning a master’s degree establish the IVF and embryo Association of North America and Hepatology at Johns at UCLA, she worked as an transfer (ET) programs at (1986-89). He is survived by Hopkins. Nasrallah made sig- English language instructor Columbia Presbyterian his wife Mona N. Mufti nificant contributions to the in Somalia where she met Medical Center in New York. Husami (BA ’70) and three field of gastroenterology and her husband, Jerry Germer. daughters. wrote a seminal paper on They married in Mogadishu Mediterranean abdominal in 1967. They lived, worked, Ibrahim Saeed (BBA ’87) lymphoma. He had a private and studied in Salt Lake City, passed away on May 11.. practice in Baltimore, Utah, and Monrovia, Liberia Saeed, who earned an MBA Maryland from 1987 to 2001. before finally settling in New from Curtain University of A humanitarian who gener- Hampshire where Barber Technology in Australia, ously volunteered his medical enthusiastically played the helped to decentralize and services to the uninsured, trombone in the town band develop industrial fisher- Nasrallah will be sorely for 18 years. She cow- ies and agriculture in the missed by his patients, col- rote a book with her hus- Maldives before forming his leagues, and family. He is band encouraging adults to own transportation, trav- survived by his wife Nancy E. become involved in making el, resort, and real estate Aldridge Nasrallah, his music and two books on development and manage- daughter Laura Muench- teaching English as a second He served as director of the ment companies. He was Nasrallah, his son-in-law language. Center for Endometriosis also involved in innovative August, three grandchildren, Treatment and Research at urban wine making ven- and his older brothers Samir Nabil W. Husami (BS ’68, Columbia University College tures in developing markets and Ghassan Nasrallah. MD ’72) passed away last of Physicians and Surgeons in the Asia Pacific. Saeed March after battling pancre- where he was on staff for is survived by his wife Luci Clare Barber (BA ’64) atic cancer. A recognized more than 20 years and was Guraisha Mohamed and passed away last August at leader in women’s health also a partner at American two sons, Ryan and her home in Marlborough, care issues, Husami was a Fertility Services, PC. He Russel. New Hampshire. She lived pioneer in the field of assist- was an active and generous

We Remember Friends and Colleagues Alumni and Students Janet Hitti Sudki K. A. Khader Salim A. Mansour Mohammad Hassan Saleh Friend of AUB BA ’44, BSCE ’50 BSCE ’64 BS ’83, MS ’85 Nabil E. Zard Abou Victor H. Aramouni Nabil G. Wehbe Abdallah Yousef Lahoud Jaoude BA ’48 BBA ’69 BA ’94 Friend of AUB Husam H. Amad Evette Salim Zakhim Ghassan Haidar Najla AbouJaoude BA ’49 DIPLM ’71 (Nursing) BS ’00, MD ’04 Friend of AUB Muhammad Monzir Habbal Habib I. Bridi Wissam Samir Sarkis BBA ’51 Rami Fouad Makhzoumi BS ’75 BEN ’00 Friend of AUB Nadia Abdul-Karim Khader U. Nuqul Fouad Abdallah Kanaan Sabbagh BBA ’76 Former Student Mohamad S. Manasfi BA ’52 Former Faculty Basil M. Rahim Mohammad Rafik Ibrahim R. Eid BA ’77 Shaheen BBA ’57 Sana Sidani Yammout Former Student Muna Suwaydan Melhem BBA ’79 Mohamed A. El Ballouli BS ’60 AUB Student

68 MainGate Summer 2011 | www.aub.edu.lb/maingate Last Glance Photo © AUB Photography Department / Ahmad El Itani

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Assembly Hall, 1903. Daniel Bliss conveying the university presidency and the key of the College to his son Howard Bliss. Submitted by Nabil W. Abdul-Karim, 1955 graduate of mechanical engineering.