Spring 2006 Edition

FOCUS The AMIDEAST Alumni Newsletter of the Fulbright Foreign Student Program The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

GLOBAL CAMPUSES THROUGH INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE Government and University Leaders Strengthen Focus on International Education at D.C. Summit

The presidents of over 120 attracting foreign students American universities to the United States; gathered in Washington, strengthening non- D.C. from January 5-6 to traditional language participate in the U.S. acquisition; encouraging University Presidents more Americans to pursue Summit hosted by education abroad; and Secretary of State better facilitating exchange Condoleezza Rice and visa and regulatory Secretary of Education processes. “We need Margaret Spellings. The universities to open their Summit, attended by doors to people from around university presidents from each of Secretary Spellings, Under Secretary the world. We need universities to the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Hughes, and Secretary Rice during the send their students around the Summit’s discussion District of Columbia, and world. So through that exchange organized by the State National Security Language and contact, we can learn more Department’s Bureau of Initiative – a collaborative effort about each other…if we’re engaged Educational and Cultural Affairs, between government and only in a monologue, we will not aimed to engage leaders of U.S. education to further strengthen get very far. If we get to know each higher education in a renewed national security and prosperity in other better, it will be a dialogue,” partnership to strengthen the 21st century through commented Secretary Rice in the international education. education, especially in developing opening session of the Summit. foreign language skills. Secretaries Rice and Spellings Part of the commitment to meeting convened the Summit to initiate a Secretary Rice compared the that challenge is the National dialogue on the need for the U.S. present imperative to strengthen Security Language Initiative (NSLI) government to work international education to the put forth by President Bush. collaboratively with the non- scientific initiative launched during Assistant Secretary of State for governmental sector on the future the Cold War, noting that efforts in Educational and Cultural Affairs, of U.S. higher education in a global international education have thus Dina Powell, and Assistant arena. The Summit also presented far not matched those in science Secretary of State for Democracy, U.S. President George W. Bush with from forty years ago. Goals of the opportunity to announce his international education include Continued on page 2…

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: An interview with Fulbright Alumna AMIDEAST Field Office Updates...... 4 Dr. Hoda Al-Mutawah...... 3 In Her Own Words: Alumni News and Notes...... 6 Dalia Azmy Gomaa...... 8 Fulbright Focus

…continued from front page countries, than they did just a generation ago and other countries GRANT OPPORTUNITY! Human Rights, and Labor, Barry are aggressively competing to Lowenkron, outlined this initiative attract international students to over the course of the Summit. their shores,” assessed Under We will soon be accepting ap- Realizing that deficits in foreign Secretary Hughes. The plications for the AY 2006/2007 language learning and teaching international exchange industry Round 1 Alumni Development negatively affect our national has much more parity than several Grant Competition. security, diplomacy, law decades ago when the U.S. was enforcement, intelligence among the best of the select few *********** communities and cultural countries to pursue competitive understanding, the NSLI has set university studies. AMIDEAST will award grants up forth three broad goals: to $2,500 for Fulbright alumni to attend a professional • Expand the number of conference or seminar, Americans mastering conduct a collaborative critical need languages research project, complete a and start at a younger age; short-term training program, or • Increase the number of participate in a professional advanced-level speakers of visit with colleagues in their foreign languages, with an field. emphasis on critical needs languages; and Eligibility Requirements: • Increase the number of foreign language teachers - Applicants must be alumni of and the resources for them. the AMIDEAST Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

- Applicants must have fulfilled their two-year home residency requirement Secretary Rice issues remarks - Proposed grant activity must The wide representation of occur between September 30, participants, hosts, sponsors, and 2006 and March 31, 2007 partners at the Summit proved to be a microcosm of the diversity that Secretary Hughes speaking at the U.S. many agreed is necessary in Deadline: August 10, 2006 University President’s Summit on international educational. It also International Education attested to the multi-dimensional facet of international education. For a list of grant guidelines, Summit participant, Gordon Gee, Effective communication and Chancellor of Vanderbilt eligibility requirements, and to greater cultural awareness affect apply, please visit: University, called international countless industries in an education, “both our greatest http://www.amideast.org/ increasingly globalizing world. programs_services/ challenge and our greatest “You can’t live in the world today, opportunity.” Part of the challenge exchange_programs/fulbright/ and you can’t do business in the grants/guidelines.htm for the United States to expand its world today, unless you are a role in international education is global citizen,” said President keeping up with the exchange Margaret Lee of Oakton Online applications are opportunities in other countries Community College in Illinois. “We encouraged. Please contact that have arisen in recent decades. do live in a world that is so small Elisa O’Keefe at “Today, hundreds of thousands of now that the ‘community’ is the [email protected] with international students have many people on the planet.” more opportunities to study at any questions. Information from this article was collected home, at centers of academic form the U.S. Department of State Bureau achievement in their own of Educational and Cultural Affairs website: www.exchanges.state.gov. 2 Spring 2006 Edition Fulbright Focus on: Dr. Hoda AL-MUTAWAH

Hoda Al-Mutawah was a Bahraini Fulbright grantee from 1998-2000. She received her Doctorate in Communications from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. She is now an assistant professor in the Department of Mass Communications, Tourism, and Arts at the University of Bahrain. Since her Fulbright grant, Dr. Al-Mutawah has been actively developing and Dr. Hoda Al-Mutawah, founder of the promoting her own global peace initiative – the Almuhod Developmental Program. Almuhod Developmental Program The program is a cultural reform project that she designed after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Pennsylvania. The aim of the Almuhod Developmental Program is to reestablish a solidified connection between Muslim spiritual, cultural, and educational life. The key to doing this, Dr. Al-Mutawah suggests, is renovating the role of Muslim religious centers to encompass social and cultural aspects of community life. The Fulbright Focus is pleased to present to you Dr. Hoda Al-Mutawah and her Almuhod Developmental Program – a project that she believes is “capable of restoring the dignity of Islam as a civilized religion that does not encourage extremism.”

Q: What, in your opinion, is the interpretation is only one reading program, especially when more most pressing problem facing the of the original text and cannot people become aware of my ideas. always capture the real meaning. My ideas are very simple and basic Islamic world today? True meaning should be looked at and no one could disagree with the within the cultural context that need to maintain a peaceful and The pressing challenge that the produced it. Leaving the religion harmonious planet. Islamic world is facing today is to for religious people and separating reconstruct itself according to the it from the spirit of the progressive Q: Where do you see your universal approach, despite the time shows that misinterpretation program in 10 years? The Middle fact that this universal approach is always a possibility. It is time for is already deeply rooted in the the religious groups from all East in 10 years? message of Islam. The focus of many religions to study the goal of their religious Muslims has been religions within a new light. In 10 years my program should switched from the essence of Islam have given at least a thousand to the surface. The message of Islam individuals a chance to explore a Q: What stage of development is is peace and harmony. Prophet different culture. I see the Middle Mohammad says: “The Muslim is your program currently in? East in 10 years as a more global that who save people from his and harmonious place, especially tongue and his hand” (this means, My program still needs someone to when other organizations work no verbal or physical hurt should adopt it. I am traveling outside my toward the same goal in promoting be accepted from a real Muslim) country because history tells us peace and intercultural exchange. and that the Mo’men (The Believer that even prophets were known Respecting “the Other” is a goal of God) is the individual who does first outside their countries. I that should be adopted by all those not harm the security of people believe that my program will international organizations who either financially or physically. secure its prosperity first outside believe in a better future for This message has been lost after my country. I plan to travel with humanity. My program will not fourteen centuries of Islamic my program to , , succeed apart from the efforts of expansion…; especially since many and other Arab countries in other global projects such as non-Arab speakers joined Islam addition to working with some Fulbright. While Fulbright focuses and depended heavily on limited schools in the United States. This, on academic research, the focus of interpretation of Qur’an, which is of course, needs a budget. I have my program is creating a written in ancient Arabic. Also, invested until now all what I have harmonious global culture among Arab Muslims did not pay close earned for the last thirty years, but the younger generation. attention to the fact that language I feel very optimistic that the future is a living entity. Any will secure enough success to my Continued on page 10…

3 Fulbright Focus Field Office & U.S. Embassy Updates

EGYPT WEST BANK/GAZA

AMIDEAST is currently placing The West Bank office has provided This year, there are seven principal eighteen Egyptian Fulbright us with thirteen Fulbright and three alternate Tunisian nominees at U.S. universities for nominees for fall 2006. This year’s Fulbright nominees. They the fall 2006 semester. The fields of group of students includes an even represent an array of academic study range from business mix of female and male applicants. interests in the arts/humanities administration, to political science, The most popular fields of study and the hard sciences. The to tourism studies. This year’s are engineering, public health, and Tunisian nominees are interested in cohort also has two arts grant business administration. pursuing degree and non-degree nominees who are interested in studies in literature, engineering, pursuing research in stage lighting The Gaza office has nominated international development, and design and trombone studies. eight principal and three alternate public health. candidates for the fall 2006 Fulbright cohort. The Ph.D. and masters nominees are being applied to a variety of academic programs ranging from endocrinology to control engineering.

AMIDEAST/West Bank is pleased to announce the appointment of Sana The 2005 Lebanese Fulbright nominees Itayim as educational advisor and Lina Jarad as advising and testing Bahraini alumna Hessa Khalifa LEBANON assistant. Lina holds a Bachelor of Science from Arizona State AMIDEAST/HQ Program Officer University. She has taught general Mara Kronenfeld held a post- science and biology to elementary There are quite a number of nomination orientation for twelve and secondary Palestinian- nominees from Jordan including Lebanese nominees (seven American students and has several Ph.D. candidates. Their principal and five alternate) at the experience working with NGOs in fields of study are communications AMIDEAST/Beirut office with the the communications and public law, microsystems engineering, relations fields. She will be help of AMIDEAST/Beirut public administration, medicinal replacing Salwa Omar who has left Coordinator of Education and chemistry, computer science, and to pursue a new opportunity in Scholarship Programs Hala Kaadi. juridical law science. Some other Qatar. Lina is a May 2005 graduate The Lebanese nominees represent non-traditional fields are literary from Hiram College in Ohio with a another extremely well-qualified theory in post colonialism and major in communication and a group from all over Lebanon; they gaming graphics! minor in management. Before hold undergraduate degrees from coming to AMIDEAST in January the American University of Beirut, 2006, she was as an international Notre Dame University, and the relations officer at the Palestine Lebanese American University. Academy for Science and AMIDEAST is now placing a group While in Beirut, Mara also had the Technology. of thirteen Moroccan nominees at opportunity to interview Lebanese U.S. universities. There is a strong Fulbright Alumna Sally Shamieh interest in business administration about her Fulbright experience at as five candidates have been the University of Kansas.

4 Spring 2006 Edition applied to MBA programs. Other nomination orientation for fifteen zone management, applied intended fields of study are principal and four alternate linguistics, clinical psychology, and journalism, international Bahraini Fulbright nominees with business administration. During development, electrical and the help of Educational Advisor the post-nomination orientation, computer engineering, Samar F. Hasan. According to Mara and Batool stressed the communications, and public Assistant Charge d’Affaires, Mario importance of statements of administration. Nominees in the N. Crifo, this is the most qualified non-traditional fields include cohort of Bahraini Fulbright creative writing, conference nominees to date. The post- interpretation, and educational nomination orientation provides technology. an opportunity for students to ask questions about AMIDEAST’s role AMIDEAST/Morocco would like to in the placement process, specific announce the arrival of Assistant information about university Educational Advisor Safae admissions standards, and the Marouan. Safae joined AMIDEAST Fulbright program. It also gives in October 2005. She holds a AMIDEAST the opportunity to Bachelor of Business clarify a nominee’s preferred field Administration from the of study if it is not clear from his or Al Alam Royal Palace, Muscat, Oman International Institute for Higher her application dossier. Education in Morocco and is a purpose and future plans essays in 2004-2005 MBA program the graduate school application candidate from the same process. institution. Three Omani Fulbright alumni volunteered to be interviewed about their Fulbright experiences The candidates from Yemen will while Mara was in Oman: Badriya study various fields such as Al Shukri, Khadija Said, and Faisal alternative medicine, comparative Al-Hajri. Many thanks go out to all literature, health policy, and the alumni in Oman and Bahrain nursing. who agreed to be interviewed; a Bahraini Fulbright nominee special thanks to Badriya for Mara also interviewed three recent driving four hours to Muscat from Bahraini alumni, Hessa Al Khalifa, the Al Dhairha region of Oman Zuhair Haider, and Emma Solari, with her patient husband and son about their Fulbright programs to sit for an hour-long interview. and experiences readjusting to life Shukran Badriya! in Bahrain after their academic programs in the United States. OMAN The Fulbright program is in its first Mario N. Crifo, Assitant Charge year in Saudi Arabia under the d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain While in the Gulf region, Mara also auspices of the U.S. Embassy. Most had the opportunity to conduct a candidates are interested in TESOL U.S. Embassy Updates: post-nomination orientation for degrees with a specialization in twenty-two Omani Fulbright computer assisted language BAHRAIN nominees at the U.S. Embassy in learning. There is also one Muscat with the help of candidate in human resources Mara Kronenfeld visited the U.S. Educational Advisor Batool Baqer. management. Embassy in Manama last The Omani nominees are pursuing November to conduct a post- degrees in such fields as coastal

5 Fulbright Focus Alumni News & Notes

EGYPT JORDAN Hossam El-Din O. IBRAHIM (2001-2002) studied at Bashar A. RASHDAN (1993-1995) graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center where he University of Iowa with a Certificate in Prosthetic obtained his LL.M. in Securities and Financial Dentistry (1996), a Master of Science (1997), and a Regulations. He is currently working as a senior legal Fellowship in Maxillofacial Prosthetics in (1997). He officer in the legal department of the National Bank of is presently an assistant professor in the Jordan Abu Dhabi, - the leading bank University Department of Science and in the country. He plans to move to Egypt in early Technology, and recently became a diplomat of the 2006 to work in the Egyptian Capital Market American College of Prosthodontics in 2005. Authority. As the regulating authority in the Egyptian securities and financial market, Hossam will be able to put into practice the theoretical background that MOROCCO he was exposed to during his studies at Georgetown, particularly in setting up a developed regulatory Saad BIAZ (1995-1999) received a Ph.D. in Computer framework for the Egyptian stock market based on Science from Texas A&M University and presently the American model. works as an assistant professor of computer science at Auburn University. He was recently awarded his GAZA fourth award of $300,000 from the National Science Foundation, totaling more than a million dollars since Luna ABU-SWAIREH (1999-2001) earned a Masters joining Auburn University four years ago. Other degree from the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate honors include nominations by a student chapter for School of Public and International Affairs. Her best teacher and by the faculty for best junior specialization was in international development with researcher at Auburn University. This spring, Saad a focus on the Middle East. She is currently working will be the doctoral research director for two for the UN/International Strategy for Disaster compatriots who have been awarded joint Reduction (ISDR) in Bonn, Germany as a program supervision grants by the Moroccan-American officer for a tsunami early warning project. During Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange the summer of 2004, she completed a post-graduate (MACECE). diploma in Feminist Development Economics from the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in the Hague, Netherlands. Akram DERKAOUI (2002-2004) is a regional Rami HAMARNA (2003-2005) is now a health policy financial analyst for North and West Africa and the development officer for the Office of Development Indian Ocean with Eli Lilly and Company. He is also Cooperation in the Italian Consulate General. He a board member of the Moroccan Fulbright Alumni received his Masters in Public Health, with a Association (MFAA). Akram earned his masters from concentration in health management and policy, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. the University of North Texas.

Rula KHALAFAWI (2000-2002) graduated with a Saoussane RIFAI (2003-2005) completed her Master Masters in International Policy Studies from the of Science in Information Technology at Bentley Monterey Institute of International Studies. After College and is now an IT auditor at Tyco Interna- moving to Egypt, she was offered a senior UN post, tional. As a project manager, she oversees the and was appointed as Head of the United Nations development of decision support systems for the Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for the Cairo Corporate Audit department. Recent awards that Liaison Office in October 2005. She has published Saoussane has also won include first prize in the several articles and conducted various interviews Bentley Business Bowl Case Competition for gradu- on Palestinian refugees in the Egyptian media. Her ate student teams and a Certificate of Recognition latest interview appeared in the November 30, 2005 from the Bentley College International Student edition of the Last Hour magazine. Rula was also Office for volunteer work as an international peer recently married in July 2005. advisor.

6 Spring 2006 Edition

Samira RGUIBI (1999-2001) is currently a professor Rania HABIB (2003-2005) is currently pursuing a of English at Ben M’Sik Faculty of Letters in Casablanca Ph.D. in Linguistics at the University of Florida while and the director of a research lab on Moroccan-Ameri- working as a research assistant for a project on the can Cultural Studies. Samira was a non-degree stu- languages of urban Africa. In July 2005, Rania dent at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. received two travel grants from the University of Florida to present a paper at the 14th World Congress of Applied Linguistics in Madison, Wisconsin. While Rachida JORIO (2001-2004) was a joint supervision there, she was awarded the American Association grantee. She conducted twelve months worth of of Applied Linguistics Graduate Student Travel research visits to the University of Hawaii at Manoa Scholarship. Rania’s volunteer activities include over a three-year period. During that time she was cultural enrichment presentations at a local enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Hassan II Agronomy Gainesville school and Arabic language instructions. and Veterinary Institute in Rabat, Morocco where She completed a Masters in Linguistics at the she was also an assistant professor until last June. University of Florida last year. Louisiana State University hosted Rachida for three months to conduct research on the sugarcane TUNISIA industries in Louisiana, Texas, and Florida. The culmination of her studies was her thesis entitled: Kemel JOUINI (2004-2005) was a non-degree visiting “Simulation Model for the Harvesting, Transporting, scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Reception, and Crushing System of Sugarcane in the Champaign. He is now a part-time English teaching Gharb Region – Case Study: Surac Sugar Mill.” Since assistant in Tunis. He recently applied for a teaching defending her thesis in June 2005, she has been a full- position in the Sultanate of Oman’s Teachers Training time professor at Hassan II Agronomy and Veterinary Colleges for the Academic Year 2005/2006 and is Institute. eagerly awaiting their decision.

OMAN Mounir KHELIFA (1990-1995) is presently a professor of English at Manouba University in Tunisia. Prior to Khalfan ALHARRASI (2001-2003) is now the head of that, he was an advisor to the Tunisian Ministry of the English Textbook Production Section at the English Higher Education from 2002-2005. Mounir studied at Language Curriculum Deptartment of the Omani Yale University, earning both a Master of Arts and Ministry of Education. He received a Master’s in Ph.D. in English. TESOL from the University of Northern Iowa and is presently pursuing a Ph.D. in Education at the same institution. Abdelwaheb REBAI (1983-1984) attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a non-degree Fawaz AL OJAILI (2004-2005) has recently been student in their Special Program for Urban and promoted to a senior business analyst post. He Regional Studies (SPURS). At present, he is the director graduated from Canisius College at Buffalo with a of the Institute of Business Administration (ISAAS) in Master of Business Administration. Sfax, Tunisia.

SYRIA YEMEN Ahmed ALMANSOUR (1997-1999) successfully Wael Ahmed MAKKI (2004-2005) is the Yemen passed his Ph.D. dissertation defense in December coordinator for the Business Edge Program of the 2005. He conducted Ph.D. research in Saudi Arabia International Finance Corporation (IFC). Business and taught for one academic year at King Saud Edge is an international management training program University. Ahmed also delivered lectures on his that is targeted towards developing the managers of dissertation subject, The Orient in Antebellum small and medium size enterprises. Wael earned his America, at the Public Library in Riyadh and in the Master of Business Administration, focusing on Department of English at King Saud University. He is international management, at the Monterey Institute currently preparing to publish his work on Emerson of International Studies. and Sufism in the U.S.

7 Fulbright Focus

In Her Own Words: Dalia Mahmoud Azmy Gomaa from Egypt

Dalia Gomaa was a Fulbright grantee from 2003-2004. She pursued non-degree research in Latin American Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. She is currently a language instructor in the English Department at Cairo University. In her own words, Dalia chronicles her impressions of cultural diversity in the United States and describes the profound impact that her Fulbright experience has had on her personal perspective and profession.

Apart from the academic progress I attained as a result of my Fulbright grant, I would like to emphasize the benefits I gained on the personal level. I want to stress the cultural diversity of the U.S., especially in Chicago where I stayed.

It is not a secret to tell you that, compared to my own Egyptian society, the American society is less conservative and more open. That is why I was so afraid to live by myself in a different cultural context, especially as my first time to travel abroad. However, when I arrived in Chicago these fears were toppled. In most stores, for example, I was asked where I am from since my accent is not American. Some offered Dalia Gomaa: Egyptian Cultural Ambassador to Mexico answers themselves, saying that I should be Dominican, Puerto Rican, Indian, Italian, or of African roots. In one store the cashier switched to Spanish when it was my turn to pay, assuming that I was definitely a Latina. I was so interested in this. My interest was not because of my “multicultural” facial features that can fit anywhere. Rather, because Latinos, Indians, and Mediterraneans all have a presence in the U.S. to the extent that workers in stores are familiar with them and are prepared to deal with their needs. This diversity was the main reason that made me feel that I am not an alien; that I am not a foreigner in a strange country.

At the University of Illinois there were many Muslim women who covered their hair. As a Muslim myself— but not covering my hair—I inferred that these young women wouldn’t dress in such a way unless they feel comfortable, and assured that no one would oblige them to dress differently. Still relating to my Muslim identity, I remember a time when I went to pay my phone bill. At that time I was using my passport not my state ID. The man in charge inferred that I should be a Muslim because of my Egyptian passport. He automati- cally introduced me to his Indian Muslim colleague. The latter offered me his help to purchase halal meat. Incidents like these made me realize that I don’t need a “shell” to hide inside. I can do what I am used to in an open and diverse culture.

The United States is a country that is made up of heterogeneous groups. It respects difference. I was not obliged to do anything that I was not used to. Besides, the people I came to know were interested in knowing my culture and I, in turn, was interested in knowing their traditions and customs. This hybrid culture not only embraces difference, but also respects it.

One weekend, as I was walking in downtown Chicago, there was a silent march by Palestinians expressing their disagreement with Israeli practices in Jerusalem. On the opposite side of the street, there was another silent march. This time it was by the Israelis to denounce the killing of their people by the Palestinians. I never expected to see these two specific polar opposite groups expressing their feelings in such a peaceful way.

8 Spring 2006 Edition

The whole context of diversity encouraged me to show the same attitude. When I visited Los Angeles, I purchased a guayabera (a light fabric shirt, typical of Latin culture) and a t-shirt with the word “chicana” imprinted on it. Back in Chicago, my friends, who are mostly Latino, invited me to a dinner. I surprised them by wearing this t-shirt and guayabera. They were so excited by my attire. By this gesture, my intent was to translate cultural difference into interaction and communication.

Being in touch with a wide variety of people enticed me to read dozens of books to explore other cultures. During my stay, to cite a few examples, I came to know what different sects of Indians believe, what holidays Mexicans celebrate, and how African- Americans trace roots of their cultural differences. This reformulated my perspective to be larger in scope to encompass varieties and accept differences. Because the main goal of my coming to the U.S was to familiarize myself with Mexican-American culture that gave rise to Chicana writings, I focused on acquiring first-hand experience of Mexican life in the U.S. With my Latino friends I tried orchata, quesadilla, tortilla, and nopales salad. I attended several Dalia (far left) amongst friends and against the Chicago skyline masses at a Mexican parish. One mass celebrated a quinceañera, a Hispanic girl’s 15th birthday. This gave life to the Mexican traditions that I only had glimpses of before coming to the U.S.

Back in Egypt, I resumed my job as a teacher at Cairo University. As a result of encountering this cultural diversity in the U.S., I started to follow a new policy in my classes. It is based on giving my students more time and space to express their opinions, without any interference, or without imposing my ideas on them. However, the only thing I insist on conveying to my students—out of my experience—is that the world is too small and too big at once. It is too small because one can find “home” away from home. Meanwhile, outside of “home” there are more territories to be treaded and more cultures to be explored.

One family, two cultures: Dalia with her extended Hispanic family Dalia models a Mexican guayabera

9 Fulbright Focus

…continued from page 3

Q: What influence did your lief that American education is Q: What advice do you have for more advanced in this field than Fulbright experience have on your anyone wanting to get involved in any other country. I came to the intercultural communication and decision to launch this program? United States in August 1998 as a What influence does it have on Fulbrighter to earn my doctoral exchange? your everyday work? degree because of the same belief. I Any advice that I would like to still think that the United States is share is the same that both Jesus The Fulbright experience is a great very advanced in this educational and Mohammad gave to their opportunity to meet with people field. However, I still think that people: “love your neighbor.” It is from different cultures. We need bridging education with culture not an easy process, however, more programs like Fulbright to needs a lot of attention from many getting involved in intercultural bridge our differences. I think the American educational institutions. communication and exchange systematic aspect of the Fulbright Many American children did not dictates that people should learn program has its influence on my feel the need to learn anything more about human nature, and the everyday work. The Fulbright about the people outside the United balance and harmony that is experience taught me that I was needed to continue life on earth. I selected by Fulbright because I believe that people are resources could make a difference, and who should help us to bring therefore, I should continue to make harmony to our planet, instead of a difference wherever I go. I should letting most of them die either in not limit myself to the experience I wars or through hunger and had in the United States during my epidemics. Each human being studies. I am encouraged to reach counts, and each should have a out to others and create bridges, not place to promote our planet. only on the academic levels, but also on the human level. I have worked very hard on the campus 3 Tracks of the Almuhod of Bowling Green State University Developmental Program to teach my colleagues about Arab Dr. Al-Mutawah discussing the work of Muslims. In the beginning, there her program Educational Exchange between was resistance, and I got hurt. But Bahrainis and the rest of the I continued my hard work to reach world. The program is ideally de- out. The campus, after seven years, States, because their institutions signed to give Bahraini and inter- has adopted several programs that teach them that America is the national students a chance to focus on diversity. There is a lot of most prosperous country in the spend a semester or year expe- work needed to be done both on the world and this should be enough. riencing another culture while elementary level and in higher The children do not have a chance earning university credits from their host institution. education to bridge science with to learn that the prosperity in the peace, and to produce generations United States is due to its relation- Almuhod Peace Accords to that care about peace. Civilization ship with the whole world. The establish an office in conjunction is not modernization. Civilization United States existed and pro- with the United Nations to keep is how to live in harmony with each gressed because it has almost all records of all those, from all other and with all the creatures in the nationalities of the world. parties, who were killed in modern our environment. American children need to learn wars. Recording names, ages, photos, and dates in a yearly book how to relate to the rest of the globe Q: What do you see are the should humanize, and ultimately, and to feel safe when they think of mitigate violence from war. advantages and disadvantages of traveling to other cultures. My pro- an American education in your gram aims to teach children this: Almuhod Media Center to industry? The Other is there, and the exist- promote Arab-Western cultural ence of the other is important to my exchange through news, film, and art. The media center, with U.N. survival and for my prosperity. I I came to the United States in Au- assistance, encourages a new gust 1984 to earn a Masters in Mass think diversity is important to en- discourse for the Arab-Israeli Communication. My decision to rich our human experience and no conflict. come to the U.S. was due to my be- one could claim the opposite.

10 Spring 2006 Edition

“Fulbright Alumni: Expressions in Civil Society”

29th Annual Conference of the Fulbright Association, Nov. 3-5, 2006

&

“Morocco in Western Art”

Annual Conference of the Moroccan Fulbright Alumni Association, Nov. 6-7, 2006 The Fulbright Association and the Moroccan Fulbright Alumni Association (MFAA) will hold Fulbright alumni meetings in Marrakech from Nov. 3 through Nov. 7, 2006. The series will open with a welcoming reception on Nov. 3. With the support of the U.S. Department of State, a global Fulbright alumni technical assistance seminar will be held Nov. 4 for representatives of national Fulbright alumni associations and alumni groups that are developing associations. The U.S. Fulbright Association’s 29th annual conference will begin on the evening of Nov. 4 with the annual banquet and keynote speech. The 29th annual conference will conclude on Nov. 5. The MFAA conference, “Morocco in Western Art,” will be held Nov. 6 and 7. For more information about the conferences or to register to attend, please go to: http://www.fulbright.org/conference

Once you explored a country, now explore the globe! Alumni. State.gov offers you ƒ Calendar of upcoming professional events in every region of the globe ƒ Searchable database of tens of thousands of alumni and U.S. host families and contacts ƒ Free Research Database of Academic Journals ƒ Job listings and career development information ƒ Grant opportunity listings ƒ Live online discussions ƒ Discussion forum in English, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese ƒ Alumni news items ƒ Photo gallery ƒ Optional Alumni ListServ State Alumni operates over a secure connection, to prevent cyber theft. State Alumni asks that you register in order to log onto the Website and provide a password so we can keep you and your fellow alumni in better contact, but registrants have the option to hide their personal information. Visit alumni.state.gov and follow the “Join Now!” link For more information, please contact State Alumni at [email protected].

11 Fulbright Focus

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EGYPT SYRIA WEST BANK/GAZA Stephen Hanchey, Country Director Barbara Al Nouri, Country Director Steven Keller, Country Director No. 23 Mossadak Street, Dokki, Cairo Ahmed Mrewed St. Nahas Building No. 3 Ramallah Office: Cairo Office: Mail: PO Box 2313 Street Address: Al-Watanieh Towers, 1st Mail: PO Box 96,Magles El Shaab Phone: (963-11) 331-4420 floor, 34 Municipality Street, El-Bireh, Phone: 20-2-337-8265 E-mail: [email protected] Ramallah District E-mail: [email protected] Mail: PO Box 19665, Jerusalem 91193 Phone: 972 (or +970)-2-240-8023 Alexandria Office: TUNISIA E-mail: [email protected] Street Address: American Center H.L. “Lee” Jennings, Country Director Alexandria, 3 El Pharana Street Tunis Office: Jerusalem Office: Azarita, Alexandria, Egypt 22, Rue Al Amine Al Abassi Al-Hilal Street, Hirbawi Building – Mail: American Center, PO Box 839, Cite Jardins, 1002 Tunis-Belvedere Ground Floor, Beit Hanina, East Alexandria 21519 Mail: B.P. 351, Tunis-Belvedere 1002, Jerusalem Phone: (+20-3) 486-9091 Tunisia Mail: PO Box 19665, Jerusalem 91193 Phone: (216-71) 790-559 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 972-2-583-5647 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] JORDAN Sousse Office: Gaza City Office: Michael Clark, Country Director Street Address: Route de la Plage, Martyr Raja St. No.8/704 Rodeo Plaza Building, 3rd Floor Immeuble VIP Menchia, 4011 Hammam Bseiso Building, 8th Floor Nuh Al-Rumi Street, Sweifiyeh, Sousse Al Jondi Al Majhool, Rimal Amman (across from Café La Noisette) Phone: (216-73) 324-098 Neighborhood Mail: P.O. Box 1249, Amman 11118 Mail: P.O.Box: 1247, Gaza City, Gaza Phone: 962-6-581-0930 YEMEN Strip, Palestine National Authority E-mail: [email protected] Sabrina Faber, Country Director Phone: 972 (or 970)08-282-4635 Sana’a Office: MOROCCO E-mail: [email protected] Joseph Phillips, Country Director Algiers Street, #66,Sana’a Mail: PO Box 15508 Sana’a, Rep. of Yemen LEBANON Rabat Office: Barbara Shahin Batlouni, Country 35, Zanquat Oukaimeden, Agdal, Rabat, Phone: 967-1-206-222, 400-279, 400-280 E-mail: [email protected] Director Morocco , Bazerkan Phone: (212-3)767-5074 Building, First Floor, Nijmeh Square, Casablanca Office: Aden Office: (next to the Parliament) Beirut, Lebanon Street Address: 162 Miswat Street, Street Address: 3, Boulevard Al Mail: PO Box 11-2190 Khormaksar, Aden, Republic of Yemen Massira Al Khadra, Maarif, Casablanca Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107 2100 Phone: 212-2-225-9393 Phone: 967-2-232-345 Phone: 961-1-989901 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]