AUC TODAY Fall 2009
Unlocking Arabic
AUC alum Justin Majzub pioneers an innovative design for Arabic letters that turns, swivels and clicks into different forms
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Career Advising and Placement Services tel +20.2.2615.3515 • [email protected] www.caps.aucegypt.edu Contents Ahmad El-Nemr Rania Siam, director of the biotechnology graduate program, is reculturing bacteria under sterile conditions in a laminar flow hood Page 20 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS 10 UNLOCKING ARABIC 3 AUSCENES Justin Majzub (ALU ’84) has developed the Abjad system, which is widely used in Egypt AUC Trustee Kenneth Bacon dies, and the Middle East, to make learning Arabic simple and fun. Sherif Kamel named dean of the new School of Business, New Cairo 14 DORM DOORS OPEN Campus receives land use award, The New Cairo Campus student residences, which opened in January 2009, offer psychology master’s program begins, students the opportunity to live on campus and enjoy campus life. Elsaid Badawi receives CASA’s Lifetime Contribution Award 18 CARING FOR THE CHILDREN AUC’s daycare center provides a service to faculty and staff members, while nurturing ALUMNI PROFILES young children’s talents. 38 Yervant Terzian ’60 received Armenia’s highest honor for his 20 CUTTING-EDGE CURE achievements in astronomy Students and faculty members in AUC’s biotechnology graduate program are researching ways to combat infectious and viral diseases in Egypt. 35 AROUND THE WORLD Alumni meet in various countries 26 A NAME THAT LASTS Continuing a tradition that began on the Tahrir Square Campus, alumni and friends have 40 AKHER KALAM named spaces on the New Cairo Campus as a way of supporting the university. Shaden Khallaf ’98, ’04 recounts INSIDE AUC how her experience with AUC’s 30 FROM Model United Nations paved Alumni of different generations recount their most memorable experience at AUC as the way for her work at the real part of the contest that ran in Inside AUC, the monthly alumni e-newsletter. United Nations 32 INSTRUMENT OF CHANGE John Baboukis, assistant professor of performing and visual arts, has revitalized the university’s music program.
On the cover: Justin Majzub (ALU ’84) has developed an integrated system for teaching Arabic, photographed by Ahmad El-Nemr Editor’s Notes AUC TODAY Fall 2009
Patience and Perseverance Volume 18, No. 1
“If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.”This quote from the Back to the Future movie is very true. If people try hard enough The American University in Cairo is a to accomplish something and persist at it with diligence and patience, it nonprofit private institution devoted to will pay off in the long run. In this issue, we examine two such examples providing English-language liberal arts education to serve Egypt and the from the AUC community. Middle East. “Cutting-Edge Cure” (page 20) highlights how graduate students and faculty members in AUC’s biotechnology program are researching Editor in Chief treatment options for infections as well as viral and genetic diseases, Dalia Al Nimr including influenza, cancer and hepatitis C.While research has been Designer carried out on these diseases in many parts of the world, the notable Hanan Omary aspect about the work done at AUC is that it is focused on strains of the diseases found in Egypt. Current vaccines come from the United States Writers Jeffrey Bellis, Sarah Topol and Peter Wieben and Europe, but the vaccines should be different in Egypt because the virus strains may be different.AUC researchers are working to combat the Advisory Board right strains and identify new ones to increase the effectiveness of the Galal Zaki ’68; Magda Hayek ’72, ’76, ’94; treatment. It may take years to achieve the desired results, but it makes me Adel El-Labban ’77, ’80; Hanzada Fikry ’78, ’81; Omnya Hussein ’88; Nayera Fadel ’94; proud to know that some day, the treatment for strains of influenza Islam Badra ’98;Ahmed Zahran ’02; Raghda particular to Egypt or for hepatitis C, of which Egypt has the highest El Ebrashi ’04, ’07; Dina Basiony ’08 infection rate in the world, may be the result of work done at AUC. Another example is in “Unlocking Arabic” (page 10). Justin Majzub Photography Ahmad El-Nemr and Amira Gabr (ALU ’84), who studied Arabic at AUC, was determined to help others learn the language he struggled with, and he spent more than 20 years AUCToday is published three times developing a system to make learning Arabic simple, easy and fun. His a year by the American University system,Abjad, employs a cornucopia of products, including plastic letters in Cairo. that turn, swivel and click into various shapes, in the same way that Arabic We welcome all letters. Submissions may be letters take up different forms depending on where they are in the word. edited for space and clarity. Please send all Majzub’s system is now widely used in Egypt, the Middle East and correspondence to: different parts of the world. His persistence and hard work have paid off, AUCToday and children and adults alike are benefitting from the Abjad system. The American University in Cairo The type of research being done through AUC’s biotechnology program AUC Avenue and Majzub’s Abjad system demonstrate that with P.O. Box 74 patience and perseverance, you will get there.The New Cairo 11835 Egypt key is to have the heart to follow through and or not give up. AUCToday The American University in Cairo 420 Fifth Avenue,Third floor New York,NY 10018-2729 USA
tel 20.2.2615.2405 (Egypt) [email protected] www1.aucegypt.edu/publications/auctoday
2 AUCTODAY Fall 2009 InBox
AUCToday Mail I write to thank you and your team for the excellent issue of AUCToday’s special edition. It is simply such a wonderful event to be able to share 90 years of celebration and the opening of the new campus through AUCToday.Thanks to the editorial team. Mabrouk! John Macgregor ’69, England and France
As a 1952 AUC graduate, I thoroughly enjoyed AUCToday’s Celebrating 90 Years issue. I was also pleasantly surprised to see myself in one of your pictures: page 41 under “Story of the Caravan.” I am the taller one, and Lilly Hayat is on the left. I understand that Lilly passed away in Paris several years ago of cancer.AUC is quite unrecognizable each time I visit Egypt and when I read the magazine, but this issue brought back wonderful memories and it will go in our family album! All the best! Helene Moussa ’52, Canada Inside AUC, Monthly Alumni E-newsletter
I applaud this wonderful decision to make good use of Mr. Nabil Fahmy’s capabilities and benefiting of his vision in this new challenging position. Good luck to you all. Abdalla Zaki ’72, United States
I was so happy to read a message from my dear old friend Motaz Derhalli ’62. He took me back to our good, old days in AUC, the old campus and the images that it brought back as if it were only yesterday. I was also happy to read in the same newsletter the appointment of another friend H.E. Mr. Nabil Fahmy as head of the new School of Public Affairs.A worthy appointment. Greetings to all 1962 graduates and friends. Khalil Othman ’62, Switzerland
A quick note to say how pleased I was with my June issue of Inside AUC. It was my first since I joined the alumni online community.Your coverage of the homecoming weekend on the new campus was excellent. I felt I was right there celebrating with fellow AUCians.Also, the story on Omar Samra’s conquests was inspiring. Omar never seizes to amaze. I hope the Class Notes section is a regular feature of the newsletter. It’s so much easier to find the notes here than by searching for them online. My June class note has had the fantastic result of putting me in touch with a very dear friend I haven’t seen for nearly 50 years. He saw my note, looked up my e-mail address and wrote. It was a thrill for both of us. Finally, could you, in a future issue, bring us up to date on the work being done on the alumni wall and how the engraving process is going? There is a story in this right there. Motaz Derhalli ’62, Canada
Ed –– AUCToday checked with AUC’s development office.To date, a total of 1,768 bricks have been named.This year, with the closing of the fundraising campaign for the New Cairo Campus and the sale of bricks concluded,AUC has initiated the brick production process. Installation is scheduled to begin within the coming spring semester, and the bricks should be installed by the summer of 2010.
We Would Like to Hear From You AUCToday welcomes letters from readers. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Please send to [email protected] or Editor, AUCToday, Office of Communications and Marketing,AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
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AUC Trustee Kenneth Bacon Passes Away
enneth H. Bacon,AUC trustee, Thailand. Bacon also initiated new K Wall Street Journal reporter and advocacy programs on peacekeeping chief Pentagon spokesman under and statelessness. He played a pivotal former President Bill Clinton, died at role in finding homes for displaced age 64 after a battle with melanoma. Iraqis in Middle Eastern countries “AUC has lost one of its most active and lobbied for more Iraqi refugees and dedicated trustees,” said B. Boyd to be admitted to the United States. Hight, chairman of AUC’s Board of According to The Washington Post, the Trustees.“Ken was a humanitarian State Department increased funding who dedicated his life to bettering the for Iraqi refugees from $43 million to and World Policy Journal, among others. lives of others. Since joining AUC’s $398 million between 2006 and 2008. From 1994 to 2001, Bacon was Board of Trustees in 2003, Ken was an “The U.S. cannot afford to win the assistant secretary of defense for public invaluable resource for the university, military battle and lose the affairs at the U.S. Department of giving generously of his time and humanitarian campaign,” said Bacon, Defense. Prior to that, he was an expertise. Ken was also continuing a who visited refugee camps in Somalia, editor, columnist and reporter for The tradition of service to the university Cambodia and other parts of the world Wall Street Journal for 25 years, that began when his father,Theodore and who frequently wrote articles and specializing in defense, banking, S. Bacon Jr., became a trustee.The appeared as a television host to discuss economics, education and international entire AUC community shares the loss humanitarian issues. finance. He was the paper’s Pentagon of Ken with his father,Ted,and his A few weeks prior to his death, correspondent from 1976 to 1980. wife, Darcy, and his two children, Katie Bacon and his wife Darcy established Bacon was a graduate of the private and Sarah.” the Ken and Darcy Bacon Center for Phillips Exeter Academy in New Bacon was president and chief the Study of Climate Displacement. Hampshire. His father worked at executive officer of Refugees According to Refugee International’s Amherst College in Massachusetts, International, based in Washington, Web site, Bacon wrote a few months from which Bacon graduated with a D.C.Working with the organization before his death,“When I came to BA in English in 1966. Bacon also since 2001, Bacon left a lasting impact. Refugees International in 2001, I received an MBA and an MA in During his tenure, Refugees planned to stay for several years and journalism from Columbia University. International doubled in size and then retire or move on to teaching or He was a member of the Council on adopted a program built on sustained writing, but the challenge of the work Foreign Relations and a board advocacy and pushing for the and the commitment of the staff are member of Population Action international community to meet the too exciting to leave.” International, InterAction and the needs of refugees. Under Bacon’s An expert in international affairs and International Institute for Strategic leadership, Refugees International security issues, Bacon wrote extensively Studies. In addition, he was co- successfully promoted increased about humanitarian issues in The New chairman of the Partnership for protection and support for displaced York Times, The Washington Post, The Effective Peacekeeping and an people in Sudan, Iraq,Afghanistan, Boston Globe, International Herald emeritus trustee of Amherst College Burma, the DR Congo, Colombia and Tribune, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and the Folger Shakespeare Library.
4 AUCTODAY Fall 2009 AuScenes
Sherif Kamel Named Dean of New School of Business
herif Kamel ’88, ’90, professor of management noted, “With the S information systems, director of the university’s establishment of the management center and AUC alumnus, was named dean new School of of the university’s newly established School of Business. Business, it is important “We are very fortunate to have secured an innovative to recognize the educational entrepreneur, a well-regarded research opportunities and scholar and a proven institution-builder to lead our challenges that lay School of Business,” said Provost Lisa Anderson. ahead and to use the The new School of Business will consist of three human capital and departments: accounting, economics and management, state-of-the-art which is the only program of its kind in Egypt and one resources and facilities of only 85 business schools outside the United States at AUC to equip our accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate students with the Schools of Business International. business skills and Kamel received his BA and MBA from AUC and his knowledge needed to PhD from the London School of Economics. He is a excel in an increasing founding member of the Internet Society of Egypt and global competitive market.” has taught in several university programs and training He added that the business community is “hungry for institutes in Egypt before joining AUC in 2001 as a leaders and change agents who can make a difference full-time faculty member.A year later, he was appointed to their organizations and to the community at large. director of AUC’s Management Center, where he has AUC’s new School of Business is well positioned to be pioneered several initiatives in executive education. the primary market supplier of people of this caliber Recipient of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowship in who can adapt to market changes and transform their 2005, Kamel is widely published in the field of organizations so that they are able to compete at the technological development and information systems. highest levels through sharing experiences as well as Looking forward to his new responsibilities, Kamel disseminating knowledge and intellectual content.”
AUC Engineering Students Top Finalists in Global Competition
he innovative design of a bird-like air vehicle that both flaps and folds its wings paved the way for a group of T undergraduate students from AUC to be among the top four finalists in the Student Mechanism and Robot Design Competition organized by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).The competition is a highly recognized student contest that is sponsored annually by ASME, in conjunction with the annual ASME Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. The AUC team, all mechanical engineering majors, is comprised of Ahmed Talaat, Mohamed Nasr and Mohamed Hassan. The AUC students faced off in the final round of the competition in San Diego, California with teams from the University of California, Berkeley; Pennsylvania State University and the National University of Singapore. The AUC student project is a “flap and fold” mechanism to drive the wings of an ornithopter.According to Mustafa Arafa, associate professor of mechanical engineering who recently received the Egyptian National Award in Engineering Sciences and who provided extensive support and encouragement to the student team to enter the competition, Micro Air Vehicles are expected to play a major role in future surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
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New Cairo Campus Receives Land Use Award
UC received a special award from interaction and cultural development; A the Urban Land Institute (ULI) state-of-the-art information technology for the construction and design of its enhancing learning activities within New Cairo Campus.The institute indoor and outdoor spaces; and a noted that the campus is “designed to campus that itself is a learning tool and be a tool and stimulus in itself for stimulus for liberal arts learning. learning and to anchor community A jury of land-use development and development around the university.” design experts selected the 2009 ULI Selected from among 39 entries awards.“These are wonderful representing 17 countries,AUC’s New examples of success that showcase Cairo Campus received the award creativity, innovation and long-term based on five main characteristics: thinking,” said jury chair Ian D. environmental responsive design Hawksworth, managing director, through the use of passive architectural Capital & Counties, London.“Perhaps measures for an energy efficient now more than ever, the ULI Awards campus; architectural design that reflects for Excellence program reminds us of the university mission in a modern the key difference that responsible expression of traditional architecture; design and development can make in community development through terms of longevity and overall producing means for community community sustainability.”
DDC and Aga Khan Trust Beautify Al Azhar Park
he Desert Development Center (DDC) and the Aga limitations that the climate imposed. T Khan Trust for Culture, part of the Aga Khan The realities of seasonal high temperatures, low Development Network, created a cooperative partnership humidity, scant rainfall and desert winds imposed severe to grow plants for Al Azhar Park in Cairo. conditions on the park’s plants and trees.To combat that, The agreement was an opportunity for the DDC to the Aga Khan Foundation focused on growing ornamental begin to gather ideas that could be incorporated into the plants such as bushes, shrubs and trees that could be early planning of AUC’s landscaping efforts on the New sustained in even the harshest of environments. Cairo Campus.“Working with the trust, we learned a lot The lessons the DDC gained from growing the plants of techniques that we could apply here on the new and assisting with the logistics of transporting them from campus,” said DDC Director Richard Tutwiler. South Tahrir to Al Azhar Park paved the way for new As a result,Al Azhar became a model for the New Cairo projects beyond AUC’s campus.The DDC is currently in Campus.The landscape for both the campus and the park negotiations with the Egyptian Ministry of Housing, was designed by architect Maher Stino of Sites Utilities, and Urban Development to build two new parks International, who was adept at finding plants that had in Sadat City and in New Cairo, each of which would be appealing colors and aromas while being mindful of the twice the size of Al Azhar Park.
6 AUCTODAY Fall 2009 AuScenes Hadi Named Editor of Statistics Journal
rofessor Ali S. Hadi, vice provost, P director of graduate studies and research, and director of the actuarial science program, was recently elected Psychology Master’s editor in chief of International Statistical Review (ISR), a flagship Program Begins journal that provides a comprehensive view of work in statistics. tarting this fall, the university began The ISR offers original research S offering several new academic papers, surveys of particular fields in programs that include a master’s in statistics and probability, as well as Islamic studies, a graduate diploma in reports on recent developments such with a specialization in applied as statistics, computer facilities and psychosocial intervention for forced teaching methods. editor in chief will require work, but migrants and refugees, an Hadi was elected editor in chief it is the type of work that I like to do undergraduate minor in rhetoric and based on his research record, editorial and it is an honor that I did not even composition and a new International experience and international dream of.” Counseling and Community visibility.“My election by the ISI Recipient of AUC’s Excellence in Psychology (ICCP) graduate program, committee as an editor in chief of Research and Creative Endeavors the first of its kind in the region. ISR was a big surprise to me because Award in 2007, Hadi is professor The ICCP program will include an I was told that some big names were emeritus and former chairman of the MA in family and child counseling, an nominated,” said Hadi, who still Department of Social Statistics at MA in family and couples counseling, teaches one course per semester.“I Cornell University’s School of and an MA in community psychology, am very happy. I know being the Industrial and Labor Relations. as well as graduate diplomas in general family counseling and community psychology.According to Hani Henry, assistant professor and head of the Ciaccio and El-Hamamsy Pass Away psychology unit, graduates of these programs will be the first practitioners trained in Egypt and the region who icholas Ciaccio, professor emeritus of psychology, and Laila El-Hamamsy, are able to provide a multi-layered Nprofessor emeritus and former director of the Social Research Center, range of family and community passed away last summer. intervention to assist people struggling Having served AUC for more than 30 years, Ciaccio was instrumental in with issues affecting mental health, building the foundations of the undergraduate major in psychology. He was including mental illness and chair of the Department of Sociology,Anthropology, Psychology and psychological issues.“It will also Egyptology three times and was the founder of AUC’s counseling center. In prepare them to work within 1974, he founded the Child Development Center in Cairo, of which he communities, schools, governments remained director until his retirement in 2004. He strongly promoted and non-governmental organizations community service among his students. to develop, implement and evaluate El-Hamamsy joined the SRC in 1954 as a research associate and became its transformative psychosocial director in 1957, a position she held until 1990, with an intermediary period interventions,” he said. from 1976 to 1982, when she worked with the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. El-Hamamsy contributed significantly to the establishment of the SRC as a pioneering center in Egypt. She was honored and recognized by AUC and many international organizations.
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AuScenes
Hassanein Selected to Serve on World Bank, IMF Committee
edhat Hassanein, AUC's professor of finance and Egypt’s M former minister of finance, has been selected to serve on the Joint Committee on the Remuneration of Executive Directors and their Alternates (JCR) of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The JCR is a standing committee constituted each year to make recommendations to the board of governors of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on matters concerning the remuneration and benefits of executive directors and their alternates. “The scope of work of the JCR includes the review of background materials and information concerning the roles and qualifications of executive directors of the two institutions and their salaries and benefits relative to their duties, responsibilities and overall performance, which is then compared to external and internal comparators to determine the remuneration of the president of the bank and managing director of the fund,” explained Hassanein. The JCR includes two additional members chosen from former governors of the bank and the fund on a geographical rotation basis.The members are appointed by the chairman of the board of governors on a joint nomination by the president of the bank and the managing director of the fund.As a former governor to the World Bank representing Egypt and a former minister of finance, Hassanein was nominated to the position.“It is an honor to be selected to serve on the JCR, especially with this scope of work and with such a meticulous selection process,” noted Hassanein, who will serve on the committee for a term of two years.
Arnold Heads Association of American International Universities
UC President David D.Arnold has been elected “bridge for encouragement of quality American-style A president of the Association of American education outside the United States and for the translation International Colleges and Universities (AAICU).Arnold of cultural and educational values in countries where succeeds Richard Jackson, president of the American AAICU institutions are located to constituencies in the College of Thessaloniki in Greece. United States.” AAICU is an association of American universities To further the association’s commitment to that established to promote American standards of education, declaration, it agreed to support a visit by an AAICU cultural exchange, and research and development, as well as delegation to Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2009.The serving to bridge cultures and foster dialogue within the purpose of the delegation’s visit will be to promote framework of the American liberal arts tradition.AUC has international dialogue on the core values of American been a member of AAICU since its founding in 1972. higher education; encourage expansion of support from Arnold’s election as president took place at AAICU’s the U.S.Agency for International Development; and seek annual meeting of the association’s presidents and provosts the extension of Pell grants to U.S. students studying at held in Armenia. During the meeting, the association AAICU member institutions, as well as federal research reaffirmed its commitment to the AAICU Cairo grants eligibility and institutional support to AAICU Declaration, which stated that the association serves as a member institutions.
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Faculty Spotlight
Appeal for Arabic
Instilling a love of Arabic in students, Elsaid Badawi received CASA's Lifetime Contribution Award
utiny.That was the word Elsaid Badawi used to other positions, including executive director. In addition to M describe the state of the Center for Arabic Study this, he has authored two widely acclaimed Egyptian Abroad (CASA) when he arrived at AUC in November publications: Mustawayat Al-Arabiyya Al-Mu’asira fi Misr and 1969.The students had locked themselves in a room and A Dictionary of Egyptian Arabic:Arabic-English. He recently declared,“Our contract is to study Arabic, not to study republished Modern Written Arabic: A Comprehensive with teachers!” Badawi, who was recruited by CASA’s Grammar and Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage. director to quell the student rebellion and revamp the Today, CASA is famous in the United States and curriculum, stormed into the hostile classroom and throughout the world as one of the best language-study immediately made it known that he was a professor of a programs. Badawi attributes the success of the program to different stock.“I see all of you here,” he said.“You are all the type of students it has always attracted, which he also college graduates, and if you think I’m going to teach you says is what motivated him to stick with CASA over the Arabic, you are mistaken. I am simply a resource for you to years.“CASA students are incredibly eager to learn, very learn Arabic.” worried about the grades they get and take studying very Four decades later, Elsaid Badawi is still a professor with seriously.The secret to CASA’s success is the willingness to CASA, an organization that honored his service earlier this trust the students to commit the time and effort required year by presenting him with the CASA Lifetime to learn Arabic,” he said. Contribution Award. Modest about his achievements, Similarly, the students testify to Badawi’s commitment. Badawi declared that all of the other CASA professors and Aysha Selim ’85 was grateful for Badawi’s belief in her.“If students deserve the same recognition. it hadn’t been for him, I would have probably not Originally a professor at Cairo University, Badawi continued,” she said.“I was behind my colleagues, but he jumped at the opportunity to join AUC.With the motto could see through me and believed in me. In just a month, “languages are to be learned, never taught,” he became I had caught up and he said to me,‘You have an instinctive CASA’s curriculum adviser in 1970. His approach to feel for the language and intelligence that make up for lack ensure his students learned the language was to give them of grammatical knowledge, and this is what language is all stacks of reading material in Arabic to improve their about.’Another professor would have probably judged me comprehension –– up to 15 books each semester, three on grammatical knowledge and failed me.And now two short stories and a play to read each weekend. years into the program, I’m invited to attend the MESA AUC rewarded his successful resuscitation of the CASA conference on Arabic language in Boston.This it what program by offering him tenure after only two years. In makes him [Badawi] special and different.” the years since, Badawi’s involvement has shifted to various By Jeffrey Bellis
9 Alumni Profile
Unlocking »`ARABIC ````` ``````````HôY Ahmad El-Nemr Story time at the Moroog Nursery
Justin Majzub (ALU ’84) pioneers an innovative design for Arabic letters that turns, swivels and clicks into different forms, allowing learners to discover the language
By Peter Wieben
he Arabic alphabet is notoriously complex, but I think we’ve managed to make it something with which kids can have a lot of fun,” said Justin Majzub (ALU ’84), whose Abjad Arabic educational system has “T changed the way young students in Egypt and the Arab world are studying Arabic. Abjad consists of an assortment of small plastic magnetized letters that takes up different forms, big wooden letters, write- on and wipe-off picture books, stories, workbooks, coloring books, whiteboards, audio cassettes, puzzles, animal pop-out cards, memory cards, posters, stickers and bilingual CDs of educational games.The whole set makes up a complete Arabic educational system that appeals to children's sense of sight, sound and touch. Majzub is a graduate of AUC’s Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) and the Arabic Language Institute (ALI). His work began shortly after finishing ALI in the late 1980s.Together with his former Arabic tutor at Oxford University, Majzub wrote a story to help children overcome the main problems associated with learning the Arabic alphabet.The story was produced as a children’s play at London’s King Fahad Academy in 1990, and after several revisions, the story was titled The Prince of the Letters (Amir Al-Huruf), an illustrated picture book. To make it easier for children, Majzub color coded all Arabic letters into seven groups, or families, based on the seven colors of the rainbow. Letters in the same group have similar characteristics. In his book, letters live together in the letter kingdom, and each is given a distinct personality, such as hah (h), the queen of the letters.
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The main problem that Majzub, a curriculum. Majzub spent more than nurseries, 350 special-education British citizen of Iranian descent, was 20 years working with parents, schools, 50 educational centers, 20 determined to solve was one that he teachers, calligraphers, writers, adult-education classrooms and faced when learning Arabic –– that a illustrators, animators, designers, approximately 75 top bookstores and single letter can take many forms.“In printers,TV personnel, as well as plastic toy stores. It is also being used in Saudi English, a letter always takes up two and toy manufacturers, to create what Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, forms: uppercase and lowercase,” he comprises the Abjad system.The Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Syria, explained.“You can take a letter and consultants came from different parts of Libya and Sudan, as well as the United put it on a toy block or on a magnet for the fridge, and these are excellent learning tools. But in Arabic that was nearly impossible because a hah [h] has four different forms: a beginning, middle, end or detached form, which look very different.” Working alone with a set of wood- working tools, Majzub began personally crafting letters that could turn, swivel and click into numerous positions.“I came up with a way not only to make each letter take the diverse forms needed to write in Arabic, but also to join them together,” he noted, adding that in the book, letters have hands and tails, can hold each other or hold a tail of their own color at the end of a word. Letters without hands cannot hold the Ahmad El-Nemr following letter in a word.“Through The hamza and vowels become a fun and easy topic with the interactive books, plastic letters and vowel pieces the use of a simple concept such as hands and tails, children understand the world, including Egypt,Turkey, States, Canada and Europe.“We’re why some letters join a following letter Iran, Syria, Jordan, Pakistan, India and ecstatic about how it has been and why some do not,” Majzub said. Malaysia, as well as the United received,” Majzub said. The plastic magnetized letters are the Kingdom, the United States, France, Beyond the colorful products,Abjad 3D manifestation of the letters Switzerland, Spain and Germany. In employs an educational philosophy illustrated in the book.They have a 2001, Majzub moved to Egypt to work based on the work of Diane hinge that allows them to take up more closely with Egyptian schools, McGuinness, an influential author different forms, and tactile learners teachers and other educationalists on whose work in literacy is causing a stir have the opportunity to feel and play the Abjad system. in the educational community.“What I with the letters.What was born was Today, in Egypt alone,Abjad has found is that while children may be more than just a set of magnetized been adopted by 200 learning enough to pass a literacy letters; it was an entire schools and exam, they aren’t actually gaining the skills they need to be functioning readers,” Majzub said.“This goes beyond an academic problem. Learning to read is also the key to becoming a well-balanced, self-confident and self- sufficient individual.”
One of the problems, Majzub revisit that idea through different explained, is that a standard approach media. If you can combine that with a to reading can encourage children to tactile experience, you’ve created a memorize complete words rather user-friendly environment for the than break the word down into its child,” Majzub said. individual sounds.“What you find is The environment is indeed that once a child learns 2,000 or so interactive, and Majzub is quick to words, their performance decreases demonstrate that each of his letters CG rapidly, and this leaves both the child corresponds exactly to the letter and the teacher at a loss as to what painted in his book.“A child can hold went wrong,” he noted. up the plastic letter to the book and Ü In the United States, for example, participate in the experience,” he McGuinness’s research found that if explained.The book itself draws this type of learning is factored into heavily from Arabic aesthetics.“It was O literacy tests, a stunning 43 percent of very important that these materials English-speaking adults would be grow out of an Arabic environment. considered illiterate.“According to this We wanted to give children something research, about half the people you’ll indigenous, not just Mickey Mouse in ê meet in America can’t read,” Majzub Arabic,” Majzub explained. said.“It’s absolutely staggering.” This innovative approach to These statistics inspired Majzub, who learning is catching the attention of had already been working on his Abjad some of Egypt’s leading educators. program for more than a decade, to “There’s a tremendous buzz being redouble his efforts to combat generated,” Majzub said.“The illiteracy.“Children are being confused program is attracting people who have because the systems in use now just no outside incentive to come and don’t work,” he said.“They encourage learn to read Arabic.To me, that says students to parrot words back to the system works.” Ì teachers, not to actually read.” Abjad solves this problem by teaching children to read and write Majzub helps children use the Abjad system Arabic in a systematic approach.“We teach a child in a way that allows them to apply their knowledge to new situations.We don’t ask them to memorize words, but rather we instill them with the tools they need to decode the language,” he explained. The philosophy behind the Abjad system results in a fully integrated multimedia environment for children. The characters, sounds and colors are repeated throughout Majzub’s many materials, so that the lessons a child learns on the first day of class will be continually reinforced throughout the program.“The key is that we introduce an idea and allow a child to
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Zainah Bisharat and Sulafah Al Shami Dorm Doors Open With the opening of the on-campus student residences last year, many now enjoy close proximity to classes and university life
By Jeffrey Bellis and Sarah Topol Photos by Ahmad El-Nemr n January 2009, the student residences on the New Cairo Campus opened their doors for AUC students.This marked the first time since the 1950s, when Hill House was established as the first student dormitory, when students I were able to live on campus. Designed by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, who also designed the Campus
Center, the square buildings are nestled between palm groves, gardens and small courtyards and are intended to resemble a village, or townhouse.They are divided into 12 residential units, or cottages –– seven for women and five for men. Residents live in small apartments with kitchens, personal rooms and a common living space that contains bathrooms, a lounge and study area. Each cottage has a courtyard and roof terrace.The shared common areas downstairs includes a large lounge with a fusball and air-hockey table, group-study rooms and a computer lab. During the academic year, residential life activities include movie screenings, painting classes and yoga lessons.There are also trips organized to various places such as Luxor and Aswan, Mount Sinai and the Black and White Deserts. While the university still maintains its Zamalek dormitory with more than 300 students, a total of 445 students live at the New Cairo Campus residences –– 210 males and 235 females. Living on campus, those students have easy access to class, activities and services and develop a special bond as a group.
Sulafah Al Shami, journalism junior I focus on my studies better because I live on campus. I could use the library until late at night and not worry about getting home.The way the dorms are designed gives a friendly and homely atmosphere. My favorite spot in my room is my desk. It’s really big, and I eat and study there. The common lounge is very welcoming, and there is a lot of privacy. Najib Yang, study-abroad student However, the weather is I like the programs put on by the unpredictable and can residential life staff, and the cleaning be cold at night. service is very efficient. It’s nice being close to classes and having clean air around me.
Najib Yang
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Rabee Kotob, mechanical engineering junior We live like a family, organizing activities, watching a movie, and eating and cooking together. Sometimes, we make pancakes in the morning. Life is much easier Simone Rutkowitz having my “home” on campus. If I forget an assignment, study-abroad student I could come back and get it. Between classes, I could I enjoy living in the apartments in take a shower, grab the laptop from my room or go to the new dorms.The single rooms the gym. My room is especially nice because of the view are very spacious. It is great to have of the food court. a kitchenette in the apartment.The architecture of the dormitories is conducive to communal living. The house keeping staff is very responsible, and the staff is also always on hand to fix any problem that may develop. Unfortunately, the food options on campus are very limited.
Rabee Kotob
Mostafa Atef, chemistry senior I usually work in the backyard and courtyards, and it’s very convenient being only five minutes from class.The dorms here are better and nicer than the ones in the Zamalek, which seemed more like a hotel. I love to be able to run in the morning and work out in the gym.The only disadvantage is that the area around us will take some time to develop.
Amira Hassanein ’09, computer science major I don't have to worry about getting to class. I have made a lot of new friends because I hang out a lot at the communal lobby.There, everyone goes to have fun, playing PlayStation or air hockey, or watching movies. Unlike the Zamalek dorms, these dorms make people come together more. I also like the place itself because of the calm atmosphere; I am able to have peaceful time on my own. We're so far from downtown, but there are always the buses.
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DO NOT USE THE PHOTO THAT WAS HERE
PARENTS TOTAL DISAPPROVE OF THE USE OF THEIR DAUGHTER’S PHOTO
Caring for the Children The daycare ith their tiny hands on each other’s shoulders, children at AUC’s daycare center lined up for their painting activity. Boys and girls in center on the W little aprons stood in front of their palettes making colorful scribbles New Cairo and squiggles.After almost half an hour of messy play, the children lined up again for other free-choice activities that included music, drawing, reading books, going Campus provides out to the garden and playing with construction toys, puzzles and clay. an open The Caring for the Children of AUC Center is the brainchild of Khadiga El Ghazaly, former AUC staff member who currently serves as the center’s director. environment for Spearheading the initial push in the early 1980s, El Ghazaly surveyed faculty and the children of staff members about the need for a daycare facility for their children and helped collect contributions from parents, raffles and bookkeeping services.As a result of AUC employees her vigilant efforts, the first center was inaugurated in 1984 in the old Zamalek to develop at dormitory to serve children of faculty and staff members. Within a span of eight years, the center moved to a villa on Sheikh Rihan their own pace Street, then to the old Falaki building before eventually settling in the rear of the Greek Campus.Today, it has found a new home on the New Cairo Campus.The Photos by Ahmad El-Nemr center, which accommodates up to 80 children, has four classrooms, two napping rooms, a library, a cafeteria, an outside playground and an inside courtyard.
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Providing support to its employees, the university’s president. She was university heavily subsidizes the instrumental in setting up and daycare center by having faculty and customizing the daycare site on the staff members pay only 5 percent of New Cairo Campus when it was all their salaries while the rest of the fees still plans on paper.“We’re a staple on are paid by AUC. the new campus now, and I’m hoping The Caring for the Children of AUC we become more and more a part of Center follows a philosophy focused on the AUC community and that we can offering a stimulating and nurturing be counted on to provide excellent care environment that allows children to and an early preschool experience for learn through play, exploration and the children,” she said. discovery. Learning takes place while Arnold has been active in education children play and interact with each for 25 years.While earning her other and with their teachers in an bachelor’s from Western Michigan open environment, not through a University in English and psychology, formal, tutorial style.“Our philosophy she became a state-certified high school is that each child will grow and learn at teacher. She also earned a degree in their own pace, and we try to work early childhood education from the with the children to find their inner American Montessori Society, strengths,” said Sherry Arnold, certifying her to teach children up to 6 educational consultant and chair of the years of age.When the family moved Sherry Arnold reading stories to the children center’s board of directors. abroad to India,Arnold spent the in this world, which is becoming To achieve the center’s goals, teachers summers in Thailand attaining an smaller and smaller, for people to learn take part in regular training workshops. international teaching license through to respect and have an interest in other “Anytime you work in education, Michigan State University. She has also people’s lives, and this needs to be there’s always something else that you worked at the United Nations School taught early on.” can do, something else you can give, in New York City. Taking children from diverse something else you can learn,” noted “There’s something really engaging backgrounds,AUC’s daycare center Arnold, who helped register the center about working with international starts them on a path that teaches the as a non-governmental organization communities, particularly getting larger ideals of AUC.“An early when she came to Egypt in 2003 to children to have an appreciation for childhood education sets you up for a accompany her husband David D. their own culture and for other people’s love of learning, and that’s what AUC is Arnold, who currently serves as the cultures,” she explained.“It’s important doing,” said Arnold.“It’s teaching in an increasingly diverse world that you need to be open to new ideas and new people.AUC doesn’t teach you what to think; it teaches you how to think, and I believe that process starts early.” A grandmother of six boys,Arnold has established a legacy at the daycare center that continues to this day.As a tribute to her love of children and commitment to AUC’s daycare center, her daughter, Kate, recently named a playground at the daycare center Nana’s Playground, which is what her grandchildren call her. Ì By Sarah Topol
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CUTTING-EDGE CURE
AUC's biotechnology graduate students are researching medications for viral infections and genetic diseases in Egypt
By Sarah Topol Photos by Ahmad El-Nemr
earing a white coat and sterile gloves,Ahmed W Shibl, biotechnology graduate student, sat in the biology department’s laboratory preparing samples of bacteria for DNA amplification with the lab’s new thermal cycler machine. His hand was steady, his gaze intensely focusing on dropping correct amounts of the mixture into tubes. Shibl is one of 52 students enrolled in AUC’s biotechnology graduate program, which started in Fall 2007. Students and faculty members are working on an array of projects, including developing treatment options for hepatitis C and other illnesses that include cancer, genetic diseases and influenza.The program is taking an innovative approach by focusing its research on the distinctive needs of people in Egypt and the Middle East.
From the Lab to the Real World Utilizing the university’s high-tech facilities, particularly the Yousef Jameel
Azzazy and Sherif Shawky, doctoral student with the biotechnology group at the Yousef Jameel Science and Technology Research Center, examine the color signals generated by gold nanoparticles to develop sensitive and direct detection of hepatitis C virus in human serum
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Siam and biotechnology graduate students Ghada Mostafa and Ahmed Shibl discuss cloning results in the biology department laboratory
Science and Technology Research Fighting the Virus Center,AUC’s biotechnology With hepatitis C, faculty members researchers are finding real-world and students are working to develop applications for their projects, enabling ultra-sensitive, low-cost testing for them to address crucial issues in the the disease and are using the latest fields of pharmaceutics, diagnostics, research in genomics and agriculture and the environment. One bioinformatics to understand how the such project was conducted by Shibl virus mutates.They are also working and Rania Siam, associate professor of on treatment options, trying to biology and director of AUC’s identify how to target the delivery of biotechnology graduate program, who hepatitis C medicine straight to the both lived and worked in the Red Sea liver.“There has been a lot of work for two weeks on the Woods Hole done in genomics, but most of it deals Oceanographic Institute scientific with strains of the disease and research vessel, Oceanus.The AUC genotypes that we don’t see in researchers, working as part of a larger Egypt,” said Hassan Azzazy, chair of international collaborative research the chemistry department. expedition, aimed to identify bacteria Other work includes research into with potential anti-microbial properties genetic predisposition to infection and that live in brine pools 2,300 meters cancer, and mapping the genome of beneath the water’s surface with influenza to develop a long-term temperatures up to 70 degrees Celsius. vaccine instead of the current yearly This is part of a drug discovery project injection.“We have identified for the identification of new conserved [non-mutated] regions in the compounds with potential virus and are now targeting those biotechnological applications. regions of influenza with a “The environmental genomic revolutionary drug that can eliminate project of the Red Sea is one of the not just avian, but swine and seasonal few research projects in the region that influenza as well,” said Siam. will have an environmental, biological, Students are also working directly biotechnology and pharmaceutical with international specialists at the impact,” explained Siam.“It exposes U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit-3 our students to contemporary science on infectious diseases.They are and technologies and allows them to involved in sequencing the genome of utilize cutting-edge experimental and avian and swine influenza strains in analytical tools in several Egypt. Other students are researching interdisciplinary fields such as marine diarrheal pandemics caused by biotechnology, genomics and bacteria such as vibrio cholerae, which bioinformatics.” kills children due to dehydration. For Shibl, the experience provided a “These studies have inherent value unique learning opportunity.“It was for the country,” explained Siam.“The very educational for me because there majority of vaccines currently is no other way I would have dealt administered are designed in Europe or with such sophisticated sampling and North America against the bacterial filtering equipment except through this strains in these regions.Therefore, project,” he said.“I also met scientists assessing the predominant bacterial from different countries and was strains contributing to diseases in Egypt exposed to new types of experiments.” will allow the design of effective
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Shibl and Siam on board the research vessel Oceanus (owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute), as part of the scientific crew on the Red Sea genomics AUC-KAUST collaborative research project
vaccines and appropriate treatment “One milliliter of seawater contains ethics and patent laws, and translate strategies that will decrease the regional around 1 million bacteria, but so far we ideas into products.” disease burden.” have only identified 1 or 2 percent of To help develop their business skills, the total,” said Hamza El Dorry, chair students have the opportunity to take Professional Partnerships of the biology department, adding that a course in biotechnological Besides the technical expertise, the having such a facility at AUC would entrepreneurship, taught by Azzazy. program emphasizes increased enable the university to exchange The course includes a business collaboration with the biotechnology information and findings with the local component and features lecturers on industry, giving students the chance to and international scientific how to assess the market, write a work and train in biotechnology firms communities. business plan, as well as understand in Egypt. In addition,AUC is Because of its interdisciplinary nature, competition and the international collaborating with the King Abdullah the program prepares its graduates to be market.“This is how we can help the University of Science and Technology, industry leaders in the field of Egyptian economy and put Egypt on a world-class graduate-level research biotechnology.“We did not start this the global map in terms of university in Saudi Arabia.The program to graduate another batch of biotechnology,” said Azzazy. partnership involves establishing a technicians,” said Azzazy, explaining that For students, the learning experience genomic facility at AUC, which the goal of the program is to train is unique.“Biotechnology is a new would help researchers isolate students in three areas: basic sciences, field, a new science so you get to bacterial genomes, sequence their biotechnology applications and explore many things,” said graduate DNA, map the microbes for the entrepreneurship.“We need leaders student Lamyaa Abdel Hamid.“It’s not discovery of biotechnological and who can spot an opportunity, form so fixed or rigid like taking only pharmaceutical products. teams, form companies, understand biology or chemistry, but you have to
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connect between every field of Azzazy, Shawky and Mansour discuss the signals generated by different colored nanocrystals that are used to science, even computer science.” label biological molecules such as antibodies and nucleic acids for the development of ultrasensitive diagnostic tests for infectious agents and other disease markers Most students who complete the bioentrepreneurship course get selected for the Novartis Biotechnology Leadership Camp. During this event,AUC students work in groups that include students from other universities in Egypt and the Middle East. Participants are expected to make market assessments and strategic business plans for a biotechnology company or issue. Venture capitalists and leading members of the Ministry of Industry are invited to attend the presentations and evaluate the proposals.This year, AUC graduate student Reem Al Olaby was chosen from among 25 young men and women from Egypt, Morocco and Palestine to attend the Novartis Biotechnology Leadership Camp in the United States. In 2008, the winning team included two AUC graduate students, Mai Mansour ’06 and Lobna Aboul Dahab ’07. Mansour was then selected to travel to Hong Kong for the international competition. “It was really quite an experience,” said Mansour, who is studying for a master’s in biotechnology and works as a research assistant at AUC’s Yousef Jameel Science and Technology Research Center.“Most of the other students had more experience and training than me, but I felt comfortable because I had done class projects similar to the case studies Novartis gave us.” Mansour, who participated in the 2004 Olympics in archery, plans to continue her work in chemistry and biotechnology, focusing on disease diagnostics.“In this field, you can do so much with so little,” she said.“The potential of science is what really fascinates me.” Ì
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ANAME THATLASTS
Alumni and friends of AUC have left lasting marks on the New Cairo Campus, naming spaces for themselves and the people they hold dear
By Sarah Topol Photos by Ahmad El-Nemr
ames like Ewart, Jameel, Hill and Howard resonate with alumni of different generations.The Tahrir Square Campus is filled with examples of places named by donors as a way of supporting the N university.These spaces carry the names of individuals or corporations as a result of their monetary contributions to the university. For example, Ewart Hall was named by a visitor to AUC who offered a gift of $100,000 to name the auditorium after her grandfather William Dana Ewart, who had visited Egypt in the past for health reasons. Howard Theater, inaugurated in 1956, was remodeled through alumni donations raised in honor of C.Worth Howard, former dean of the faculty of arts and sciences. At the New Cairo Campus, the naming tradition continues.Alumni, friends and corporations have named spaces ranging from buildings, departments, classrooms, laboratories and lecture halls to courtyards, benches, trees and fountains.What’s new, however, is the prevalence of Arab names on the New Cairo Campus.These include Moataz Al Alfi Hall, Mohamed Shafik Gabr Lecture Hall, Bassily Auditorium, Mansour Group Lecture Hall,Abdul Latif Jameel Hall and Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Alsaud Hall. “The New Cairo Campus offers a renewed opportunity for the university’s dedicated supporters to give to AUC,” said Moataz Al Alfi, vice chairman of AUC’s Board of Trustees.“It is wonderful to see the diversity of the university’s supporters reflected in the names on so many of the spaces on the New Cairo Campus.The mix of American and Arab names is a testament to the deep belief shared by so many supporters in the United States and the Arab world in AUC’s vital role in educating leaders.” The following are examples of named spaces on the New Cairo Campus and the stories behind them.
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MORE NAMES ON CAMPUS
• The Heikal Department of Management was named by Ahmed M. Heikal, chairman of Citadel Capital and son of Mohammed Hassanein Heikal, one of Egypt’s leading journalists and a respected commentator on Arab affairs for more than 50 years
• Colleagues and friends named a group study room in the AUC Library for E.H.Valsan, who worked for 36 years as professor of public administration and served as director of the Master of Public Malak Gabr Arts Theater dreams, aspirations and world-class Administration program since its learning that has educated generations establishment in 1985 Mohamed Shafik Gabr ’73, of leaders before me.” chairman and managing director of As a form of gratitude to AUC, Gabr • The 2002 - 2003 Student Union ARTOC Group for Investment and named the Mohamed Shafik Gabr Development, is a self-made man.As Department of Economics, Mohamed named the Student Union Office an undergraduate, he didn’t have the Shafik Gabr Lecture Hall and ARTOC in the Campus Center because of financial means to support his Central Athletics Court. He also named their belief in AUC’s education.“Back then, my late father the Malak Gabr Arts Theater at the extracurricular activities, agreed to pay my first year’s fees only; AUC Center for the Arts for his particularly the Student Union after that, I was on my own,” he said. daughter Malak. “It was a challenge financially, but I Gabr is chairman of ARTOC • The Squyres family named the knew that the struggle would be holding, which has 21 subsidiaries and Campus Center recreation room worth it.” affiliates worldwide. Gabr is also “in loving memory of Irene Gabr received his bachelor’s in chairman of Egypt’s International Manias Squyres ’84, wife, mother, economics and management from Economic Forum and co-chair of the yaya and sister” AUC and a master’s in economics from Arab Global Forum. He serves on the the University of London. He recently advisory board of the Center of received the Corporate Social International Studies at MIT and is a • Mohammed Hassan Fayek ’01 Responsibility Award, the highest member of many professional named a tree “in honor of my honor conferred by the Foreign Policy organizations, including the Council of loving parents who taught me the Association, a nonprofit organization 100 Leaders and the International true value of knowledge, which I committed to motivating the American Business Council of the World will gratefully pass on to my public to learn more about the world. Economic Forum. Gabr is also founder beloved children” In 2008, he was presented with the of the American Chamber of Distinguished Alumni Award from Commerce in Egypt and served as its • Nevine Farouk Rateb named a AUC.“If someone would have told me first Egyptian president from 1995 to tree in honor of Sir K.A.C. back then, when I received a 1997. In addition, he is chairman of the Creswell, renowned historian of scholarship and was paid LE 30 a Mohamed Shafik Gabr Foundation for Islamic art and architecture who month, that I would be here today, Social Development, whose programs taught at AUC for almost two receiving an acknowledgement from in greater Cairo include establishing the Board of Trustees and the schools, supporting literacy programs, decades and who donated his president, I would not have believed training in language and information library, photographs and personal it,” said Gabr upon receiving the award. technology skills, and endorsing sports papers to the university “But this is what AUC is all about –– programs for youth.
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Abdul Latif Jameel Hall well as the International Executive also given a substantial benefaction Education Institute.Three-stories to create the Yousef Jameel Online Yousef Jameel ’68 officially high, the building occupies a total Center for Islamic and Eastern Art, inaugurated the Abdul Latif Jameel area of 16,750 square meters and which helps to broaden public access Hall on the New Cairo Campus, features a number of conference to the museum’s renowned carrying forward a tradition he rooms, faculty offices, teaching collection of Eastern art. In addition, began when he first named, more laboratories and training rooms. he has funded research and than two decades ago, the Jameel Jameel has also established the Yousef development of the advanced Center on AUC’s Tahrir Square Jameel Science and Technology firefighting technology in Germany. Campus in honor of his father, who Research Center, which conducts Jameel’s remarkable career began as was a great believer in education. cutting-edge research in a young graduate working for his Yousef Jameel is a prominent nanotechnology. In 2004, he also father’s Toyota auto agency in Saudi Arabian business leader, founded the Jameel MBA Fellows Jeddah. He was instrumental in philanthropist, long-time university Program to help train future turning the company into the sole supporter and devoted alumnus. industrial leaders. In addition, he agent for Toyota in Saudi Arabia. “AUC’s future has great potential, established an endowed professorship Today, his family owns an especially in the field of science, in his father’s name in the international company engineering and business, which will management department. headquartered in Dubai, specialized benefit Egypt and the region,” said In recent years, he has in high technology and innovation. Jameel, who described the vast concentrated efforts on research and Jameel was the first AUC graduate to facilities and operations of the New development for the good of receive the Distinguished Alumni Cairo Campus as “very functional, humanity. In Germany, he initiated Award in 1981. In 2008, he received beautiful and impressive.” scientific research in fields such as an honorary Doctorate of Humane The Abdul Latif Jameel Hall cancer treatment, X-ray optics Letters from AUC in recognition of houses the programs, centers and technology and nanotechnology. He his outstanding achievements and his facilities of the School of Business is the main founder of the Freiburg valuable contribution and support of and the School of Public Affairs, as cancer institute in Germany. He has research and development.
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Louis Greiss Courtyard in Abdul Latif Jameel Hall In honor of Louis Greiss, prominent writer and editor, given in gratitude by his roommate from America 1952 - 1953
“I was an exchange student at AUC from Occidental College in Los Angeles for the 1952 - 1953 academic year. Louis Greiss was one of my roommates. Louis was a very good friend who was Henkel Egypt platform and very gracious in his welcome. classrooms While we were roommates, Louis was selected by the Coptic Church to represent them at an international youth event in India. He needed the permission “The named spaces provide good of the patriarch to attend the meeting. During his visit, he told the patriarch that exposure for Henkel because of the his American roommate was considering becoming a Presbyterian minister, and I amount of students going in and out was given a set of prayer beads, which I still have on my desk, and was blessed by of classes and the platform serving as a the patriarch. potential spot for student activities.The I have included AUC in my will and when I learned that it would be possible to ultimate aim is to create a name something in Louis’s honor, I decided to give some of what I had intended continuous relationship with the to leave to AUC upon my death. Since Louis became a leading journalist in Egypt, university, strengthening our I was excited to be told that I could name a courtyard in or near the journalism connection and supporting the quality school in his honor as a way of expressing my gratitude to him. It was my way of education that AUC provides.” telling him that I had not forgotten him.” Ashraf El Afifi ’91, chairman of Henkel Reverend Richard A. Lundy Egypt and vice president of Henkel laundry and home care division in the Middle East and North African region
Rasheed and Carla Hosein Tree Inscription: Rasheed and Carla Hosein Met at AUC - June 14, 1996
“The tree dedication was actually an eighth anniversary present to ourselves.We were both at AUC as part of the summer study-abroad program, he for Arabic language and myself for Egyptology.As he is from Canada and I’m from Florida, we joke that we had to go halfway around the world to meet. But, needless to say, we both had an enjoyable and memorable summer.We stayed in touch after that and actually got married exactly one year later. Donating a tree was our way of remembering our beginnings and also of giving something lasting to AUC, a place to which we owe so much.” Carla Hosein
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From InsideA monthly newsletter forAUC AUC alumni
Below are entries from the monthly contest that ran in Inside AUC, the alumni e-newsletter
In connection with AUC’s 90th anniversary, alumni were asked to send their most memorable experience at the university through the monthly contest. The following are some of the winning entries.
Exam Trivia I was once preparing for the final examinations. Back then, exam schedules were posted, and I wrote down my whole schedule, but I didn't pay attention to the fact that a few days later, the schedule was modified. On the day of a chemistry course final exam, I woke up relatively late, having studied the course well.As the exam was at 12:00 pm, I thought I’d go through the curriculum once more just to make sure that I haven’t left any loose ends. I left my home in Heliopolis at around 10:30 am, arrived at AUC at around 11:00 or 11:15 am, parked my car and calmly headed to the Main Campus where I met Hatem El Sayegh, a brilliant classmate whom I asked with much confidence if he had prepared for the exam well. He replied, wondering why I was asking, and I said,“Because the exam is at 12:00.” I ran toward the Science Building. I was shocked to see Dr. Kenawy coming out of the campus and visibly heading home. I thought the course was over, and that it would be my first “F,” with all the consequences this would have on the GPA (which was above 3.4). But I still ran hopelessly to catch Dr. Kenawy and explain what had happened to me.The best I hoped for was an incomplete. After listening briefly, Dr. Kenawy turned around in a very cool manner and asked me to follow him.We arrived to his office in the Science Building, and he gave me the same exam that was given a couple of hours earlier to the rest of the class. I answered all the questions in a very relaxed atmosphere, and even if I can’t remember the grade I got in the course (B+ or A-), I remember I got close to the full mark in the final exam. This is a day I will never forget, even with all the minute details.This kind of trust existed between AUC and its students, and that is one of the reasons why I spent five years in undergraduate studies and almost four years studying for the master’s degree, during which I was always happy and enthusiastic going to class in the morning. I still like to pass by AUC whenever I have the chance. Security people amazingly are still the same, for the most part, and they remember me, which makes me feel good as I figure I don’t look that much older.Although more than 16 years have passed since I graduated, I still feel it was yesterday.
Nazih El Naggary ’92, ’99, France
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Cozy Campus As one of the 1944 alumni, I still like to keep in touch. I used to edit the Campus Caravan in 1944, and I still enjoy receiving and reading news from dear, old AUC. Much change has come about over the past 64 past years, but I retain a memory of a very happy and active life spent in the “old town campus.” I enjoyed every moment of it.The chanting of “Crimson and Gold, Hold team Hold” still rings in my mind’s old ears.We used to cheer the sporting basketball teams competing with invited teams from other institutions, and kept chanting this refrain whatever the outcome. Of all the extracurricular activities, I enjoyed our drama groups, Moliere and Maskers. I spent many happy years at AUC, which was then a cozy place — just one old but beautiful building in the heart of Cairo. Our lecture rooms were not all smart or comfortable, but it is the people who make the place. I recall short geological desert trips I made with Vandersall to examine the sand layers and other formations and fossils, and night gatherings on the roof to view the planets through the telescope.As students, I remember a party in the desert of Giza. Someone had brought a gramophone, and we had some dancing. I am a very petite person (almost a midget) and one of the boys (I can’t recall names) was very tall and cheeky. He asked me to dance with him. I spotted a chair, stood on it and said,“Come, let’s dance.” Someone took a picture, but I haven't kept a copy.We had a good laugh then.
Phyllis (Hatwell) Preston ’44, England
Serenity Every Tuesday and Thursday, I had class at the rare books library on Sheikh Rihan Street. On my way to class, I would stop at a nearby food stand and buy my favorite Egyptian dish, koshari. Before class, I would sit on the white benches in the library yard and review Embarrassed in Class my reading before class. It was peaceful. This incident being recounted is not one about me, but one that indirectly impacted me. I had signed up for a psychology class with Dr. Nicholas Kat Conlon (YAB ’07), Ciaccio, (“the blond angel”) and my cousin, Leamon Wongbay, happened United States to do the same. On the first day of the session, Dr. Ciaccio proceeded to take the required roll call.When he came upon Leamon’s name, he gave his perceived pronunciation, not being usual names that he was accustomed to. Leamon, on the other hand, feeling a compulsion, instantly interjected with a correct pronunciation — a wrong move in my opinion (He had also fumbled with my last name). Dr. Ciaccio, not being one to be upstaged, in his signature stance — a cupped fist under his chin and the other hand akimbo — gave her his classic glare and quipped,“Honey, I only speak major languages.” Whew! That come back invoked a roar of laughter from the class. Needless to say, I was coying in my seat. Leamon was dumbfounded.
Gail Farngalo (Liberia) ’85, United States
To sign up for Inside AUC, visit alumni.aucegypt.edu
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Instrument of
Change
John Baboukis, director of AUC’s music program, is full of fresh ideas for teaching and a passion for music
By Sarah Topol
Conducting a performance by the AUC Chamber Singers Ahmad El-Nemr
32 AUCTODAY Fall 2009
ohn Baboukis, director of the there were four part-time faculty music program, has a motto:“If members in music, in addition to J you have a voice, you can sing.” himself. Now there are 23, with Teaching courses in music history approximately 400 students enrolled in and performance for the past four years music courses.“Everything I’ve asked at AUC, Baboukis has taken on the for, the university has given to me,” challenge of revitalizing the university’s Baboukis ruminated.“They have bent music program by raising the level of over backwards to support the participation, hiring more faculty to endeavors I’ve tried to make.” accommodate the increased demand He started by redesigning the music and putting on regular performances minor, introducing a mandatory with student and community choirs Introduction to Music course and and instrumental ensembles.“Music is revising the curriculum.“The first as important as purely pragmatic things measure of success was when I started in the world, like people keeping the overhearing conversations in the streets clean or curing cancer,” hallways,‘Don’t take Intro to Music; it’s Baboukis said.“Those are things that hard,’ and I thought,‘We’ve arrived!'” are important, but they’re technical. Baboukis recalled, chuckling. Music is aesthetic; it’s a different part of He also petitioned for private us and it’s an equally important part instrumental or voice instruction that also has to be nourished.” classes to be allotted as for-credit In addition to teaching, Baboukis courses. Now, they count for one directs the AUC Chamber Singers and credit per semester, where students is the conductor of the Cairo Choral study the guitar, piano, voice, Society, one of the premiere choral saxophone and other instruments one- ensembles in Cairo. Before coming to on-one with an instructor. AUC, he taught music and directed In addition to teaching, Baboukis ensembles at McGill University, the worked with the AUC Chamber College of St. Catherine, the University Singers, an ensemble that is also a of Georgia and Illinois State University. course for credit and which performs Baboukis holds a Doctor of Music every semester. In Spring 2009, they degree from the School of Music at performed in the university’s first Indiana University, the largest music opera production Dido and Aeneas, by school in the world.A recipient of the English composer Henry Purcell.The McKnight Composition Fellowship, he show was a huge success, drawing a is a specialist in medieval and large audience for each of the four renaissance music and was the founder renditions. Baboukis hired a and director of the Saint Paul Early professional orchestral ensemble, but Music Ensemble and Les Voix the singers were entirely students. Médiévales de Montréal. He has also “More than half of the chorus had been trained in the performance of never sung before they came to Byzantine Chant and has served for AUC,” Baboukis said.“It’s remarkable many years as a chanter in the what kind of progress and what kind Orthodox Church. of result you can obtain from At AUC, Baboukis has tirelessly intelligent, motivated students who are poured his energy into generating willing to work hard,” he marveled. enthusiasm in the music program. The Cairo Choral Society, another of When he first came to the university, Baboukis’s projects, is a community
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“The first measure of success was when I started overhearing conversations in the hallways, ‘Don’t take Intro to Music; it’s hard,’ and I thought, ‘We’ve arrived.’”
Barbershop quartet of Baboukis, along with students Yasmin Eid, Melanie a Gabr Bradshaw and Mary Victor Shoukry, performing in Moliere's School for Wives Amir
Conducting the orchestra, chorus and soloists in the chorus sponsored by the university. In would also be the first in the Middle performance of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas it, students and members of the East.“Cairo is the center of the music community sing together.A quarter of broadcasting and music recording the participants –– who range from 75 industries in the Arab world,” Baboukis to 90, depending on the performance explained.“This is an ideal situation in –– are Egyptian. Many of the others are which to teach music technology.” AUC faculty members or foreign Baboukis has been deeply committed residents of the community.With two to music his entire life. He grew up performances per semester, the Cairo attending the Greek Orthodox Church Choral Society is accompanied by the in the United States. He learned Cairo Festival Orchestra, an ensemble Byzantine chanting and continues to drawn from the Cairo Symphony and sing in the Orthodox Church in Cairo. Cairo Opera House. In addition to conducting, he is also Despite his accomplishments, composing. During his time in Egypt, Baboukis’s aspirations for the he has written a piano sonata, a piece department are far from complete. for the organist at the University of He hopes to institute a music major Alabama and is working on a musical that would offer two different tracks: composition for the first bassoon in the one in music technology and the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. other in voice, piano or guitar Baboukis is overjoyed to be teaching performance. As part of the major’s again, in addition to conducting and requirements, students would take bringing music to the student one semester of Western and one of community.“It makes them better Arab music literature.“We are at an people; it makes them humans; it American university in Egypt,” teaches them,” Baboukis said.“ You do Baboukis said.“We need to do not go to university so that you can something that is actually suited to learn how to get a job as a banker.You this place, to this place in time, to this go to university to prepare yourself to place in the world.” live, to make you better at living. Music The music-technology major track does just that.” Ì Ahmad El-Nemr
Around the World
Switzerland
Violette Jaggi ’73, chair of the alumni chapter in Switzerland, hosted a dinner at her residence in Geneva in June 2009
Hisham Badr ’82, ’87, Egypt’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, and his wife, Dahlia Hammouda ’87 hosted an alumni reception at their residence in June 2009
isham Badr ’82, ’87, who received a Distinguished Alumni Award H during the reception, studied political science and international relations at AUC and earned a second master’s in political science from Oxford University. Badr began his career in Tokyo and Washington, after which he served as chief of staff of the cabinet of the secretary-general of the League of Arab States. Prior to his current appointment in Geneva as Egypt’s permanent representative to the United States, he served as assistant minister of foreign affairs and ambassador to Japan for four years. He also taught political science and diplomacy at AUC.
he second award recipient,Achamkulangare Gopinathan, India’s T permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, studied Arabic at AUC and holds a master’s degree in physics. In a career that spanned more than 30 years, Gopinathan held postings in Qatar, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and the United States, including joint secretary responsible for the United Nations and other international organizations at India’s Ministry of External Affairs. He also served as India’s ambassador to Egypt for the past four years.
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iolette Jaggi ’73, an economics graduate, has been working in V Geneva in the investment field and in private banking for the past 20 years. Jaggi is chair of the alumni chapter in Switzerland and always opens her home to AUC delegations when visiting Switzerland. In 2001, she was presented with the Distinguished Alumni Volunteer Award from Egypt’s First Lady Suzanne Mubarak.Today, she has received the Distinguished Alumni Award for her accomplishments.
Austria
Yousef Jameel ’68 hosted an alumni dinner at Sacher Hotel in Vienna in June 2009 Australia
Tarek Abousenna, Egypt’s consul general, and Heba Abousenna hosted an alumni reception at their residence in Sydney in August 2009 Egypt United Arab Emirates
Alumni trip to Port Ghalib resort in Marsa Alam in July 2009 The alumni chapter in Dubai held an iftar in September 2009
36 AUCTODAY Fall 2009
Class Notes
’76 corporation after graduation. He non-governmental organizations. Dagmar Simon (MA ’81) lives in spent two years there, then went on Currently, she is the executive France, close to Paris. She has two to work for Mansour Distribution manager of a private business, children and works as a Company and Orascom at El Gouna. working in development training and psychotherapist and counselor. Simon In 1999, he joined the marketing research. She is also a consultant for earned her PhD from a French department of Philip Morris different organizations such as the university. She misses Egypt and AUC International (PMI) in Switzerland, Food and Agriculture Organization very much and would like to get in where he lived for four years before and the United Nations Population contact with her classmates through moving to Kuwait then the United Fund, as well as a board member in [email protected] Arab Emirates. His latest assignment Friends of Environment and is with PMI in Algeria, where he is Development Association and the ’82 the marketing manager for both Egyptian Association for Iman El Bastawisi is an associate Algeria and Tunisia. He is married, Environmental Research and Services. professor of anthropology at Cairo with no children yet and would like Recently, she was selected by the University’s Institute of African to stay in touch with fellow alumni World for World Organization as its Studies and Research. She is also a through [email protected] Goodwill Ambassador for Egypt. part-time faculty member at AUC’s sociology, anthropology, psychology Tamer Elnaggar is the managing ’96 and Egyptology department, teaching director for Synovate in North Hala Mattar has finished her Arab Society. She recently published Africa. He is in charge of the teaching certification from the her first book, Bedouin Women in company’s business from Egypt and College of New Jersey (TCNJ). She Desert Societies: El Gabalya of South Sudan in the East to Morocco and is currently pursuing her master’s in Sinai, with the introduction written Algeria in the West. He is currently education at TCNJ and has been by Professor Ahmed Abou Zaid of the representative in Egypt for working at Hayah International Alexandria University.The book is ESOMAR, the world organization Academy for two years. Mattar is written in Arabic and is published by for market research professionals. In married to Magdy El Badry, and has the Ministry of Culture. this role, Elnaggar works to enhance two boys,Ahmed and Karim. the awareness and reputation of ’93 market research in Egypt by ’98 Jehan Salim-Harney lives in promoting the global codes and Mohamed Abdel Fattah teaches Washington, D.C., and has won Link standards that define the international strategic management for master’s and TV’s One Nation, Many Voices award industry. He joins a team of 80 high- diploma students at AUC. He for the best documentary on Muslim level ambassadors who represent completed his PhD and MBA in American women. Her documentary, ESOMAR worldwide. strategic studies and organizational The Colors of Veil, explores the development from the United journey of a former U.S. soldier who ’94 Kingdom and is currently working as found her identity in wearing the Mahitab Mekkawi earned her the management consultant and veil, overcoming societal prejudices to bachelor’s in political science with a board member of SETTEC training become a vanguard of the American- minor in Egyptology, after which she and development. Muslim community. Currently, she is received her master’s from the Institut making a feature documentary on de Droit des Affaires Internationales ’97 Iraqi refugees in the United States for (Cairo/Sorbonne Universities) and Tarek Gineina works in franchise national broadcast on PBS. her PhD in gender studies from the consulting and development in Egypt, American University of London. She specializing in food and beverages. Ramy Abdel Hamid worked for has worked with different national Gineina ran for the Heliopolis Club Saatchi & Saatchi advertising and international organizations and elections in September 2009.
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Reaching for ’99 Ihab Aboul Serour completed a the Stars law degree at McGill University in n the desert in Egypt, the skies Montreal, Canada and got called to “I were absolutely stunning,” said the Ontario and Canadian Bar Yervant Terzian ’60,professor of Associations in 2008. He is currently physical sciences at Cornell working at a Canadian law firm in University.“You could see thousands the field of immigration law in of stars.They looked like diamonds in Montreal. He would be happy to the sky, and I was very curious to receive inquiries from fellow alumni know why they were there. In school, about the immigration process to I started reading anything I could get “The most important asset for the Canada through my hands on about the solar system, world this century is education,” said [email protected] the planets, astronomy and the stars.” Terzian in an English public lecture at Terzian’s study of astronomy earned AUC last spring.“Science is about ’99 him a gold medal from the Armenian understanding the world and thus, Yasser El Shabasy (MSc ’03) is Ministry of Science and Education. making it less threatening.” married and has two boys, The award is the nation’s highest When Terzian joined AUC, he was Mohamed, 7, and Youssof, 3.5. He is honor for scientific achievement. the only physics major. Despite his a professional engineer in Ontario After earning a bachelor’s in math passion for astronomy, he appreciated and British Columbia. El Shabasy and physics from AUC,Terzian the university’s broad course offerings. earned his PhD in civil engineering embarked on a career of research and “There were no astronomy courses, (geotechnical) from the University of education, most recently as the David but physics, chemistry and math, and Western Ontario and is currently C. Duncan Professor in the Physical also history, literature and philosophy working with the Ministry of Sciences at Cornell University in –– a broad spectrum of topics to Transportation and Infrastructure in New York.He served as chair of the understand the world,” he said. Victoria, British Columbia. He astronomy department there for 20 Nonetheless,Terzian remembered misses AUC and is fond of his years and has received numerous that he brought a scientist's critical memories there. awards, including AUC’s Distinguished eye to all of his studies.“As a Alumni Award in 2004. He is also the freshman, I disagreed with my English ’00 founder of the New York State Pew teacher on a question of logic,” he Omar Samra, barely two years after Cluster of Colleges and Universities, recalled.“It was about a short story becoming the first Egyptian and which supports undergraduate called The Bridge of Saint Louis Rey,in youngest Arab to reach the top of education in the sciences. In addition, which the bridge collapses and all the Mount Everest, has planted another he serves as director of NASA’s New people on it perish. I claimed that Egyptian flag, this time at the summit York Space Grant Consortium, which since no one had survived and no one of the 4,884 meters-high Carstenz provides educational opportunities had seen it happen, how could anyone Pyramid in Indonesia, the highest and resources to students on both the write in detail about it? She gave me point on the Australian-New Guinea graduate and undergraduate levels. a C, the worst grade I ever got.” continent. Scaling the challenges of his dream, Samra wants to complete his Seven Summits quest by 2010, by also reaching the summits of North Send us your news America’s Mount McKinley, South Let your classmates know where you are now. America’s Aconcagua and Antarctica’s Vinson Massif. In addition, Samra has Update your information through: also stood on the top of the Himalayas E-mail [email protected]; [email protected] in Asia, the summit of Africa’s Alumni Online Community: alumni.aucegypt.edu Fax 20.2.2792.3383 Kilimanjaro and Europe’s Elbrus.
38 AUCTODAY Fall 2009
’01 Special Programs volunteer for AUC, Sarwat was the Moataz Attallah (MSc ’03) chairperson of the 75th anniversary received his PhD in materials science Adam McConnel (YAB ’96) has alumni committee and received the from the University of Birmingham been living in Istanbul,Turkey for the Distinguished Alumni Volunteer in 2007. He has been working since past 10 years, working and studying at Award in 1995. then as a research scientist at the a university. He completed an MA in Hala Hussein Fayek ’74 died in University of Manchester Materials history (Turkish republican history May 2009. She was head of the credit Science Centre. His research focuses and Turkish-American relations) in department in Banque Misr and on studying the metallic aerospace the spring of 2008 and is now a PhD executive board member in Banque alloys using diffraction techniques. history student at Sabanci University Du Caire. His first daughter, Jana, was born in in Istanbul. His MA thesis, titled “The October 14, 2007, and she is now a Approach of Turkish-American big fan of Upsy Daisy and Tintin. Accord” was published in early 2009. Attallah visits Egypt every now and then and would love to hear more In Memoriam from fellow AUCians who are in the United Kingdom or those pursuing Sophie Sarwat ’70 died in August 2009. Sarwat was a board member of academic studies and research Weddings the Egyptian Swimming Federation worldwide, as well as friends of his and chair of the Egyptian Technical graduating class. Reeham Abd El Aziz ’01, project Synchronized Swimming Committee manager for international projects (TSSC). She was also vice chair of ’02 at the Egyptian Ministry of Trade the International TSSC and received Omar Badreddin (MSc ’07) and Industry, technological both the silver and gold Federation is a PhD student and researcher at development sector, and Ahmed Internationale Nation Amateur pins IBM Ottawa Lab, Canada. He Naguib ’98, transaction advisory for her dedication to synchronized graduated from AUC with a double services manager at swimming. She also served as an major in computer science and PricewaterhouseCoopers, were international judge, attended six economics. Badreddin would like to engaged in July 2009 Olympic games and lectured in many stay in touch with classmates through parts of the world. In December [email protected] 2004, she received the Excellence in Sports Award from the International ’04 Olympic Committee for her lifelong Ahmed Adly graduated from AUC commitment to sports and for in 2004 majoring in journalism and establishing and nurturing mass communication. He worked in synchronized swimming in Egypt. a couple of places before settling in She was a member of the Egyptian Enppi as a business development ladies’ national team of bridge and specialist. He married on July 11, was a member of the Egyptian 2007 and has a 9-month-old Association for Environment and daughter, Retal, meaning the girl Community Services.While a student who recites the Quran well. He calls at AUC, Sarwat was president of the her Lily and considers her God’s Student Union, president of the most amazing and special gift to Maskers Theater Club, captain of the him. He misses AUC: the old days, tennis squad and the handball team, friends, professors and the whole and was also a founding member of university atmosphere. the alumni theater.A lifelong
39
Akher Kalam
From MUN to the Real United Nations
y most memorable experience at AUC was also the coming days.Time to articulate what all this meant to one of the most defining experiences of my life. me and my team.Time to demonstrate leadership. I still M It happened more than 10 years ago, but I remember getting up onto the podium and feeling my hands remember it like it was yesterday. shake as I took out my speech.The glaring lights were so The Cairo International Model United Nations strong I could hardly see anyone in the audience. I began to (CIMUN) program was the largest student-run program of speak, and I could hear my voice quiver. I squinted against its kind at AUC and across the Middle East at the time, and the spotlights and finally made out a few familiar faces from we were celebrating its 10th anniversary, with more than within the crowd –– some smiling members of the team. 500 participating students from Egypt and abroad.We had They were looking at me with such high expectations as I worked so hard and so long preparing for this event.The stood there next to the first lady, representing them.As my secretariat and organizing committee of the conference, eyes got used to the light, I caught a glimpse of my parents composed of 60 enthusiastic volunteers, spent countless and brother, and I saw the elation they felt at seeing me up hours in the little office allocated to us on the Greek there. I couldn’t let any of them down. So I took a deep Campus, making friendships that will certainly last a lifetime breath, mustered every ounce of confidence I had in me, while researching United Nations rules, writing background recalled all the public speaking skills I had learned over the papers, preparing sessions, interviewing delegates, designing years and delivered my speech with pride and conviction.As and editing publications, monitoring expenditures, seeking I concluded my statement, the shower of applause from the sponsors, linking our work to community development, audience took me by surprise.And as the crowd rose to their contacting the media and having animated debates with Dr. feet, I could not believe my eyes. Sullivan.The list of what we had to do was endless, but so That moment was a turning point in my life. I came out of was our energy, commitment and the belief in what we Ewart Hall that evening feeling that I could do anything I were doing. wanted, that the sky was the limit, that I could achieve all my During the long months of preparation, I continuously dreams of making the world a better, more just place.And wondered how I would feel when it all came together.And indeed, a few months later, I joined the real United Nations, the moment finally arrived. It was Tuesday, March 10, 1998. where I have been working for 10 years now, roving between The mild Cairo winter was turning into a warm pleasant Cairo, Beirut, Geneva, Baghdad, Damascus and Amman, still spring evening, and the AUC Main Campus was buzzing trying to make a difference in the lives of the people who with activity. Security guards, press officers, police escorts, need it most, trying to be an agent of change in our complex students, parents, ministers, ambassadors and other visitors region, trying to uphold the principles of justice and human were all coming and going in a flurry, getting ready for the rights for all. Looking back now, I remember my days and opening ceremony and the arrival of the guest of honor, this experience at AUC with a smile.And I wouldn’t have it Egypt’s first lady.And I was getting ready to deliver a speech any other way. in front of this crowd of more than 1,000 people as secretary-general of CIMUN ’98.Time for me to summarize Shaden Khallaf ’98, ’04 is a policy reports officer, Middle East and the journey we had taken over the past months, what we had North Africa Bureau, at the headquarters of the United Nations learned along the way and what we hoped to achieve during High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland.
Akher Kalam is an open forum for members of the AUC community.We invite you to share your thoughts on any topic of your choice. Submissions should be sent to [email protected] and may be edited for length and clarity.
40 AUCTODAY Fall 2009 Mark Your CALENDAR ALUMNI Weekend April 15 - 17, 2010
NOV 5 Reunion for all Classes of ’80 to ’90 NOV 6 - 7 Alumni trip to Fayoum
NOV 18 - 24 (except 22) Arabic play Alliss (The Burglar) by Tawfik Al Hakim
DEC 3 Reunion for alumni working in the field of education DEC 6 - JAN 28 AUC Alumni Art Exhibition MAY 8 Spring 2010 Employment Fair
MAY 24 5th Reunion: Classes of ’04, ’05 and ’06 10th Reunion: Classes of ’99, ’00 and ’01 15th Reunion: Classes of ’94, ’95 and ’96
ALUMNI GATHERINGS December - Bahrain February - Oman March - United Arab Emirates April - Kuwait and Jordan May - France June - Germany and Switzerland
For more information on alumni events, visit www.aucegypt.edu/alumni. For all university events, visit www.aucegypt.edu/events Alumni weekend held at the New Cairo Campus in Spring 2009, photographed by Ahmad El-Nemr. Don’t miss the upcoming alumni weekend from April 15 to 17, 2010 www.aucegypt.edu
EGYPT UNITED STATES AUC AVENUE 420 FIFTH AVENUE, THIRD FLOOR P.O. BOX 74 NEW YORK, NY 10018 NEW CAIRO 11835