C ONNEC ISSUE 3 COMMUNICATION ARTS LEBANESE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 2018-2019 #ReinventCommunication Tions

1 Degrees and Programs B.A. andMinorinMultimedia Journalism COMMUNICATION #REINVENT

THEY SAY IT’S NEWS WE SAY WE IT’S EMPOWERMENT Photo: MahmoudNakib LAUCOMM [email protected] -comm.lau.edu.lb Department of Communication Arts

3 #ReinventCommunication

5 Degrees and Programs #ReinventCommunication Communication Arts students, staff and faculty at LAU Communication Artsstudents, staffandfacultyatLAU Proudly createdby Hanin Haidar Jad Fawaz Jana Barakat Zaynab Raya Maguie Hamzeh Sara Khouwayer Sandra AbdelBaki Maria AlKhoury Mohamed Chour Sarah Kaskas Contributors Rana Tabbara Ahmad Karakira Sally Farhat Fatima AlMahmoud Senior Writers Ayman Lezzeik Lea Ghalayini Grace Barakeh Maria AlKhoury Wissam Nasrallah Perla AlJourdi Editorial Staff Sally Farhat Copy Editor Sandra AbdelBaki Yasmeen Sakka Assistant Editors Rana Tabbara Associate Editor C Editor-In-Chief J of CommunicationArts Chair, Department CREDITS ad Melki ad Melki laudia Kozman Jad AbouAssy Lynn ElJbeily Lea Ghalayini Sabine Alieh Sarah Fouladkar Kourken Papazian Sami Fayad Rayan Zrein Rita Choueifati Taiseer Deaibes Melissa Smaha Yasmin Darwich Maria AlKhoury Rahaf Jammal Samer Beyhum Baha’ Radwan Joakim MadsRimerRasmussen Mohammad Assaf A Photographers Mai Khoury Jena Lynn Karam Rawane Itani Nora Fayad Dima Fayad PR Team Wael SalemHalawi Ala' Bachacha Graphic Designers Annie Tabakian Production Coordinator laa AbdelSater

7 Lebanese American University President Dr. JosephG.Jabbra Communication Artshas in storeforus for thenext50years. the new issue of CONNECTions, and to the innovations the Departmentof to reading years. Ilookforward during thepastfifty achievements remarkable Arts, administration,faculty, staff, and alumni,congratulatethemallon their LAUOn behalfoftheentire family, ofCommunication IsalutetheDepartment society, so as to live an informed life. self,culture, critically to examine pleasure, andgrantopportunities to provide and aesthetics ofhumancommunication,music,theater,performative thevisualarts, In short,theartsatLAUand in thattheyengagetheexpressive areimportant others. to lookand beyond generalizations assumptions, both about ourselves and about people thinkand act in certain ways. They teach us to be critical, to question, and tounderstandwhy and cultures, thus to examineeventsandideas,ultimately Last, theartsatLAUthe worldaroundus, its systemsofpower teachustoexplore life. entire individual's extends beyondthecontextofartto an and hardworkareessential.Thatdiscipline Moreover, learning anyoftheartsentailsrigorous discipline. Commitment,focus, entail, individualsenrichtheirlivesandtheofothers. and thecommunity.university the arts that and expressivity Throughthecreativity learning,the skillsforlifelong cultivates and crosses the bordersbetween artsprovideahumanisticeducationthatfosters desire forknowledge, and critical In LAU's dynamic educationalcontext,communication, performing, studio, theater the enriching gifts of the arts. to enjoy and ability people, peoplewhoarehumanandhumane,withtruefeelings educated but wealsoneedtograduate in thefourthindustrial revolution, participate by technologicaladvances.We needtograduatestudentswhofullyunderstandand and humane. We liveina complex and globalized worldthatis increasingly driven Now morethanever, butalsohuman we needtheartsnotonlytokeepuscivilized, throughout the country.received community,through its#ReinventCommunication, inparticular hasbeenwell productions. Further, insocialmediaanditsengagementwiththe itsinvolvement many outstanding engagement byattending, in largenumbers, to thedepartment’s and thecommunityhasrespondedtothat with thecommunityhas been exemplary; television. Moreover, has the activesocialengagementdepartment established journalism, dance,music,communicationarts,theater,multimedia andfilm enriching innovations the Department of Communication Arts has brought to Every timeIreada new issue of CONNECTions magazine, I marvel atthemany its evolution. the interview, I hadaboutLAU'sread extensively commitment to the artsthroughout warm round of applause. Their response was not surprising for, in preparation for The faculty and staff, assembled for the interview, approved of my answer with a "We needtheartstokeepuscivilizedandhuman,"wasmyanswer. for thepositionofPresident ofLAU. "What do you think of the arts," asked a faculty memberin 2004, during my interview Happy 50thAnniversarytotheLAU DepartmentofCommunicationArts President’s Message

9 School ofArts andSciences Dean Dr. CathiaJenainati constructively, creatively andresilientlywitheveryopportunity. arts and all its disciplines will play an essential role in enabling us to engage to its academic institutions, but it will also be a future where communication towards afuturethatiscertaintobringnumerouschallenges toourcountryand communication artsatLAU. Itcommemorates, celebratesandlooksforward This celebratory edition of Connections Magazine marks 50 years of together inthespiritofartisticcommunication,todebate, tofeelandact. raising that engaged the public in productive dialogue, bringing people dramas, engagedinsocialactivismandparticipatedforms ofconsciousness- faculty andstudentshaveproducedfilms,written,directed andperformed ingenious responses to contemporary challenges. For the past 50 years our of communication through their resilience, their disruptive thinking and their that feedson the creativityandzealof young peoplewhoreinventthearts arts arearguablyin a constant stateofrevolution– an infectious revolution of consciousness” between people. The communication by creating a “form together through its “infectiousness” and, as Susan Sontag later confirmed, It was Leo Tolstoy who first noted the powerful capacity of art to bring strangers evolving fieldsofcommunicationarts. the radicalinterventionsthatourfacultyhavecontributedtocontinually Lebanon, wetakeprideintheachievementsofouralumniandcelebrate years ofbeinginthevanguardcommunicationandarteducation engage withourincreasinglyfraught,complexandglobalizedworld.At50 talented and creative youth to develop the critical mindset that is needed to economic realities.Ourmissionhasalwaysbeenfocusedonenablingthemost social, cultural, political and intellectually and physically in our country’s arts, televisionandfilmproductions.Ourfacultyourstudentsparticipate field of communication arts in all its manifestations:journalism,performing For the past 50 years the Lebanese American University has been shaping the feel –toact. And whenartreachesouttous,itbehovesuswatch,listen,think, communicate with us. national flagandsingingtheanthem;alltheseartisticexpressions Maintenance); thevisualandaudiblerecordingofmillionspeopleflying slogan: “Al tareekmukfal,lisiyanatalwatan” (Road ClosedforNational on thebalcony, comedownandjoin,wehereareyourpeople);aheartfelt chant: “Yalle We’ef ‘albalcon,nzalnehnashaabakhon” (youwhoarestanding moves us.Anditengagesusat the most instinctual, humanlevels.A popular When art emerges from the real experiences of millions of vocal protestors, it significance –untamed,andungoverned,atoncepersonalcollective. In times ofrevolution,raw artistic expressionbecomesamodeofspontaneous Art isallaroundus–thetime.beckonsto reflect, tofeelandengage. elderly lendtheirweightypresencetothespiritofdissent. fellow protestors.Childrenaredresseduptomodelnationalisticviews,andthe pieces ofcardboard.Citizenjournalistsfilmandeditshortvideosfeaturing after night.Homemadeslogansexpressingpoliticalviewsarecarvedonto reverberate throughcitysquareswherestrangersgatherspontaneouslynight are revived and new ones emerge on the streets of major cities. Popular chants a time of unrest for the majority of the Lebanese population where old mantras issetagainstabackdropofeconomic,politicalandsocialupheaval– This op-ed LAU commemorates,celebratesandlooksforward Art, Communication,Revolution: Dean’s Message Chairperson’s Message and more. and more. Despite itall,wewillcontinueto#ReinventCommunication foryetanother50years, storm andintothevastseasofcommunicativeartssciences. grave responsibilitytocarrythislegacyforthandsteershipawayfromyetanother As we lay the blueprints for the next 50 years of communication arts at LAU, we feel a Despite itall,communicationartsatLAU survived,endured,andprospered. surmounted throughouttheyears. struggles this department has recorded in its glorious history, and the difficulties it has start of our 50th anniversary preparations, if only to remind us of all the sacrifices and Perhaps it is fitting that the Lebanese uprising and economic crisis coincide with the revival. latest rebuilding andrebirth—andspearheadingits have beenattheheartofthiscountry’s Arts hassurvivedwars,invasions,andfinancialcrises,itsstudents,staff, andfaculty this halfcenturyofhistoryremindsusthatourbelovedDepartmentCommunication And despitethegloomycircumstancesthathaveenvelopedLebanonandregion, year. next the backboneofeverythingwedoandreasoncelebrateour50thanniversary and the region, and many of them give back generously to their alma mater. They are Our studentsleadthewayinallcommunicationartsindustriesandspecialtiesLebanon up internationalawards. departments atLAU, whileourartisticoutputcontinuestobroaden,expand,andstack notch scientificresearchandattractsizablegrantsthatrivalinqualityquantitytop films,” accordingtoaformerdean.Today, communicationartsfacultyproducetop- Just afewyearsago,“thedepartmentmainlyproducedartisticperformancesand inMultimediaJHournalism. its historyventuringintograduatestudies,aMaster’s television andfilm),sixminors,ahostofstudyabroadprograms,forthefirsttimein boasts fourBAprograms(communication,multimediajournalism,performingarts,and in 1970, the department now major” Starting as a small “communication-drama present day. and indebtednesstothemanywomenmenwhocarrieddepartmentthis Reflecting backon50yearsofcommunicationartsatLAU, onecanonlyexpressgratitude Golden Jubilee. What agloriousfeelingitistobepartofthisvenerabledepartmentattheeveits Reflecting ontheDepartmentofCommunicationArts'50years Department ofCommunicationArts Chairperson Dr. JadMelki

11 22 32 16 Workshops Salzburg MDLAB 2019 Festival NEXT EVENTS LAU sets increased film quality How removing professionals from you Communicate FOB: Theless you speakthemore Redefining Beauty From Reinventing Communicationto FOB: Shy but love communication? Explaining themajorshift LAU CommArts department: 50th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL Study Abroad MA inMutimediaJournalism 4 BAs /5Minors DEGREES ANDPROGRAMS Contents CURRENT ISSUE03 #ReinventCommunication 60 44 72 74 STUDENTS Student Diaries Campus Stories Performing ArtsSeniorProjects IWCS: IMAGINE SummerArtsCamp Did you know? International DanceDay Festival IWCS: ChristmasCarols Series IWCS: ImagineWorkshop &Concert IWCS: Rite ofSpring Taa Sakeena Birds ofSeptember Bel Hawa Sawa Salzburg FOB: Exams Social Issues Capstones TV/Film PFA Capstones Communication Capstones Journalism Capstones

90 84 82 88 78 77 New Faculty Q &A Faculty Awards FACULTY ANDSTAFF STUDENT ACTIVITIES Featured Alumni Student Awards in MagazineClass Meet theStudentsBehind theTopics Student Profiles Citizenship Sustainable Development and Global UNESCO 2019 ForumonEducation for Soleiman AlHajj Gretchen King Soleiman AlHajj Seba Ali Joseph Khalifeh Awad Awad Weam Al Dakheel Itani Firas Ghada Youssef andLamaHatoum Samir Kawas Daily Question Youssef Dghaidi 100 102 96 94 Featured Staff Staff Activities Productions Faculty Activities Featured Faculty Samer Beyhum Samer Beyhum Fouad Anka Workshops ScreeningsFilm andFestivals Lectures and Presentations Research Conferences Artistic Performances and Joseph Khalifeh

13 Degrees and Programs Degrees & Programs

15 Degrees and Programs Multimedia Journalism Performing Arts Bachelor ofArtsandMinor Bachelor ofArtsandMinor 4 BAs and5Minors Minor Creative andJournalistic Writing theater. competencies indance, music, and offers students basic skills and The MinorinPerforming Arts studies. also prepares students for graduate and crafting withlights. Theprogram movement, writing, technical skills, including acting, voice training, body The BA covers awiderangeofskills, in asfew astwo semesters. learn basic journalism andtheories offers students the opportunity to The minorinMultimedia Journalism students for graduatestudies. the forefront and equips of the field multimedia news, offers courses at careers inprint, broadcast, and The BA prepares students for Communication Television &Film Bachelor ofArt Bachelor ofArt Audiovisual Production Minor Advertising &Public Relations Minor professions. the advertising andpublic relations methods, andapproaches used in teaches themthemainconcepts, role of communicationin societyand Relations introduces students to the The Minor in Advertising and Public and Organizational Communication. Communication, and Interpersonal Relations, SocialandPolitical three areas: Advertising and Public The BA in Communication covers production competencies. production andprovides media profession ofaudio, videoandfilm introduces students tothe The Minor in Audiovisual Production professions. creative, and managerial for work in the various production, knowledge andprepares students practical skills andconceptual The BA in Television offers and Film

17 Degrees and Programs By FatimaAlMahmoud Journalism for all theRight Reasons Pursue Your MAinMultimedia professors. with an enriching working experience alongsidetheir assistantships bythe MAalsoprovidestudents offered Aside fromthesignificanttuition reductions,thegraduate with your faculty 2. Work onresearch, teaching, anddigital production accordingly. either a professional or research trackand proceed year.emphasis, studentsthen choose Basedontheir digital innovation and media researchduring their first program,theMAintroducesallstudentsto A two-year 1. Explore thehorizons ofyour career path Journalism at LAU. reasons why you should pursue an MA in Multimedia No matterwhatyournextstepwillbe, here arefive the job market first?Can you do both at thesame time? Or shouldyouimmerseyourselfin degree immediately? planning outthenextstep.ShouldyoupursueanMA and accomplishment,butwhatfollowsisthepressureof Graduating is always accompaniedwitha sense of pride Master ofArts Multimedia Journalism MA inMultimedia Journalism level mediacourses. them toteachuniversity-teaching apprenticeship thatqualifies research apprenticeship. Both tracks are required to complete a research-oriented courses andconclude with athesisand internship. Those intheresearch trackattendtheoretical and courses and culminate with a journalistic project and professional Students intheprofessional track takeadditional professional proceed accordingly thefollowing year. in bothtracks takecommoncourses, andbased ontheiremphasis, a research andaprofessional year, track. Duringthefirst students digital innovation, andmediaresearch andteaching.Itoffers both The MAinMultimedia Journalism covers multimediajournalism, your calling to help reinventcommunication. and everything you give back to the department is part of you learn a missiontoreinventcommunication. Everything Once a communication artsstudent, always a pioneer on 5. Reinvent communication network of media professionals. having builtastrongmediaresearchgroundingand after research scholars, and becomeoneoftheleading narrative the researchtrackof the MA, you can regain controlof the research on it comes from outside theregion. By following the existing field, remains anunderstudied Arab media While 4. Build astrong grounding inmediaresearch andtheory taught courseinmediapedagogy. ofEducationforaco- with theDepartment to collaborate and getthechance apprenticeship Opt fortheteaching 3. Qualify toteachuniversity-level journalism Study Abroad on theoutskirtsofUtrecht,in thecenterofTheNetherlands. campus, Utrecht Science Park, is located among others. Theuniversity’s countries, with developing and development of the European Union, in Europe,itsrelationship and identity on topicsthatincludeculture report “Europe in the World” program, where 24 students come together to semester.places foranentire Theexchangeispartoftheintensive with HU of Applied Scienceswhere students trade from both universities LAU’s studyabroadprogramhasa newly establishexchangeagreement Hogeschool University ofAppliedSciences skills and allows them to function better in a team. the importanceofarts.Studyingartsdevelopsstudents’critical thinking The schoolfostersstudents’creativityasitaimsatraising awarenesson Administration, TheaterPerformance, andTheaterDesignProduction. and Vocal MusicStudies;andaBAinTheaterwithemphasis Physical TherapyDance;aBAinMusicwithemphasisInstrumental Sciences,Dance Theater/Dance,andDancePre- Dance Pre-Movement Performance, Dance Studio Operations, Dance Arts Administration, an interest in performing arts: BA in Dance with emphasis in Dance Stockton Universityoffersthreedifferentprogramsforstudentswith Stockton University expand theirviewsonworldpoliticsinaculturally-rich setting. with acquiringtechnicalandeditingskills,studyingriskreporting, and produce news stories, including documentariesand features, along instructorsandprofessionals.They courseswithworld-class hands-on students learn news skills reporting and through digital mediastorytelling one oftheleadingschools of journalismandmediainEurope, At DMJX, The DanishSchoolofMediaandJournalism Salzburg. birthplace, and Mozart’s culture from across the globe,whileexploringexquisiteAustriannatureand and engageinresearchdebateswith75students15faculty Students discuss pressing globalissues, produce multimediamodules, students fromallmajors. Austria, opentograduateandundergraduate summerprograminSalzburg, is athree-week The SalzburgAcademy Salzburg Academy onMediaand GlobalChange – Utrecht, TheNetherlands – New Jersey, USA – Aarhus, Denmark – Salzburg, Austria

19 50th Anniversary Special

50th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

21 50th Anniversary Special by Rana Tabbara ers, and professionals in the field. strives tograduatescholars, artmak Through themthedepartment also reflect onlocalanduniversal issues. informed citizens,whoare ableto aim to develop civically engaged and creativity, and research. The tenants theory and practice, critical inquiry, came up with four major tenants: ways toreinventtheireducationand The leadershipthusadoptednew discipline ofcommunication. ate, and reinvent the art vocation and minds thatseektoexplore,defy, cre to becomethevesselofpassionate partment ofCommunicationArtsaims by reinventingthealphabets,De nicians who contributed to the world Inspired byLAU’s emblem,thePhoe years.” achieve globalinfluenceinfivetosix four years and ultimately extend to eminence canberegainedinthreeto national leadershipandregionalpre ified Melki.“However, thispositionof historical positioninparticular,” clar eral and challenged the department’s communication artsprogramsingen- “All these factors held back many were evident. Lebanon andcurricularstagnations lenges, internaldisputespersistedin tion technologies faced major chal- the mediaindustryandcommunica- the past20years.Onalargerscale, as competitiontoLAU’s programin communication artsprogramsposed Melki, PhD, Lebanese and regional According to the Chairperson Jad what itistoday. several obstacles in order to become the department had to overcome private universitiesaroundLebanon, gram amongsimilardepartmentsin Although itstartedasapioneerpro right after the Lebanese University. embark in the communicationsfield ing LAU theseconddepartmentto Arts atLAU launchedin1972,mak The DepartmentofCommunication Explaining theMajorShift Communication Arts: LAU’s Departmentof ------the message within averycomplex Students shouldalsobeable tosee they hear, andmessage theyreceive. construct anyimagetheyget, sound others. Student should be able to de tics, culture, economy, technology and contextualizing everything within poli- Critical thinking is taught through need toadvancethemselves.” them thebasicsandthentheywill guidance,” remarked Melki. “I’ll give to learnithimselfwithveryminimal My goalistohavethestudentbeable few yearsadobecouldbeoutdated. adobe premiere because in the next goal toteachastudenthowuse “At theendofdayitisnotmy crucial. ment believesthatcriticalinquiryis cient, theleadershipofdepart To- helpstudentsbecomeself-suffi Critical Inquiry capstone project. take aninternshipcourseanddoa their degrees students are required to tual fieldexperience.Thisiswhytoget but needstobecomplementedbyac- edge, isimportanttothedepartment which isunderstandinghumanknowl- Being oneofthetenants,theory, and reporting. give themequalimportanceinwriting ricula tobalancebothlanguages and Arts at LAU made sure in its new cur the Department of Communication Taking thepriorintoconsideration, porting, which is considered exclusive. when itcomestonewswritingandre on eitherArabicorEnglishlanguages to the study, universities mainly focus with nointernationaledge.According that reliesonlocallyfocusedissues oretical framework or a practical one the country adopt either a purely the non exhibits how universities across Media aboutmediastudiesinLeba- A study published in Journalism and Theory andPractice - - - - - amphitheater, andastudio. ogy, lightsand sound equipment,an Mac lab,DSLRcameras,360 technol- rent onesinclude;anediting lab,a available wheneverpossible andcur ments. New auxiliaries are made dated with the technological advance sure toalwayskeepitsstudentsup explained thattheuniversitymakes studio technicianatthedepartment, More tothat,SamerBeyhum,TV/Film covered by the department.” asked for, and our finances were also el and a booth, the tech support we had thespaceweneededtodoapan- campaign,” saidFayadgratefully. “We needed toconductawell-established gave ourteamalltheresourceswe “To encourageusthedepartment campus. campaign that earned its buzz on the MaramPRgrouptoproducea ment ofCommunicationArtspushed graduate, DimaFayad,theDepart According to communication under the SchoolofArtsandSciencesfair. the bestcommunityserviceawardat public relations campaign that won nalism studentsatLAU; andMaram’s live streaming done solely by jour other film festivals; Chat City, the first awards fromthedepartmentitselfand that receivedthehighestnumberof a student and alumni production year 2018bythedepartment;Brine, sino ElOns,mostpackedplayforthe Some works of creativity include: Ca- creative. able to broaden their horizon and get tures andcampaigns,studentsare productions, films,multimediafea- Given thespacetheyneedtocreate Creativity cal aspectswereused. message, andwhatothertechnologi- tors that led to the construction of this message, whataretheeconomicfac- sures thatledtothecreationofthis context. What are the political pres ------generation readnewspapers, orturn in thepast.Very fewoftheyounger al methodsistrappingthe students but in the media sticking to tradition- chitecture, history, andpsychology, many fieldsofeducationsuch asar Sticking to tradition is important in radio andTV. But thatwasaboutall. newspaper orhowtobroadcastfor teach thestudentshowtowritefora wasn’t innovating. It was common to For alongtime,mediaeducation Reinvent Communication uate studiesandcareeringeneral.” self headedwithrespecttomygrad- helped meenvisionwhereIseemy class,” describedAl-Mahmoud.“It during the Media Research Methods an interest I had already discovered helped meidentifyandexpandon “Working with Dr. Kozman on research plan todo. credible backgroundinwhatthey ify their work and grant them a more troduced toresearch,asithelpssolid- essential thatmediastudentsgetin- According totheAl-Mahmoud,itis her researchstudies. Journalism ClaudiaKozman, PhD, in with Assistant Professor of Multimedia was one of the students who worked Now analumna,FatimaAl-Mahmoud or conducttheirown. to contributeinfacultyresearchand/ department, studentsareencouraged course offeredisacoreinthe that the media research methods published researchers, and besides munication Arts faculty members are Besides the fact that some LAU Com- Research much better,” said Mayasi with pride. eras sitting on the shelves, they are and I’m even shocked with the cam- existing now, they are beyond humble “However, lookingattheequipment ment.” space toplaywiththehumbleequip at LAU ourmentorsgaveusallthe Iwas tion Artshementioned:“When to LAU’s DepartmentofCommunica- During alumnusRakan Mayasi'svisit history.throughout thedepartment’s utilities werenotalwaysavailable These technologicalinnovationsand - - - cases anycompetitionintheworld. competition in theregion and in many and placethemselvesaheadofany dents cantakeadvantageofallthat tion ofLAU asatopuniversity, stu- creativity andmanagingthereputa- critical thinking, professional practice, Through balancingtheory, research, the futureistoinventit.” going to happen in figure out what’s bestwayto ing it,”Melkisaid.“The ing tobeaheadofitthroughinvent happening around the world but try not only waiting to deal with what is are goingtobeaheadofthecurveby to settlefortraditionaleducation,we “We came and said we are not going universities. try has moved forward, and so should on the TV at home. The media indus - Rakan Mayasi and scriptwriting editing, camera, directing.” tolights, sound from field; the within positions the all on train should you filmmaker good a tobecome want you LAU at if Ilearned that was information of mosteffective piece andprojects. The withmaterial experiment needtoexplore and professors theirstudentsthespacethey whogive tobetaughtby Ihadtheopportunity education, “During my - - - even improvingtheirlegacy.” what Ihear, theyarestillholdingand ground to her success story. “From Dakheel, when asked about the back we areleadersofchange,”saidAl leaders butnotanytypeofleaders, the department allowed us to become teachingapproachendorsedby “The - Weam AlDakheel shaping theperson Iamtoday.” meandhascontributed in of LAU ways. so many isapiece LAU life in hasimpactedmy in experience “My educational -

23 50th Anniversary Special To haveaglimpseattheirbackgroundandgettoknowthem. answerthat,let’s Besides beingfamousArabs,whatdothesethreerenownedfigureshaveincommon? factors brought up the shift and how it affect the quality of education. factors brought up the shift and how it affect the quality of education. While manyacknowledgethat themajorshifthappenedfor“greater good,”somedonotknowwhat majors insteadofhavingtosign uptooneprogram. With thelaunchofStrategic Plan 2017-2022,studentsnowhavetheopportunityto choose amongfour analogous toitifyouarearegistered studentor an alumnus/alumna who graduated2017 and after. identical to yours if you graduated from LAU Communication Arts’ program prior to 2016, but a degree That isright;thethreemediapioneerssharesameeducational background.Theyevidentlyholdadegree journey of self-realization in the Arab region. Hollywood actress has also started a blog in 2018 to voice out women’s thoughts on the in LAthataimstoshatterMiddleEasternstereotypesthe USthroughartsandmedia.The Cultural Center,ambassador toLevantine Alamuddin isalsoacultural afoundationbased the City2. the Restlessand , andactedinmoviessuchas; Bosta, RecyclingSex and Flo,CSI:Miamiand face inHollywood.TheLebanesealumnastarredasoap operatitled a familiar from LAU,Also aCommunicationArtsgraduate Ranato become in acting Alamuddinexcelled scriptwriting and directing.” filmmaker youshouldtrainonallthepositionswithinfield;fromsoundtolights,camera,editing, mosteffectivepieceofinformationIlearnedatLAU was thatifyouwanttobecome a good “The space theyneedtoexploreandexperimentwithmaterialprojects,”acknowledgedMayasi. “During my education, Ihadthe opportunity tobe taught byprofessorswhogivetheirstudentsthe filmmaker. According to the award-winning director, it takes practice and experimentation to become a good filmmaker, asitwontheGoldenEggforBestShortFilm inKusrendorf Festival. at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.Bonbone led successtotheinspired Palestinian Roubama wasselectedforLocarnoFilmFestivalandhislatestshortBonbonehaditsworldpremiere TV andFilm.Mayasiwrotedirectedthreeindependentshortfilmsinwhichhisprevious Rakan MayasigraduatedfromLAU withadegreeinCommunicationArtsanemphasis “LAU is a piece of me and has contributed in shaping the person I am today.” “My educational experience in LAU has impacted my life in so many ways,” recalled Al Dakheel. Arts Department. Al DakheelattributeshersuccesstothequalityofeducationshereceivedfromLAU’s Communication Agility Awards 2018. the Saudi-Arabian broadcaster was recognized as the Media Personality of the Year by Enterprise table, Al Dakheel earned her stationintheforefront of femaleempowerment. Later in December, Saudi Arabia’s television.In a country undergoing transformationby granting women seats atthe Journalism. InSeptember2018,Dakheelbecamethefirstwomantoanchorprimetimenewsin Weam Al Dakheel graduated from LAU withadegreeinCommunicationArtsanemphasis in The Young Assaf explained as she stood up and Assaf explained asshestoodupand “You shouldbeincontrolofyourbody,” happening inthesurrounding. firm andisalerttoeverything thatis An intelligentbodyisathat stands one cannot function without the other. brain and the body are connected, and body isnotthebrain’s car,” ratherthe Nadra Assaf, PhD, explainedthat“the Associate Chairofthedepartment Assistant Professor ofDanceand right way. how torepresentthemselvesinthe facultyandstudentson department’s The contestantsweretrainedbythe empower the participants. of CommunicationArtsintervenedto during thecontest.TheDepartment contestants’ confusion andnervousness main reasonsbehindMissLebanon professionals forthefirsttime,are TV, andbeinginfrontofapanel Standing onstage,goinglive to redefine beauty. had onegoalthroughouttheprocess: The Department of Communication Arts physical appearance. and toslightlyshiftitsfocusawayfrom traditional standards of beauty contest LAU playedaroleinalteringthe departments toadvance the contest. various Lebanese AmericanUniversity’s Lebanon 2018,”collaboratedwiththe Lebanon’s beautycontest“Miss Not anymore. the beauty pageant contest. standards thatallowhertobepart of until she believes that she is within the clothes herselfwithlayersofcorset heels that ache her feet to death, and She paints herself with makeup, wears and attractive,”shewhisperstoherself. “Only ifIwerethinner, taller, beautiful, staring atherselffromheadtotoe. She spendshoursinfrontofthemirror by JanaBarakat Beauty Communication toRedefining From Reinventing of either eliminating the bathing suit of eithereliminating thebathingsuit hosting the show in 2018, the possibility Lebanon, the TV station that was LAU communitydiscussed withMTV Aside fromtheirroleintraining, the in people’s minds about pageants. aids in breaking the stereotype present present themselvesandcommunicate of preparingparticipantsonhowto confidence, Melki said that the process Aside frombuildingtheirself- them. posed randomquestionsforeachof members, who acted as panelists and Participants stoodinfrontofthefaculty The finalstageinvolvedapanel. answer. pressure. Theyhadthreequestionsto This allowed them to experience camera Pageants were taken to the TV Studio. The second stage was more serious. partner oneof25questions. in pairs.Eachcontestantaskedher In thefirststage,participantsworked different stages. to answer questions through three confidence, pageants were trained Aside from learning how to stand with height. and headuphelpsyoustandyour standing with your shoulders straight laid herbackatthedoortoshowhow gender inequality. been feminists and had an idea about in thetrainingsession.Others have were influencedbywhatthey learned women as AbiRafeh stated, but they Lebanese society between men and aware ofinequalitiespresent inthe Some oftheparticipantsweren’t feminist undertaking,” AbiRafeh said. “Taking on the beauty industry is a aware ofgenderinequality. ideas and trained the contestant to be team challenged these preconceived The AiW gave lectures on the subject. The inequality?” Wouldn’t thisbepromotinggender be fineforMissLebanon’s contestants? to walkin a swimsuit,whywouldn’t this fineforMr.“if it’s Lebanon’s contestants current LAU student, emphasized that Chloe AbiZeid,acontestantand to bepartofgenderequality. believing that the bathing suit section different opiniononthesubject The contestants, however, had a (AiW), said. director oftheArabInstituteforWomen body,” asLinaAbiRafeh, PhD, executive beyond the physicality of a woman’s “Redefining beauty is a form of looking section before. section oratleast,havingthequestion

25 50th Anniversary Special If youarenotconvincedyet,heresomeroutesthatexhibithowcanworkincommunicationandstillsurvive: shyness andcommunicationmajorsdon’t intertwineisjustanothermyth. arts department.Communicationexpertshowever, believeshynessisjustavirtualwallthatcanbebroken,andthefact Interviewing, stagefrights,andover-thinking wheninteractingwithpeoplemightscarestudentsawayfromthe“communication” start toask:“HowandwhenwillIovercomemyshyness?” prepared enough and ready toapproachpeoplewithyourquestions or not. While manydarkthoughts visit yourhead, you You’re backstageandabouttostandinfrontofanaudience.You’re shiveringandsweating, thinkingwhetheryouare by JanaBarakat We Have aSolution! Shy but Love Communication? Opinion articles media usage Statistics in Media Analysis You canchoosetheanalyticalpartofjob Communications consultant Hussein Itany mass media on people You study theeffects of Media Research as suggested by Route A Examples with people involve interaction bulletin and doesn’t Summary of news Writing Press Releases you’re theloudestinroom, or the oneescapingthenoise.” communication, thenpursue that tothebestof your ability, whether “if you’resucceed. AsChangstatesin her article passionateabout Instead, you should challenge yourselfand break those walls to you fromhavinganeducation inthecommunicationartsfield. Shyness shouldn’t beconsideredasanobstaclethatprevents Raghda Mougharbel Al-Zein you overcomefearbysteppingintoit. Takecommunication courses thathelp Oral scenario, the answer might be a “No”. then pose your question. In theworstcase by saying hello and hiding your fears, and you makeit,approachthepeople Fake ittill Oral communicationinstrucoratLAU Journalist andCommunication Youmna Naufal Nicol Chang Journalism student instructor atALAC as suggested by Route B by MariaAlKhoury instructors atLAU, Dr. Raed Mohsen and Dr. KhaledNasser. the communicationprocess,assuggestedby navigate are sometipsfromAandBtohelpyoubetter Here “And thebaseofbeingagoodlistener,” headds,"isputtingyourselfintheotherperson’s shoes." being agood listener,nonverbal and not verbal.Whatmakesone a good communicator? It’s Nasser says. Family communicationconsultantDr.70 to80percentoftheunderstandingincommunication is KhaledNasserbelieves According tocommunicationspecialists,thesefactorscanmakeforabettercommunicator. to listen others. ability communication depends on factors thatgobeyondspeaking,Effective such as using non-verbal communicationandthe is notonlyaboutspeaking. Why does this happen?Becausetheywerenotlisteningwell.Theyputalltheefforton talking, that communication forgetting situation wheretheyfeelunabletocatchuporunderstand. They are communicatingwith people around them as if there areno barriers. Then, all of a sudden, they facea block…a addingfreedomandasense of humortotheirconversations. Students arespeakingwithfluencyandself-confidence, the More you Communicate! The Less you Speak, Your communication can Maintain eye contact also benon-verbal Use correct facial Be natural and expression language and be yourself correct body Be confident appearance Be aware of Use body and looks posture listener? How canonebeagood a great communicator! Good Listeningmakes for Don't prepare responses Don't jumpto Ask questions Pay attention Mentally paraphrase what the otherpersonissaying Look attheotherperson conclusions and show respect to stayfocused

27 50th Anniversary Special value frompayingfortheproduction students often achieved good technical more creative freedom. Even though at LAU, the better films are a result of Department ofCommunicationArts assistant professoroffilmatthe According toSarahKaskas, MFA, quality ofproductions. sets hasdramaticallyimprovedthe removing professionalsfromLAU film but gone – and rather paradoxically, faculty effort, that tendency is all Now, however, after a combined assignments. crews and camera equipment for their of dollars on hiring both professional to spend hundreds or even thousands training pushed LAU’s film students equipment, and a lack of technical Back then, insecurity, a scarcity of camera equipment. students tinkeringwithhigh-end any gigglingfirst-time actressesor ago, you might nothavefound But, hadthisbeenjustthreeyears from anLAU movieproductionset. This represents behind the scenes to create a smooth flowing shot of her. the rail,followedbycart,inorder moments sheisgoingtowalkalong a nervouslygigglinggirl.Infew camera just right, pointing it towards two boys are trying to position the do theirbestnottotripovertherails, and a camera. While passing students elaborate cartwithtwosmallchairs wooden wedges,andontopofitisan A black set of steel tracks is placed on amusement parkisbeingsetupatLAU. What lookslikesomethingoutofan by Steffen Neupert Improved inQuality How Setsfrom Film LAU: Removing Professionals that good,” he said. bad directing, thefilmsweren’t even best they could afford. But because of to hirecrewbecausetheywantedthe “People used to payaround 500 dollars guarantee forqualityofcontent. prices paid forprofessionalswere no problematic. He agrees thatthehigh them paying to produce projects was also realizethattheformernormof alumnus, explainedthatstudents Iyad Tchelebi, LAU televisionandfilm story-telling.” the story is presented in termsof improves yourowncreativityofhow spending moneyonanoutsidecrew attractive,” sheexplained.“And not back with something that wasn’t very who paid a lot of money and came outside crews,butIalsohadstudents esthetics could be good with the “The directing students’creativity. dominated film sets, impairing the sound technicians,andactorsoften of their films, the hired cameramen, instant. problems, theresultswerealmost LAUto combatthose started faculty lack ofequipment.Butasheandother lack of trust betweenstudents, and a from a severe lackof technical training, was says suffering that thedepartment had good reason to feelinsecure.He Communication Arts atLAU, students of chairperson oftheDepartment to JadMelki,PhD,According she said. and have more creative input as well,” the professionalsmightknowmore from thestudents’ side. They thought “It was mostly a matter of insecurity angle withtherightlighting. – getting the right shot from the right experience inhandlingfilmequipment they did nothaveenough hands-on help wasrootedinthemfeelingthat for her students to seek professional Kaskas believes that the tendency Equipment, Training, and Confidence in filmmaking. teaching allthetechnicalskills needed workshops outside of class, specifically by theimplementationofmandatory This problem,however, wassolved more artisticpartsofthecurriculum. because it competed for attention with eroded slowly other courses where it training had been incorporatedinto Until two years ago, all cinematographic to useit. nothing. Ifstudentsdidnotknowhow new, expensiveequipmentwasworth film projectsfreeofcharge.Butthe available forstudentstousetheir and powerfuleditingstations–all professional light, sound equipment, stock of cinematic cameras, dollies, By now, LAU boastsanimpressive it,” Melkisaid. over severalyears,andstartedbuying equipment, prioritized it, divided it of about a million dollars’ worth of staff, and students. We created a list committee, consisting of faculty, key create an equipmentandfacilities biggestmovewedidwasto “The other ontheirfilmsets. and pushingstudentstoworkwitheach intensifying trainingincinematography, – bothinvestinginnewequipment, of theproblemanddecidedtoact faculty andstaffrealizedtheseverity A few years ago, all of this changed as of Department Communication Arts the Reforming than ten students who won awards.” handful, and last year we had more year after we had a explained. “The student whowon an award,” Melki three yearsago,wehadjustonefilm- westartedthisprocessabout “When students the tools and skills they the ambitiousinvestments gave The bootcamps,thenew rules and Better FilmsandLearning said. who are qualified to use them,” Beyhum main crewyouhaveareLAU students, we have,youhave to ensure that the “If youwanttousetheheavyequipment gear. to takeadvantageoftheavailable professionals on their projects in order to workwitheachotherinsteadof department, furthernudgingstudents Beyhum, thatledtoanewruleinthe properly taken care of. According to with a need to make sure that it is Buying thenewequipmentcame as much experience,” he said. seniors, eventhoughtheydon’t have who know as much technically as our have studentsintheirsecondsemester into the swimming pool of fire. Now we is thatthestudentsarethrowndirectly “One ofthethingsbootcampsdo makers. of olderandmoreexperiencedfilm students –evenpushingthemahead increased the technical abilities of Communication Arts, it dramatically studio technicianintheDepartmentof according to Samer Beyhum, TV/film The initiativewasasuccess,and to otherstudents.” confidence, andtheypassedthaton camps that alsogave them more them. Therefore,wecreatedboot them tostudentswhocouldn’t use equipment, and we couldn’t just give other,” Kaskas said. “We got the new “Everything just fell on top of each thing,” she said. do stuff, and I think that is a beautiful among the students to learn how to this way. There isanextrainitiative actually learning more own. They’re can work to their full potential on their a lotoftalentinthemand thatthey “Students are realizing that there is curious learners. are alsobetter, moreactiveand films on a much slimmer budget, they students arenotonlyproducingbetter better equipped andmorecooperative According to Kaskas, the more skilled, improve,” he said. do, themorestudentsarepushedto program. Themoreworkshopswe improving. Ithinkitisbecauseofthe to worktogether, andthescriptsare quality intermsoffilm,peoplewant now. We were able to shoot better “We havewaymoreequipment cooperate. also, in the dynamic of how students not only in the availability of gear but Tchelebi hasalsonoticed a change, attention ofstudentsthemselves.Iyad and communityhavenotmissedthe The improvement ofboth quality Melki explained. colleagues they know they can trust,” of confidence,andstudentshave aspects of the process. It is a sense can rely on each other for different are doing, andtheyknowthat “Now the students know what they their projects. colleagues andhelpeachotherwith of skills available amongst their Melki, studentsnowrealizethepool sense ofcommunity. Accordingto needed, but also helped create a

29 Events Events Communication Arts inAction

31 Events of FestivalNEXT, festival said.“The LAU alumnusandartisticdirector time togiveback,”Awad Awad, “LAU gavemesomuch,anditwas and bringallofitspeopletogether. goal was to globalize the LAU world outside the department. The ultimate faculty andstafffrominside launched toengageLAU students, #Scanthecode campaignwas fiesta. communication inamultidisciplinary event was to connect all strands of the department,aimof students fromdifferentmajorswithin Bringing togethermorethan30 Festival NEXT. Arts at LAU hosted thethirdeditionof The DepartmentofCommunication Festival NEXT2019. traveled the vacuum. Welcome to to another, while music symphonies 22. Crowdsglidedfromoneevent campus betweenMarch19and A differentvibecloakedLAU's Beirut by Sally FarhatandRana Tabbara A Reinvented Experience Festival NEXT2019 our lives." of howcrucialitistointegrateartsin the campus.Thefestivalremindedme energy and positive vibes all around at LAU, said. “It was a week full of Oneissi, politicalsciencestudent platform for all kinds of arts,” Joelle art and Festival NEXT wasagreat student, I enjoy events related to "Although Iamapoliticalscience participate. can ensuring thatanyoneandeveryone period, dispersed overa five-day performances, and screenings were art expression. Workshops, plays, was transformed intoastagefor Office atLAU, the Beirutcampus for Women andtheAlumniRelations with theArabInstitute In collaboration what thedepartmentisupto.” the outsideworldtostopandcheck people fromalloverthecampusand incorporated events and invited year’s together. Their unityreinventedthis students brought the department’s : to Nidal,”saidDr. Jabbra.“Sheisa like toexpressourmostsincerewishes sciences, onbehalfofthedeans,I’d on behalfoftheschoolartsand “On behalfofmycolleaguesatLAU, directed byAwad andAmrSelim. followed by a play titled and Lina Abyad. The screening was in collaborationwithNidalAlAchkar and directedbySabineElChamaa , a film written with NidalAlAchkar screening ofAWorkshop andFive Tales The honoring incorporated the to thishonor,” AlAchkarsaid. thank all of the people who contributed honor me this year. I would also like to of LAU JosephJabbrawhodecidedto “I wouldliketothankthepresident Theater NidalAlAchkar. opening ceremony the Grand Dame of communicative artshonoredinits experimental performing and for innovative, avant-garde, and The interdisciplinary annual space Tawlifet Nidal, Starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 10 NEXT’s following days were as vibrant. directed byJosephKhalifeh,Festival Homage totheRahbani Brothers, Concluding itsfirstdaywithan interested.” people from other departments were department, and I realized that even me want to get involved more in the the fashion show. festival made “The TV andFilmalumnamodelin unstoppable,” saidYasmeen Sakka, nothing,’ we showed them that we are people that do students being‘lazy “We brokethestereotypeofarts team for Festival NEXT. show, andawebTVproducedbythe with live performances, a fashion food sponsors and vendors, along launch includedwritingworkshops, CONNECTions’ second edition. The attendees witnessed the launch of Prior tothehonoraryceremony, the legendary Nidal Al Achkar.” dame oftheLebanesetheater. Sheis well as on her life. She is the grand who hadanincredibleinfluenceas she workedhardwithJohnLinwood by excellence, ‘cultural provocateur’ - Awad Awad world to stop and check what the department is up too.” too.” up is department the what check and stop to world thecampusandoutside peoplefrom allover invited and events thisyear’sincorporated unity reinvented Their back. give studentstogether. festival brought thedepartment’s The to time was it and much, so me gave “LAU discussion, Icongratulatethem.” festival providedthisplatformforthe them because it is important. The to sit with youth and debate with in universities.Ialwaysgivepriority discussions areimportantespecially “Bravo for the festival, these political and Festival NEXT’s guest speaker. Al-Ahdab, formerLebaneseMP from youthlikeyou,”saidMisbah could be proposed specifically coming it thegoodwayandtrytoseewhat “Politics is your life. One has to see debates. with mind-stimulating political shows that heated up the day The festival also includedthree it was more than worth it.” NEXT exceededmyexpectations,and event followingtheother, Festival studies studentatLAU, said.“One Diab, internationalaffairsandlegal covered a variety of topics,” Raneem schedule and had a well-organized “I attendedFestivalNEXTbecauseit presented workshops. arts orlearnnewtopicsthroughthe with diverseforms of performing students theopportunitytoexperiment p.m., the12-houreventsprovided productions, andperformances. artists throughworkshops,lectures, professionals toworkwithestablished offers opportunities to students and pre- visionary fusionandartisticoutletthat professionals. FestivalNEXTisa performing artists and communication Lebanese and Arab schools, universities, department and university with of communicationandconnectthe festival aimstoencompassallstrands Arts reinventedFestivalNEXT. The the Department of Communication Festival and continuing its legacy, International UniversityTheater Building onthehistoryofLAU's life,” Mikdashisaidinherspeech. how wethink,andpractice to keep forwarding the values of arts, “I takethisawardasanopportunity Arts.” theme of“PioneersinCommunication Award, which falls this year under the Mikdashi washonoredwiththeAlumni Rutgers University. of Women’s and Gender Studies at assistant professor in the Department Maya Mikdashi,PhD, whoisan Tribute toCommunicationArtsalumna

33 Events Performer ofToute Toute MaKhilsit ElHatoute Performing Artsstudent atLAU Photographer atFestival NEXT Business studentatLAU Live Crew for CONNECTions TV Television student atLAU &Film Creator for CONNECTions Technician for theLive Stream andContent Television student atLAU &Film EditionofFestival NEXT Co-Initiator oftheFirst Arts atLAU at theDepartmentofCommunication Assistant Professor &Associate Chair Pianist inTheRite ofSpring Social MediaTeam for FestivalNEXT Communication studentatLAU Melissa Samaha Nadra Assaf, PhD Brianna Matzke Ghaida Hreiby Yasmine Darwish Raissa Frangie Pascale Jallouf at Wilmington College Assistant Professor ofMusic Testimonials delivering messages. opentonew ideas,expressions,andto in theformofourartorcontent. It’s Festival NEXTisagreatplatform forustoshowcaseourart.Itdoesn’t limitus the chancetowork in both of these areas. gives me andphotographythisfestival I’ve alwaysbeenintovideography that willhelpmegrowandlearnalot. an experience a greatopportunitytobeableengagedinthisfestivalbecauseit’s It’s It allowsmetoworkwithothersandbuildmoreconnections. Festival NEXTgavemethechancetoworkonmyskillsanddevelopthem. them wewouldn’t behere. proud ofall our studentsbecauseIthinkifitwasn’t and I’mextremely for happy so I’mreally has outdoneallofourexpectations say thatthisyearreally As somebody who of thefirsteditionwithAmrSelim,Ican was the initiator I thinkFestivalNEXTthisyearinitsthirdeditionhassofarbeenthebest. andnationality.and religion and the viewpoints thatarepresentedtherebutdiverseinterms of gender so diverse withnotonlyartisticdisciplines created, andI’mimpressedthatit’s fantastic, I’vebeenso impressed withhowhas this festival all been It’s encountered. students from different majors at LAU. It was one of the best experiences I can be.Inonlyoneweek,wewereabletocelebrateallkindsofartsandgather to meanditmaderealizehowdynamicthecommunicationartsdepartment The experienceofworkinginFestivalNextispriceless.Itwasveryeyeopening The Hostofthe Talk Show Graduate studentatLAU Abdullah Malaeb Abu HashemAlMoussawi Chris Harris,PhD Celine Fattouh Leen Alkhatib Actor for Tawlifet Nidal Affairs student atLAU Political ScienceandInternational Lecturer atFestival NEXT at Nevada StateCollege Associate Professor ofCommunication Attendant ofFestivalNEXT Psychology studentatLAU Attendant ofFestivalNEXT Marketing studentatLAU different societal battlesthatweshould address. different and engages theyouthin politicians, empowers people, challenges that people such as Nidal AlAshkar who transcended thetheaterinto a platform has allowed me to noticetheimportanceofhonoring the legacyofgreat cultures, debatabletopics,and respected Lebanesepersonnel. My experience The was festival one of its kind. It allowed LAU students to open up to various to the festival. in thefestival,andwesaw fine artsstudentsattheBBareainviting seeing business students at the finearts building because they are interested arts tent.Wemajors uniteatthefine students fromdifferent different started The LAU community is split accordingto majors, and this festival helped Wasthat Iwasabletoattend. fortunate very and Ifeel anawesomeexperience Kozman'sin termsofthefestival. just anobserver class.Butmyrolewasreally and enjoyingthefruitsoftheirlabor. inDr.I gaveabriefpresentation Claudia students that I had of the privilege working with atSalzburgdoing their thing you guys think aboutmediaand art inyourculture/nation.Also loved seeing events Iattended.Itwascooltosee how I verymuchenjoyedthefestival which discussedmanyissuesfromourdailylives. and students in particular. Moreover, what I enjoyed the most was the shows surprised by the shows that took place and were played by youth in general, fields totacklesocial,economicandpoliticalissues.Aboutthefunpart,Iwas explore lotsofthingsthroughthisfestival,whichhostedpeoplefromdifferent funandexcitingevent.AsafirstyearLAU student,Igotto A well-organized, networking were all fruitfuloutcomes of the festival. knowledge, and students, as a whole.Entertainment, and theuniversity LAUwas suchasuccesstothedepartment, this event that I can'tbutstate between musicalconcerts,theatricalplays,discussion panels andmuch more. at LAU,Communication Artsdepartment works donebytheinnovative varying range ofartistic to witnessasplendidwide opportunity and eye-opening that LAUinitiatives has implemented throughout the year. It's such a golden and outstanding NEXT isoneofthemostprominent thatFestival I believe

35 Events during the program. own syllabi that they developed participating facultytookhometheir training,By theendoftwo-week development. which includedsyllabusandcurricula training focused on media pedagogy, participants undertook additional digital literacy. Amongthem,faculty days learningaboutmediaand and non-Arab countries, spent 10 representatives fromdifferentArab professionals, along with ministry from LAU, mediaandeducation With guidanceoffacultymembers mission. returned in its 7th edition with a new Literacy Academy of Beirut (MDLAB) MENA region,theMediaandDigital and digitalliteracyknowledgeinthe professionals to disseminate media Aiming to pave the way for media by MariaAlKhoury Returns withaNew Focus Academy ofBeirut: Media andDigital Literacy the teachingofmedia.” training evolvesboththelearningand without the rubrics,” she said. “This “It isawasteofstudents’efforts what needs prioritize to be focused on. know about details,allowingthemto breakdowns tokeeptheminthe and providesthemwithgrading tells students what they needto know at MDLAB,and participant the syllabus atCairoUniversity assistant lecturer According toHendAbdelmotagally, Department of Communication Arts. media studies,andchairpersonofthe associate professorofjournalismand said JadMelki,directorofMDLAB, own communities and societies,” they believewouldbestservetheir academics tohelpthemdevelopwhat individuals, local experts, and local academyworkswithlocal “The security in one intensive week. media terrorism; and spread digital and theyouth;combatfakenews empower women, themarginalized, to build expertise in media literacy; and activistsfromaroundtheworld together 84 faculty, students, journalists, During summer 2019, MDLAB brought benefit the society.” altogether puteffortstochangeand where participants and LAU faculty, According to him, it is like “a dialogue knowledge.” “setting fordifferentopinionsand Melki described the process as a MDLAB. into theircurriculaasaresultof or incorporate media literacy modules of schoolsoffermedialiteracycourses more than50universitiesanddozens Originally twouniversities,today, on the academy’s fifth day.on theacademy’s music concertfromBostontookplace on itssixthday. Additionally, achamber andthemarginalized media, minorities, fourth dayandapaneldiscussionon terrorism (ISISmediastrategy)on its communication designof modern The academy hosted lectures on the and humanrights.” the protectionofdemocraticsocieties that media expression is essential for “We, as a country [Canada], believe flourishing societies,” Lamoureux said. famous forprotectingcommunitiesand as wellmedialiteracy, whichis a time when we see oppressed freedoms, “Digital literacy is extremely important at and socialjustice. press freedom in promoting literacy of mediadigital entailed a panel discussion on the role Mhanna, the openingceremony SamirKassirthe FoundationAyman presence oftheExecutiveDirector Lebanon Chris Rampling, and in the Lamoureux and British Ambassador to Ambassador toLebanonEmmanuelle Under thepatronageofCanadian at the Free University of Berlin. journalism and media studies student or European, ”said Ina Georgiva, that are not Bulgarian or German helps metogetknowpointsofview professionals inoneplacebecauseit “It is enrichingthat we haveallthese with others. American UniversityofBeirut,along University, Kouross Esmaelifromthe Design, Tanja Mayer from Free Berlin Emily Carr University of Art and such as Daniel Drennan ElAwar from The sessions featured guest speakers, community and civil society in Jordan. the Ministry of Education, the media the Minister of State for Media Affairs, is beingcarriedoutinpartnershipwith among youthinJordan.Thisinitiative and productionofmediainternet fostering the informed use, consumption Literacy (MIL)asaholisticresponseto works toadvanceMediaInformation of mediaandtheinternet.Theproject to promotingthesafeandethicaluse project representsatimelyresponse implemented “Youth Empowerment” European UnionfundedandUNESCO European Union,andUNESCO. The Academic ExchangeServiceDAAD, the Deutsche Welle Academy, theGerman and sponsoredbytheBoschFoundation, of MediaResearch andTraining (IMRT) academy isorganizedbyLAU’s Institute Run byfaculty, staffandstudents,this distribution ofcertificates. with presentationsofprojectsand MDLAB concluded on June 24 worked ontheircurricula. projects while the faculty participants student participants worked on their final Alongside lecturesandpanels,the - InaGeorgiva orEuropean.” are notBulgarianorGerman that view of points know to get to me helps it because place one in perspectives allthese professionals anddifferent have we also enrichingthat of topic the that Itis context. world inthe Arab important think isvery media literacy I because here be to excited really am “I

37 Events by MiraKobeissi Revealing anExperience Salzburg Academy: to execute his vision. Schloss Leopoldskron as a place for him founder of Salzburg Global Seminar, a Harvardgraduateandthevisionary Helene ThimigofferedClemensHeller, estate, andinthesummer of 1947, In 1945,itwasreturnedtotheReinhardt during thewar. as asummerresidenceandguesthouse the Schloss Leopoldskron inSalzburg used authorities when Nazi initiated The Salzburg Academywas first week program remains vague. Salzburg yet,theconceptof the three- for thosewhohaven’t experienced unforgettable moments became known While storiesabouttheacademy’s would doitalloveragain.” heard them say: “If only I could, I Global Change, then you’ve probably Salzburg Academy on Media and has previouslyparticipatedinthe If you’ve ever met any student who academy. storming themes one year prior to the Participating facultybeginbrain- year withanewtheme. literacy isapproachedcritically, each through a design process. Media of learningandstudentengagement The programexpandstheboundaries curricula andresearch. tools produce multimedia and reframe to students fromacrossdisciplines annual programconnectsaspiring challenges forsociety.critical Its around and engagement literacies launched. Theacademybuildsdigital on Media andGlobalChangewas and in2007,TheSalzburgAcademy The seminar expanded overtheyears Seminar inSchloss Leopoldskron. Salzburg Global Campbell, initiated and Richard students ScottElledge In 1959,Heller,Harvard withtwofellow Media andGlobalChange.“Ishare and directorofSalzburgAcademyon Paul Mihailidis, PhD, facultychair a list of prospective concepts,” said “I take theirinvitationsand build out - MustafaWehbe in theworld.” themostbeautifulcities one of in yourself toenjoy being able Your whilestill mindwillgrow from successfulpeople. learn from allaround theworld and people meetingnew diversify by willhelpyou academy “The that theprogramoffers. of themostsignificantexperiences The humanlibraryisconsideredone University. and CommunicationatBournemouth current affairsattheFacultyofMedia PhD, associate professor of global an initiativeledbyRoman Gerodimos, personally through the human library, perspective, whether professionally or fellow participantsfromacultural of students and helps them interpret the socialandpoliticalawareness Additionally, theseminarincreases for theminthefuture.” perspective, but will also be an asset will notonlygivethemadifferent academy. vibrant environment “This Jad Melki, PhD, a faculty memberat the backgrounds,” said and ideological beliefs, political,religious,national, “Scholars will beexposedto all different terrorism, gender, anddemocracy. subjects including fake news, takes about six months and covers next summerprogram.Preparation note to design the program for the media academy develops a concept From there, the directing team of the one general concept area.” dialog and deliberation we settle on this withourfacultyinfallandthrough home forroughlythreeweeks.” Melki. “Schlosswillbetheirsecond and goingaroundoncampus,”said there, studying there, eating there, students aregoingtobesleeping setting is important because “The Sound ofMusic”wasoriginallyshot. main locationswherethemovie“The Schloss Leopoldskronwasoneofthe experience oftheparticipants.The main components that amplify the and itsculturalqualitiesisoneofthe initiatives, thesettingofseminar Aside fromtheprogram’s contentand bond andbreaksdownbarriers.” story with someone strengthens the library, Ilearnedthatsharingyour levels,” said Wehbe. “After the human made me relate to readers on different “I wasabookandnarratingmystory influential. are gloomier. Nonetheless, all are Some topics are vibrant, while others The storiesoftenbearalotofweight. 30 minutesandlistenstotheirstory. the chosenbook(person)for15to her choice.Heorshethensitwith the readercheckingoutabookofhis/ are readers. The process starts with student choosestobeabook;therest is asfollows:Afacultymemberora The concept of the human library - GhidaLadkani and meetings.” togoexperience totheirprotests anice in activism,itwas were involved andthey there, Igot tomeet that women of alarge was There group feminism andqueerrights. of interesting movement a very Salzburg “I found has that

39 Events

February 8, 2019 Conducted by JunaidSarrieddeenandLayale Chaker Performance Technique Workshop Piano Masterclass October 8, 2018 Conducted by ChadiZein, director Creative DanceWorkshop October 1, 2018 Conducted by Milia Ayache, actress, writeranddirector Creative WritingWorkshop in theirworkfieldlateron. feelings towardsthesession.Studentssaidthattheybuilt newrelationsandlearnedthingsthatwillhelpthem At theendofworkshop,SarrieddeenandChakergrouped attendeesinacircleandaskedthemtoexpresstheir material of theartists own experiences. session,whichalsocontainedsome recorded composed oftheirownunderstandingpowerinthe three-hour LAU and non-LAU students had the chance to create a sketch by combining human made sounds and a scene of scenebuildingandthewaysintegratingmusicinto it. and LayaleChaker, aviolinistandcomposer, conductedthisworkshopwheretheyintroducedparticipantstothetools across theirmediums.JunaidSarrieddeen;anactor, dramaturge,andfoundingmemberofZoukakTheatre Company collaborations andcreativepractices and musicians.Itscontentwascentralizedontechniques ofcross-disciplinary As partofImagineWorkshop &ConcertSeries, the performancetechniqueworkshop focused ontheaterpractitioners through arts. herself andsharedwithherclasstipsonraisingmoney for eventssuccessfully. Huangtoldpowerfulstoriesabout about creativewaysofmarketingyourselfandfundraising artist inresidence,Kaiyin Huang. Shealsogaveatalk Lebanese NationalHigherConservatoryofMusicwiththe masterclass inLAU ByblosforpianistsfromLAU andthe As partofImagineWorkshop &ConcertSeries,apiano choreography, andperformedthedancesprofessionally. exercises. Attheendofworkshop,eachgroupcreatedstoriesalongwith on differenttechniquesandlevelsofdancethroughmanyenergeticcreative As partofImagineWorkshop &ConcertSeries,attendeesworkedwithChadiZein exchanged lateronandusedtocreatemorestories. hours, everyonewrotestoriesandcreativeideasthatwere and deepthoughts.Afterdoingtheexercisesfor three ways tocommunicateortellastorythroughinnerfeelings workshop focusedonexercisesabouthowpeoplecanfind As part of Imagine Workshop & Concert Series, the October 27,2018 Conducted by Kaiyin Huang,DMA Workshops onCampus Performing theater’s cultural development. theater’s in performanceandtheelementaryfeaturesof about theateranditsdifferentlevelsoforganization A masterclasswithEugenioBarbaandJuliaVarley April 6, 2019 and Workshop Theater Masterclass ways and then applied them on each other. years oldto50old.Theparticipantslearnedthe suitable forstage,andtransformingfacesfrom20 makeup, andcoveredthebasicsofcreatingacharacter workshop showed the techniques behind theater As partofImagineWorkshop &ConcertSeries,this October 12, 2018 Conducted by Tiffany Moujaes Theatrical Makeup Workshop Arts Workshops express themselves. was also included as a creative way to communicate. At the end of the workshop, some students chose to sing in order to exercises where they told stories by expressing their thoughts and feelings on stage using their acting and dancing skills. Art Throughout theworkshop,participantshadopportunitytoopenupthroughtheirperformances.Theyaseriesof workshop which included singing, acting, and dancing. workshop atLAU from5:00p.m.till8:0035participantswerepresent,differentbackgroundsandmajors,inthe As partofImagineWorkshop &ConcertSeries,DaliaFarid,anEgyptianmusicaltheaterperformer, heldaninteractive February 4,2019 Conducted by Dalia Farid licensed for VOD platforms and TV networks. the venuesforlicensingandacquisitionhowtoget the studentsabout.Studentswerealsointroducedto also anelementofimportancethatHotaitenlightened film a student directed, wrote,andactedissuccessful, a successfulfestivalstrategy. Ofcourse,knowingifthe by teaching the students the importance of creating short filmtobereadyfordistribution.Thiswasfollowed which startedbyunderstandinghowtopackagethe distributing shortfilms.Hotaitexplainedswiftlytheprocess helped the students in proceeding the various ways for fictionwriteranddirector,Hotait, aLebanese-American September 19, 2018 Conducted by DarineHotait know thatwhateversomeonedoesisimportantandreal. focused onbeingseriousinwhateveryoudoorfeelsay. Themaingoalwasto narratives and then related them to personal memories and feelings. This workshop As part of Imagine Workshop & Concert Series, groups created fictional stories and October 19, 2018 Conducted by Omar AbiAzar, theaterdirector andfounding memberofZoukak Theatre Company open data,multimedia journalism,conflict-sensitive reporting, and financialsustainability in-person workshopsthat instructed journalists from Lebanon anddifferentregions on diverse topics suchas: disinformation, classesinthreedifferent languages(Arabic,English,andRussian) and journalism. Ittrainedthejournalists throughe-learning This workshopwasmainlya journalism trainingprogramthatintroducedtheconnection betweenartificialintelligenceand performance thatencouragecreativeapproachestosinging. receiving guidanceandcritiquefromMoore.Themasterclassalsocoveredtopicsabout for singers of different levels to enhance their creativity and skills in performance by As partofImagineWorkshop &ConcertSeries,themasterclassofferedanopportunity December 4, 2018 Conducted by LukaszKrol Artificial IntelligenceandJournalism Short Films Distribution for November 27,2018 Conducted by Christine Moore, Soprano Vocal Masterclass Acting Workshop Musical TheaterWorkshop Journalism Workshops November 10 till November 17, 2018. Conducted by NabilMehchi Editing ShortFormat based on the editing skills. based ontheeditingskills. workshop, the students’ work was screened and graded were introducedintheworkshop.Onlastdayof and directed previously by Mehchi using the concepts that to edita30-45secondcommercialormusicvideoedited music andcommercialvideos.Thestudentswererequired on themanyeditingstrategiesthathelpenhanceshort why this workshop focused very good to excellent. That’s Creative editing is one of the things that push a film from a language and creativity is one of its grammar rules. Since everylanguagehasitsowngrammar, editing isalso TV/Film WorkshopsTV/Film

41 Events Events Communication Arts on Stage

43 Events village ofKfeir. Shewasconsidered and novelist brought up in the small Nasrallah wasaformerjournalist through atheatricaldepiction. touches onmisogynyandmigration The Birds of September, astorythat Abyad paid tribute to her iconic novel Following Emily Nasrallah’s passing, Welcome toLinaAbyad’scraft. the 1960s. in theLebanesecountrysideduring passion and a reaction to patriarchy of murder. The scene was an act of lover andcoveredherwiththecolor wall. He reached out to his criminal spot ofredpaintcontrastingtheblue young man twirled against a vast cloaked Irwin Hall Auditorium, a The lightsdimmed,anairofmalaise by JadFawaz Redto Fiery L Birds ofSeptember: ina Abyad Turns Pale Blue more violent.” so Itookwhatshewroteandmadeit “I’m notapastelpersontobeginwith, village,” describedAbyad. this womanlookingbackather cover of her book is light and there’s Nasrallah’s writing is very pastel, the not as dark as I made it. Emily “It’s lens. different Abyad chose to address it through a in nature, but also tragic. However, The novelismodestandhumorous writing. then expressherfrustrationthrough the trailblazing advocate she was to absorbed it, and allowed it to fuel women’s mistreatmentinthevillage, negative” goes,Nasrallahobserved like thesaying“develop from the a feminist in her hometown. Just didn’t liketheirways.” countryside and its people, but she Amal AbouAssaly. “Emilylovedthe ages,” saidformerfriend of Nasrallah with peopleofallbackgroundsand modest personabletohaveharmony “I knowEmilyverywell,shewasa respect to a social class. and theideaofarrangedmarriagein love, the love of men or of education, harassed for committing the act of that emergedwerethoseofwomen liberated expatabroad.Thethemes he hadsetforhimselftoliveasa journey tofreedomtrailingthesteps and closelyfollowedayoungman’s women oppressed by their families The novel narratesthestoryofthree but stillresonatestoday. story writtennearlyfivedecades ago, reminded the audience thatthis is a “cut!” mid-performance constantly Abyad’s dialect. countryside traditional and strayawayfrom characters life performers toswitchtheirreal- audience membersas it allowedthe considered as anti-theater by some irony to the play, which was also The cast's interventions addedgleeful conversations on set,” he continued. let us have these memories. Emily because it broughtback so many smile, “Reading thestoryagainmademe they wereduringtheplay.” combined themonsetandputas cast memberYassin Abboud. “We just bers duringtherehearsals,”explained expressed bycastmem- was actually that wasmentionedduringtheplay word every literally was contrived, tofour-weekthree- period.Nothing pened duringtherehearsalsina hap actually interventions “These rehearsals. the ideas they produced during their Through those, the cast expressed preparations leadinguptotheplay. These sequenceswereinspiredbythe opposed toafinalizedperformance. they wereattendingtherehearsalsas tic madetheaudiencepresumethat mid-performance. Thisdirectingtac cast anddelightfullysuggestideas would intervenewithmembersofthe visation. Abyadoroneoftheactors feature momentsofpretenseimpro choly, the performance cuts off to Amid a sequence of intense melan - - - - incorporated dynamic performance incorporated There were several other scenes that to thestory.” you wanttobetrueyourself, notonly alsopressurebecause Abyad. “There’s Nasrallah’s family wereattending,” said I felt a lot of pressure because Emily “I’m veryhappywiththeoutcome,but were acting. stage whileothermembersofthecast would sit at opposing sides of the benched chairs where the actors out ladderandoveradozenofstraw- folklore and consisted of only a worn was inspiredbytraditionalLebanese through thestagesetting, which The improvisation was also explained today.” was released in 1962 it still applies method because although the story “Lina wantedtoexperimentwiththis play,” saidcastmemberAlaaItani. a rehearsalratherthanfinalized illusion thattheaudienceiswatching before forthepurposeofgiving techniquehasbeenused “This and “Ah”-ed the residents of Kfeir. audience in Irwin Hall Auditorium, tone. The performance “Oh”-ed the on ahappynoteandotherssad dimensions: someanecdotesended was unexpectedandeventstooknew The ending of the performance too appropriately closed the show in Kfeir. Nasrallah’s magicto Beirut beforeshe director tookituponherselftobring The of Abyad’switanddarknature. techniques andreassuredtheaudience - LinaAbyad yourself, tothestory.” notonly tobetrue want because you attending. There’s alsopressure were Nasrallah’s family pressure becauseEmily of but Ifeltoutcome, alot withthe happy “I’m very

45 Events Sakena. play,Arts tohosttheEgyptian Taa of Communication the Department Institute forWomen collaborated with for womenandgirls,theArab equality and education, empowerment, As partofitsaimtocommit standing ovation. How didtheaudiencereact?Witha women’s strugglesintheArabworld. to expose them to the true colors of tears intheeyesofaudiencesbut Lebanon andlandedatLAU nottoput to These morbid talestravelled mental healthin relation towomen. towards attitude explore thesociety’s with depressionandmentalillness to Egyptian women different dealing and retold12storiesof recreated with nosetdesignsorlavishcostumes production theatrical A minimalist by Rana Tabbara of Women’s Struggles TheTwelve TalesTaa Sakena: approach todiscuss these problems. and thelackofaproperlanguage issues of mentalillnessanddisabilities, the silencingofwomen, the silenceon referstoanumberofissues: the title According toSabet,thequietpartof their communities. struggles the significance neededin play aims to givewomenandtheir women in merelygrammar, this addressing words. Since “taa” signifies tense verbandisusedtoendfemale a term that refers to a feminine past quiet lettertaa.” In Arabic, “taa” is “Taa to “The Sakena,” translates youth, andwomen. with afocusonchildren, society civil through performing arts to develop a Enterprise, an organization thatworks Sabet andproducedbyNoonCreative The performance was directed by Nada members. Norma Khalaf, one oftheaudience them howevertheyplease,”said to talkabout else feelsfree everyone while into silence women areforced performance, inwhichthesuffering fits themoodof title “The - Norma Khalaf - Norma please.” they however them about talk to free elsefeels silence whileeveryone aresuffering women forced into the of inwhichthe performance, mood the fits title “The Shimy, and Mona Soliman. The play actresses, AbeerSoliman, Mona Al These stories were performedbythree societies. different stage and inspire otherwomen in permission toportraytheirstorieson and Sabetthe Enterprise Creative illness anddisability, givingNoon personal experiences withmental women wereabletosharetheir Throughout the workshop, the 12 similar situations.” support in otherwomen dealing with rather “atooltohelpwomenfind as therapy,was neverconsidered but Sabet emphasizedthattheworkshop treatment. who werereceiving children to accompany hospital, butwerethere the women were not checked in at the Hospital in Egypt. Sabetexplainsthat Enterprise attheAbbasiyaPsychiatric workshop conductedbyNoonCreative women who in a participated theater Taa Sakinafollows the storiesof 12 and relate to the characters tothe indifferentrelate and ways.” intheperformance toseethemselves will beable goal, asaudiences of a perfect placefor thissort is thusthetheater listentothewomen, actually to is performance the goalThe of stories. paid proper respectandtheir tothewomen theplay that thingwas most important “The - MonaAlShimy words. her in thebackground,illustrating act thepartsofsonandhisteacher actresses quietly the twoother while challenged son’sat school, experience audience aboutherintellectually stands speakingtothe character In one of the scenes, the mother’s society. thoughts and fears, and the voicesof inner families, teachers, disapproving roles ofthewomen’s children, school or sisters. The actresses also play the who aremothers,employees,aunts play thepartsofwomenthemselves, audience witnessed the threeactresses Throughout the performance, the differentaspects of a woman’s life. of the women, providing perspectiveto roles thatencompasstheexperiences three actresses take on many different yet highlyartisticway.a realistic The the women’son retelling storiesin is plotlessandnon-linear, itfocuses Abirafeh witha plea. could beahundredmore,”said there and a women'sstudiesexpert expert, a communication specialist, education teacher, a playwriter, a psychiatrist,an needs adramatherapyexpert, response, it needs a lot ofpeople,it “Mental healthneedsamultisectoral problems needarealrobustresponse. issues at hand and shows how these to the panel isthatitgivescredibility Abirafeh, theideaof assembling a for Womenof theArabInstitute Lina Director According totheExecutive judgment oftheprior. illnesses, and society's disabilities the issues of silenced women, mental performing artsto find solutions to psychology, socialwork,and perspectives ineducation, different gender issues. They also gave their and theuse of dramatohighlight The panelistsdiscussed mental health Selim. and AssistantProfessor ofMusicAmr andthemoderator Lama Daccache; Lebanese CenterforDramaTherapy Abyad; ProjectManager atCatharsis- Associate Professor ofTheaterLina Professor ofEducationAhmadOueini; discussion that includedAssociate was apanel Following theplay ways.” in different to thecharacters and relate to see themselves in the performance sort ofgoal,asaudienceswillbeable place forthis the theaterisaperfect to thewomen,thus listen is toactually Shimy. goaloftheperformance “The and their stories,” emphasized Al play paidproperrespectto the women mostimportantthingwasthatthe “The

47 Events men demandedoneyoungwoman between the two sexes. The elder it depicts the divide in obligations around the concept of “sacrifice”, and The ballet performancerevolves history ofart." is considered“anexplosioninthe worldand remains relevantintoday’s a 100 years later, the performance received a great backlash. More than it wasfirstpresented,however, it in Paris.des Champs-Élysées When was first premiered in 1913 at Théâtre Nijinsky, theRussian balletperformance Originally choreographed by Vaslav titled residency with a dance performance Ali, DMA,concludeditsFall2018 Assistant Professor ofMusicSeba headed byitsArtisticDirectorand Workshop andConcertSeries(IWCS), and social justice, the Imagine Under thethemeofgenderequality by MariaAlKhoury andJadFawaz A Residency toEmpower IWCS’s theRite ofSpring: the Rite of Spring. started movingswiftlyon stage, music As soon as the dancers School. Dance and someotherswerefromAlSarab the performancewereLAU students Auditorium. Some of the dancers in at LAU’sperformance IrwinHall orchestral ballet century-old IWCS this succeeded atreviving their society might seem. world, no matter how progressive have to suffer similarly in today’s various culturesandbackgrounds but thetribeneverdid.Women from winter sothattheycanreachspring, civilizations witnessedduringthe was toendthesufferingthese The point behind the female sacrifice tall and brazen. the stage,whilemenwerestomping women werewhiskinglightlyaround obligation, she complies. In the piece, of theresttribe.Asafemale to sacrifice herself for the protection - Roy Farhat are." women complex how tosay yet language "We the don't have Farah aspanelists. YasminaChristel Sabbah,andarchitect of Springchoreographeranddancer choir director Milia Ayache, the and actressKaiyin Huang, alongwith included theresidentwriter, singer, Sharq.org Reem Maghribi, the panel Moderated byManagingDirectorat social justice in arts. the same theme: genderequalityand “Gender inArt.”Thepanelbuilton with apaneldiscussion titled activities performance, theresidencyendedits Following restrictions. to genderandpatriarchal related This pathentailsovercomingdifficulties women in depicted the performance. the artworldwalksame path as the Today,women from highlyachieved PhD, engulfed the space. which was by BrianneMatzke, played the RiteofSpring Rite experiences. the audience from their personal The panelists also gave advice to they “transmit the message.” issues, artistsshouldreinventtheway get betterresultsongenderinarts that inordertochangesocietyand women areviewed.Sabbahexplained Artists aretryingtochangehow their obstacles. they followitdiligentlyregardlessof that theyknowfromthestart,but artists walkasdifficult.Sheexplained Ayache deemedtheroadfemale at LAU AliyaKhalidi,PhD. and supervisedbyLecturerofTheater poetry performedbyLAU students The panel wasfollowedby staged that art,” Huang said. a maleorfemale,wejustappreciate it doesn’t matterwhetherheorsheis youseeastarshineonstage, “When to do.” opportunities and do what you want enthusiasm, “createyourown Sabbah toldtheaudiencewith - Seba Ali - Seba cometous.” people whocan’t do theseoutreaches andreach to go when we outsidecampusand itgets and audience, complete work and with ourstudentsandfaculty production our do completewhenwe “It’s never reach people who can’t come to us.” campus anddotheseoutreaches “It gets complete when we go outside and facultyaudience,”Alisaid. production and work with our students never complete when we do our “It’s activities initsfall2018residency. community serviceandoutreach and paneldiscussion,IWCSfeatured equality throughtheballetperformance Besides raisingawareness on gender Note” a “on High Outreach an with Ending

49 Events symphony toremember. of notes,tunes,andmelodies.Itwasa their earstotheorchestraintoaworld in unison,enchantingallwhotuned Cello, violins, and a piano played noise onecouldhear. place and the music was the only A colossal silence reigned over the individuals. the minds,andthensoulsof the rhythmicmusicmakeitswayinto but rathertheirearsastheysensed couple of hours of the art convening, feet thatfeltnumbthroughoutthe the sake of the concert. It was not their to get seated, while others stood for with people,somewereluckyenough The humongouschurchwascrowded by JanaBarakat and Zaynab Raya Bringing People Together IWCS: Music ontheTrack of pianist ofthenight. of IWCS Seba Ali,DMA,who was the Professor ofMusicatLAU andDirector music course,ortosupportAssistant the concertaspartoftheirwestern LAU studentswhoeitherwentto Part ofthe audience consistedof Series. of theImagineWorkshop andConcert to “Reinvent Communication” aspart Department ofCommunicationArts the LebaneseAmericanUniversity’s church’s orchestra collaborated with This year, and for the first time, the St. Joseph Church in Achrafieh, Beirut. Philharmonic Orchestraconcertheldat movie, this is the annual Lebanese No, thisisnotascenefrommusical Arts’ motto. the Department of Communication concert toreinventingcommunication, Ali alsolinkedtheimportanceof music. unaware oftheclassicaltypes especially that this generation is attending suchconcertsiscrucial, As amusicprofessor, Alibelievesthat unfortunately Ididn’t seeit.” would’ve beensonicetowitness,but actually,” Alilaughed,surprised.“That “I didn’t payattentiontothat stand andsaluteher. that theyhadto felt unintentionally to welcomethem,LAU students The moment Alibowedtotheaudience - Seba Ali - Seba find can’t words for.” we things speaks that language sophisticated as words, music isareally andharmony letters andbeats “It’s withnotesas alanguage

you.” said. “You canfeelthemusicwithin concert, andIdon’t regretit,”Hallak “It wasmyfirsttimeattendinga musicera. pop-culture is still enjoyable even in the midst of classical music,initshistoricalform, at LAU, spoke her thoughts about how student takingawesternmusicclass a concertbefore,HibaHallak, For a person who has neverattended for,” said Ali. that speaksthingswecan’t findwords Music is a really sophisticatedlanguage and beats and harmony as words. a languagewithnotesasletters “It’s also enhancescommunicationskills. symphony torelievepeople,music of notesandhavingawell-organized According toAli,besidesconsisting music.” of education in culture, symbolized by in the Lebanese society are “in need essential becausetheyoungpeople Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra is collaboration betweenLAU andthe Ali andJabbrabothstatedthatthis of music as a way of communication. Jabbra’s statementabout thevitality with thePresident ofLAU Joseph environment,” Ali explained, agreeing communicate witheveryoneinthe “It is vital for us to be civilized and and artistic ones. and artisticones. be part of big events, especially cultural special needs students have the right to doing such an event was to show that She explainedthatthepurposeof Mouwad. said Founder of Step Together Reem needs students this is very healing,” music, andpaintingforspecial “Our educationisbasedonarts, adults with special needs. around 210students,childrenand kindergarten in1974.Today ithas organization thatstartedasa Step Together isanon-profit on faces. hearts withwarmth,anddrawingsmiles together chantingtothemelody, filling Organization. Thesechildrenstood with needs from the Step Together concert opened with achoir of kids as anoutreachtokidswithneeds.The LAU’s IrwinHallAuditorium,andacted This secondart convening was held at Orchestra as part of IWCS. place a day after the Philharmonic of the Animals,” a concert that took capable ofdoingwasthe“Carnival Another prooftowhatmusicis today. Itwasgreat,”Hallaksaid. “We still talk about the concert up till

of musicascommunication. classical, andmodernartsintheform the LAU community to historical, diverse audience. This is to introduce workshops or perform in front of a give either professional guests,who performances frominternational the LAU communitywithhighquality IWCS is a program that aims to enrich arts andmusicistheresort. message to convey these days, then Music isfoodforthesoul.Iftherea human society. held and cognitively related them to the symbolic representationeachanimal well. Theywereabletounderstandthe adult parentsandparticipantsdidas stories toldabouttheanimals,but Not onlythechildrenenjoyed their handsintheairtoanswer. them questions, they excitedly threw the narrator of the story was asking animals of the wild through music. As Children weretoldstoriesabout them. made forthechildrenandnotby The secondpartofthecarnivalwas communicate,” Mouwadsaid. see howmusicenableseveryoneto watching this choir. It makes you somethingveryspecialabout “There’s

51 Events feelings andemotions. music facilitatescommunicatingone’s incorporates music. According to her, theme forthesolepurposethatit DMA, chose Christmas Carols as a Professor of Music at LAU Seba Ali, Artistic Director of IWCS and Assistant out toindividualswithautism. the secondeventofitskindtoreach (IWCS) outreachinitiative.Itmarked Imagine Workshop andConcertSeries the concertwasputonaspartof the Lebanese American University, Held inSafadiFineArtsBuildingat air, spreadingthe holiday joy. shuffled andresonatedintheopen for the tenor changed as the chants during theChristmasCarolsconcert, corner. There was no one ambience the joyousspiritlingeringatevery and ornaments,overwhelmedwith dashed betweentheChristmastrees the classical Christmas tunes, the kids As thechoirjingledinharmonywith SarahKaskasby Magic with aHintofChristmas An Autism-Friendly Concert Christmas Carols: so, thisismainlyformeapurposeto and whatnotsarenotautism-friendly “A lot of places such as playgrounds other interestedpassersby. Society, theLAU community, and Association, theLebaneseAutism members fromtheAutismAwareness The audience was composed of music professor at LAU. Keys'n Cords Music Academy and director ofthechildren’s choirfrom addressed toReem Deeb,PhD, the outside LAU. Anothersalutewasalso a groupoflocalsingersfromand the wayfromNewYork toassemble Christine Moore,PhD, whocameall Ali thenhappilywelcomedSoprano without any kind of restriction. move around,andexpressthemselves friendly concertwhereguestscaneat, pointed outthatthiseventisasensory- event andits main purpose. She then Ali introducedthenatureof Starting off with a heartfelt greeting, to signify them through the Christmas Lebanese society.Ali encouraged This represented orsupportedinthe Individuals withautismareinfrequently granted theirrights.” awareness aboutpeoplewhoarenot many diversecommunitiesandspread outreach strivestoreachoutas Imagine with autism,”saidAli.“The a high caliber concert for individuals spread autismawarenessandoffer - SopranoChristineMoore and non-autistic.” autistic appeals toeveryone, that language an international theirshell.Musicis go outof is soulful,ithelpsaperson very music Christmas think “I - Seba Ali - Seba theirrights.” not granted peoplewhoare about diverse communities andspread awareness outreach toreach strives outtoasmany Imagine autism. The for individualswith andoffer ahighcaliberconcert awareness for me apurposetospread autism so,thisismainly friendly “A are notautism- andwhatnots placessuchasplaygrounds lotof Fa LaLa,andHolyNight. Christmas songssuchasJingleBells, n’Cords. Theysangverypopular consisting ofstudentsfromKeys LAU, alongwithachildren’s choir done by16singersfromandoutside The concert included performances as thepianist. also gave a solo performance withAli Ali. ThechoirconsistedofDeeb,who seat theywereplacedon,”explained and enjoy the music from whichever and seek, run wherever they want, the aimofgettingkidstoplayhide openairwasalsoabletofulfill “The cats. only withhumans,butalsothe the opportunitytointerminglenot place outdoors to give the audience However, performance took this year’s 2017. concert that was held on February 16, resembled Ali’s first autism-friendly interact. To agreatdeal,thisevent opportunity tocommunicateand Carols eventthatgavethemthe even hummingalongwiththesingers. with autism.“Heenjoyeditandwas said SoniaAshou,aparentofchild bring himheretowatchtheconcert,” “My sonlovesmusicso,Isoughtto danced withtheirchildren. as theyhummedtothesongsand Parents werecomfortedandatease autistic andnon-autistic.” language that appeals to everyone, said Moore.“Musicisaninternational it helps a person go out of their shell,” “I thinkChristmasmusicisverysoulful, - SouleimaYamout kind event.” its of one second this of making the in contribute to participants, us,aschoir encouraged words afterit.This toutterafew managed but in February done concert first the during speak couldn’t who “Children with autism react well to music, there are autistic children embodying theChristmasenergy. as they sang at the top of their lungs, than happytobepartofthis concert participants were all more The choir’s image in our society. autism spectrum’s representation and more likewiseeventsthatreinforcethe it isfundamentaltocreate she believed why,sensory-friendlyevents. That’s who cannotgotonon- individuals of autisticpeopleas “disturbing” choir,usually thinks saidthatsociety student at LAU and participant in the Mnekbi, computer science Leila second oneofitskindevent.” to contribute in the making ofthis encouraged us,as choir participants, and educationstudentatLAU. “This Souleima Yamout, choirparticipant to utterafewwordsafterit,”said done inFebruary, butmanaged couldn’t speakduringthefirstconcert music. Thereareautisticchildrenwho “Children with autism react well to important to us.” Autism-friendly eventsarevery

53 Events a lira. their dancingskillsforno fee, noteven passion andenhance express their dancers andartistsagreatchanceto dancers. The festival offeredboth by professional workshops conducted and April12,waspackedwithvarious 5 April between The week,extended American University. Communication Arts at the Lebanese Assaf, PhD, of the Department of year in its 9th edition led by Nadra participants, IDDFLkickedoffthis With 33instructorsand721 Festival Day (IDDFL) 2019. Dance International the dancers embracedtheirtalentsin and bodiesphysicallyspeaking, ground, handsloomingintheair, With feetsmoothlytouchingthe by SarahEl Khouwayer andSandraAbdelbaki Dance, Don’t Pay! Festival International DanceDay 2019 experience. We trulyenjoyedourselves and hard work, but it was an amazing “It tookusonefullweekofpractice convey their passion through dance. united to do the thing they do best: Dancers fromdifferentbackgrounds US. and choreographers invitedfromthe school studentsfromacross Lebanon, students fromLAU, middleandhigh- Participating dancersincluded topics aboutdancing, tookplace. bunch oflecturestacklingdifferent workshops, six exhibitions, and a Over theeight-day festival,89 Levey, andVictoriaHunter. Beau Hancock,ChristyMcNeil,Jessie such as Rain Ross, Mathew Henley, international dancers and dance artists The festivalgatheredbothlocaland : of theDepartmentCommunication from different sectors, Associate Chair festival wasacombinationofdancers While manybelievethatthisdance in life,”Farhatadded. lifestyle, youdanceinanythingdo in yourmovement,youdance “To me, dance is a ritual. You dance sacred andvaluable. According toFarhat,danceissomething festival. Roy Farhat, another participant in the beautiful danceperformances,”said from anabstracttitleandendingwith was a buildup experiencestarting but itwasbeautiful,especiallythat experiencewasquitechallenging,“The of the dancers in the festival. dancing,” saidJanaAbuSleiman,one were choreographed underthistheme. were “Rituals ofBeing”andallperformances theme was the themes. This year’s workaroundcertain have thefestival Since the4thyear,to artistshavetried dance. dance, hip hop, salsa, and break contemporary dancing styleslike was also inclusive and covered various festival was open and free to public, it language inunison. international The together, aiming toexpressthis IDDFL brought the dance community guests. international dance communityandfromthe fromtheLebanese great feedback According toher,received the festival of expression.” choose “sharing, caring, and freedom in onesentence,Assafwould festival If she had thechancetodescribe level or move backwards.” year. What wedo not wantistodropa can watchaneventimproveyearafter when you always agreatachievement best one yet,” she said. itis “I believe to bethe IDDFL “I foundthisyear’s but also to Assaf. totheparticipants, beautiful experience a festival Not onlywasthisyear’s something incommon.” that use that alphabet,theyallhave languages might beseveral there alphabet (thebody)and even though said. “Itisalanguagewiththesame dance isdance,” but Ibelieveshe as asector,many stylesandeachstyle look atdanceashaving because they might notagreewithmemainly field “I knowotherprofessionalsinthe opposite. Nadra Assaf, PhD, believes quitethe Arts and the Directorof the IDDFL and Levey. Ross, Hancock, Henley, McNeil-Chand, Rituals ofVH, choreographedby Assaf, with thedancers;andSilentDisco: Christy McNeilChandincollaboration Levey; Shoufni, choreographedbyJessie choreographed by BeauHancock; by Mathew Henley; the dancers;Echoes,choreographed by Rain Ross incollaborationwith Changed BytheWaves , choreographed Six differentdancesweredisplayed: the years. throughout who supportedthefestival university administrationand everyone In herspeech,Assafthenthankedthe reinvent communication.” dance andbythatto to reinvent Arts atLAU continuestobecommitted of Communication Department “The fun,” he said in his opening words. Sure. But danceismuch more than dowedance?Forentertainment? “Why of CommunicationArtsJadMelki,PhD. speech fromChairoftheDepartment Friday,with a 12. Thegalastarted April at LAUAuditorium Irwin Hall on Beirut took placein The closingofthefestival anticipation. an arrangement oflecturesonharm other artforms, the programoffers and combiningdancingwith writers, and visual specialists,architects between collaboration Exploring movement. and creative dance, jazz, improvisation,character dance, dabkeh,wide and Oriental It also offers workshops on Spanish that help strengthen the activities body. types ofathletic yoga, anddifferent program includesgymnastics, varied forms ofphysicalactivity.multiple The In additiontodance,IDDFLfocuses on , choreographed by Compulsions, choreographed by Prelude, year's festival to ignite again. to ignite festival year's and energy stilllingerswaitingfornext passion the stage,buttheir dancers left The festival came to an end and the applauding. thing,on again.Next theaudienceis stopped, andthelightswereturned movement. But suddenly the music for theirnext them waitingimpatiently As they movedswiftly, all eyeswereon others. some moments,joyandhappinessat were a mix of confusion and loss at effortlessly. Their facialexpressions on stage.Dancersweremoving An explosionofemotionstookplace captivating.” watching thedancers’movementwas watch contemporarydance,but one of the attendees. “I usually don’t pretty amazing,” saidArnestGhorayyeb, “I likedalltheperformances,theywere performances. formed opinions around the dance dance weredrawntoattendand in Even individualswithno interest in danceandarts. who haveinterest with students,parents,andpeople day, that The auditorium, buzzed you do in life.” doin you anything in dance you lifestyle, your in dance you movement, Youa ritual. is your in dance Toperformances. dance me, ending withbeautifuldance from titleand an abstract a buildup starting experience itwas that beautiful, especially challenging, but it was quite was experience “The - Roy Farhat

55 Events My life,myfamily. Describeyourdanceschoolinone sentence. Q: nothing, Ipickupabook andIread.loveit. in mylife.Iamalsoanavidreader, howI do becausethat’s I wasamarathonrunnerformanyyears,raneightmarathons What areyourotherhobbies? Q: “Nothing Compares2U”bySinéadO'Connor. yourfavoritesong? What’s Q: what a gooddabkedancer he is,so he needs to show me. Jad Melki.Withoutashadowofdoubt.Hekeepstelling me Which facultydoyouthinkshoulddance? Q: was 16. I lost him… but then I found him, thank goodness. It was losing my youngest brother, and I he was 4-years-old Whatisyourworstchildhoodmemory? Q: a dream come true. when I was little that was my dream.It’s Marcel Khalifeh and workingwithZiad Rahbani, because It was actually a double experience. It was working with field? Whatisthebestexperience youhaveinthedanceQ: partner. Private Scars.”Thattitlemeansalottomeandmydance favorite piece.Rightnow, itwould havetobe“PublicConflict, hasalwaysbeenmyfavoritetitle,anditstillis “I Matter” What isyourfavoritetitle? YourQ: danceperformancesalwayshaveexotic titles. always find that appealing. with students from all different majors in the university. I becauseIgettointeract Communications (COM203).That’s Oddly enough,itwouldbetheFundamentals ofOral Q: WhatisyourfavoritecoursetoteachatLAU? Q: spend 20 to 30 minutes exercising, or stretching. I haveacupofcoffee,tea,orwater…orallthree.Then Whatisyourmorningroutine? Q: I wanttobeup,khalas. Morning, withoutanydoubt.Theminutethelightcomesout IsNadraamorningoraneveningperson? Q: second-best creation,afterherson. become a professor at LAU. For her, the dance academy is her back toLebanonstartherowndanceacademyin1991and College. Afterhavingstudiedabroadfor10years,shecame mother. Assaf received her MFA in dance from Sarah Lawrence She comes from a Lebanese father and a Native American faculty members. of theDepartmentCommunicationArts,isoneourown Nadra Assaf, assistant professor of dance and associate chair Passionate about dancing, andoutspokenaboutgender, 10 QUESTIONS WITH NADRA ASSAF

57 Events of art. more understanding of the seriousness simulation, kidsandparentsbecame performance, andaDisneymusical preparing forashow, achoir After experiencingtherealityof stressful life of artists. camp introducedcamperstothe and acting, theoneofakindsummer Combining music,dance,theater, multidisciplinary artshub. summer campnormsintoaunique transformed thetypicaleducationand Summer Arts Camp (ISAC) at LAU has For the third year in a row, Imagine shoe”? more ifwewere“intheartist’s But would we appreciate their work final product. process artistsundergotoproducethe by thestress,hardwork,andlong less withoutnecessarilyfeelingtaken seriesinonedayor binge-watch taken forgranted;peoplecannow has becomenormativeandisthus, from accessingtheonlineworld.Art one username and password away Kids, adolescents,andadultsarenow by Ahmad Karakira, SarahKaskas, andMaguieHamzeh Arts All You NeedtoLearnAbout Imagine SummerArts Camp: only oneskill,”Selimexplained. just getbetterinonefieldoradvance systemforcesustomemorizeand “The allowing themtomasterotherskills. about, which stands in the way of with the specific subjects they learn believes thatschoolslimitlearners American UniversityAmrSelim,PhD, Professor of Music at the Lebanese The DirectorofISAC andAssistant especially whenitcomestoart. the gapinoureducationsystem, The art activitiesISAC providesbridge Education andArts outside theircomfortzone. challenged toworkondifferentskills involved inalldisciplinesandwere Sabbah addedthatallstudentswere music instructoratLAU andISAC. presentation,” saidYasmina Sabbah, maintain harmonyaswellproper better technique and projection, The students were able to sing with strong human and team bonds. “Choir and singing always builds - Yasmina Sabbah presentation.” asproper aswell harmony and projection, maintain to sing withbetter technique studentswereable bonds. The always builds strong human and team singing and “Choir perspective,”saidSelim. artist’s world can change if we think with an “You’d besurprisedonhowmuchthe It IsAllAbouttheProcess astory,”like it’s shesaid. work oneveryday. We presentarts certain topicthatwecanprogressively different subjects.Here,wehavea othercampsthatIwenttohave “The that waspresentedtoher. was amazedbythelearningprocess A firsttimeISAC camperLeylaFakih, lecturer at ISAC. discipline,” saidSarahFadel,dance together, and most importantly, like humanity, compassion, connecting learnednotonlyarts,buttraits “They art, betterknownashumanity. to communicate in the language of like take their time to learn what it’s ISAC madesurethatthelittlecampers said enthusiastically. becausewe “It’s maybe asemestertopullout,”Selim would probably take others a year or producedanamazingshowthat “They 10-minute play. monologues wasthenturnedintoa an emotion. The combination of these to writeamonologuethatexpresses In hisclass,eachcamperwasasked faculty memberAwad Awad. supervised byLAU alumnusandISAC success inoneoftheactingclasses This oneofakindstrategyhasshown learned indifferentclasses. through connectingwhattheyhave shows, musicals,dances,andplays towards creating their very own faculty aretheretoguidethecampers per each classonly, experienced continuous weeksandforonehour how the process works. For three but Selim exclusively did, and here’s Magicians never reveal their tricks, better,” he explained. you pressuredwiththeresult,theydo don’t makethelearnerinfrontof you process, nottheproduct.“When is about focusing on the learning niche According toSelim,thisyear’s said. as much as we taught them,” Fayad single oneofthemandtheytaughtus “We created a connection with every with all these kids.” how to be fun by dealing “learned assistant atISAC believesthatshe Dima Fayad,first-time student gained experience. Arts students also made family and benefiting entity, LAU Communication The camperswerenottheonly composing theirfilmmusic. location scouting, editing, and even scriptwriting, camera operation, Beyhum, wherecampersexperiment supervision ofLAU staffSamer is the filmmaking class under the special addition this summerISAC’s Additions totheCamp artists work professionally. confidence andteachingthemhow new skills,butalsoboostingtheirself- not onlyteachingartsandbuilding attitudes wasremarkable.ISAC was weeks, the change in the campers’ Although the camp was only for three focus ontheprocess.” stars inthemaking! ISAC mighthavesomefuturelittle With thatbeingsaid, who knows? in thecamp’s upcomingversions.” and graphicdesignmightbeincluded disciplines suchassports,photography, for ISAC 2020,”saidSelim.“New “It isnottooearlytostartplanning ISAC 2020. already startedplanning surprises for students andassistantsatISAC have come toanend.Communicationarts journey has not yet three-year ISAC’s hard work,”continuedHreiby. felt proudoftheirpotentialandour towards producingallkindsofart,we our campers developed a maturity wesawthat skills,” saidItani.“When which addedtoourcommunication “We workedreallyhardforexposure, talks aboutit. make sure that everyone hears and with postersandsocialmediapoststo the summercamptwomonthsahead at ISAC, ran a PR campaign to promote assistants andsocialmediamanagers Rawane ItaniandGhaidaaHreiby,

59 Students Students

61 Students Projects Senior Student :Dr.by Claudia Kozman upervised S Rana Tabbara andAhmadKarakira by Written in Lebanon” Female Athletes The Caseof the Underdogs: “Let’s Ask About Reconstruction” Destruction and “Aleppo Citadel: by Dr. Claudia Kozman upervised S Carla Richa by Written Industry” The Silent “Fashion الليطاني يستغيث“ ”...ومن المغيث؟ upervised by Jihad Mallah by upervised S Mira Kobeissi andRimi Younes by Written upervised by Dr.by Claudia Kozman upervised S Sanaa Eter by Written Claudia Kozman Claudia Kozman

Journalism Capstones Citadel Area. rebuildingtheirshopsthus,bringinglife backtothe they’re attached totheirplaces,tellstoriesandshowushow spices) to all over Syria. The shop owners, who are sincerely that sell different products (such as silk, fabric, grains, and the war. TheSoukiscomposedofvariousshops inlongstreets that surroundsthecitadel,whichwasbrutallydestroyedduring affected the citizens.Italso highlights the MadinehSouk area done tooneoftheoldestcitadelsinworldandhowthis war scenes.Thedocumentaryshowswhathasthe8-year This capstoneisadocumentaryonAleppoCitadel’sareapost on coveringit. also showshow themedia reacted totheproblem andworked impact ofurbanization onwaterqualityinLebanon. Thepaper in urbancreatedzones.TheLitani Riverdisplaysacaseofthe assets isoneoftheprimary dangers towatermaintainability areas. Water qualitydisintegrationof streamsandgroundwater have surpassedtheadministration limitsofsubstantialurban administration of the problem. Urbanization rates in Lebanon the future points of view fundamental for the coordinated It clarifiestherecenteffortsof wastewatermanagementand its waterqualityinperspectiveonsimultaneousurbanization. Litani River. It also provides an overall review of the status of This papergivesaproperenlightenmentontheproblem of studies andarticles. and data gathered from sports people with reference to other interviews, and suggestssolutionsbasedonresearch,in-depth that are preventing women sports from developing in Lebanon and results.Italsohighlightstherootcausesbarriers and that of men’s, through their participation, achievements, as acomparisonbetweenwomen’s footballandbasketball individual sportsandingroupitsreasons,aswell as acomparisonbetweenthesuccessachievedbywomenin on football and basketball among many. The article serves development of women's sports in Lebanon, with an emphasis multimediafeaturethatexaminesthesituationand An in-depth as wellgivingEarthabreathofair. treating the issue of millions of underpaid and unsafe workers, role inthem.Thisishowtheideaofsustainablefashionarose, environment and how fashion didn’t always have a positive world problems.Imostlyfocusedontheeconomyand been asilentindustry, fromstarting movements toreigniting to disregard that. I decided to focus on how it has always lives bothpositivelyandnegatively. Butalotofpeopletend Fashion hasalwayshadahugeimpactonsocietyandour upervised by by Dr. Gretchen King upervised S Rawan AlSheikh by Written a Right” “I AlsoHave Dr.by JadMelki upervised S Sally Farhat by Written Levantine Music” Promoting Education in “Role ofMusic

Communication Capstones without beingobligedtoanypatriarchalyielding. want toprocesstheircustodyissuesundercivilorsecularlaw, patriarchal lawandgivemotherstherighttodecideifthey The campaign’s lobbyinggoalwastodiminishthestereotypical Billboard displays were created with the campaign’s Hashtag. conducted in different countries in Lebanon. Some samples for campaign. Street surveys and video and audio interviews were stations wereaskedtocoverthesocialexperimentsusedfor paternal andpatriarchal.JournalistsfromdifferentaffiliatedTV and to raise awareness about how laws regarding custody is law thatwouldguaranteethecitizensaretreatedequally the LebaneseParliament (MPs) to create a civil personal status a lobbyingcampaignthataimstoadvocatethemembersof regulate theseissues(HRW, is 2015). “IAlsoHaveaRight” different religious communities that laws for the country’s matters. Thecountryhasinstead15separatepersonalstatus Lebanon lacksacivilcodethatregulatespersonalstatus courses inMiddleEasternmusic. for universities to start incorporating into their curricula more students’ musicpreferences.Accordingly, itisrecommended show a significant relationship between music education and their general view on the music genre. Finally, the results the relationship they have with Middle Eastern music, but not that musiceducationonlyrelatestothewaystudentsperceive it increasestheirinterestinthesubject.Thefindingssuggest taken MiddleEasternmusiccourses.Italsotestedwhether Eastern musicincomparisontostudentswhohavenever music educationwouldmakethemlistenmoretoMiddle perception of Middle Eastern music and whether students’ the relationshipbetweenmusiceducationandstudents’ Those weredividedintotwogroups.Theexperimentevaluated LAUhundred twenty-seven studentstookpartintheresearch. subjects post-test-only quasi experiment was conducted.One- Middle Easternmusic.To examinetheabove,abetween- This studyexaminedtheroleofmusiceducationinpromoting

63 Students Projects Senior Student ﻣﺴﺮﺣﻴﺔ ﻣﻦﺇﻧﺘﺎﺝ ﻃﻼﺑﻲ ﺗﺄﻟﻴﻒ: ﺻﻤﻮﻳﻞ ﺑﻴﻜﻴﺖ ﺇﺧﺮﺍﺝ:ﺗﺎﻻ ﺍﻟﻨﺸﺎﺭ ﺍﻟﺨﻤﻴﺲ17 ﻛﺎﻧﻮﻥﺍﻟﺜﺎﻧﻲ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺽ ﻣﻦ ﻭﺍﺣﺪﺓ ﺳﺎﻋﺔ ﺍﺪ ﻣ ﺍﻌﺽ ﻲ ﺷﺒﺎﻙ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺒﻄﺎﻗﺎﺕ ﺃﺧﺬ ﻳﺮﺟﻰ ﺑﻴﻦ ﻏﻠﺒﻨﻜﻴﺎﻥ ﻣﺴﺮﺡ 1 ﺑﻌﺪ ﺍﻟﻈﻬﺮ ﺃﻭ ﻗﺒﻞ ﺗﺬﺍﻛﺮ ﻣﺮ ﻏﺒﻜﺎ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻌﺔ18 ﻛﺎﻧﻮﻥ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻧﻲ ﻣﺴﺮﺡ ﺇﺭﻭﻳﻦ ﻣﺴﺮﺡ ﺇﺭﻭﻳﻦ ﺣﺮﻡ ﺍﻟﺠﺎﻣﻌﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻴﺮﻭﺕ 2019 ﺍﻟﺴﺎﻋﺔ8 ﻣﺴﺎء ً ﻭ 11 ﺍﻟﺴﺎﻋﺔ توتة“ ”ماخلصت الحتوتة Dr.by LinaAbyad upervised S Christopher ElZoummar by Directed “Boy MeetsGirl” Dr.by AmrSelim upervised S by Baskal Jallouf directed and Written ”فيانتظار جودو“ upervised by Dr.by LinaAbyad upervised S Tala Nachar by Directed Performing ArtsCapstones English only “a tragicomedy in twoacts.” English only“atragicomedy French-language play,in Godot,andissubtitled Enattendant Waiting forGodotis Beckett's translationof his own original of discussions and encounter threeothercharacters. variety Godot who never arrives. Whilewaiting, they engagein a Vladimir and Estragon, wait for the arrivalof someone named in whichtwocharacters, simulation ofaplaybySamuelBecker are waitingon a country road by a tree for Godot. This is a There isonlyonescenethroughoutbothacts.Two men they growup. Scout cookies,andfiguringoutwhattheywanttobewhen in themidstofworryingaboutspellingbee,sellingGirl Katie find themselves entering into a genuine relationship, all more seriousconversationsaboutpastnappartners,Samand contracts to check the"yes"boxon their boyfriend/girlfriend and sweet take on young romance. From the decision to tribulations of love atthetenderageof five inthis hilarious Follow Sam and Katie as they go through the trialsand used aretakenfromfolkloricSyriantunes. act wrapsup.Thescriptisbasedonatruestoryandthesongs the vaguefuturebroughttotheseyouthfulgenerationsas dwell on childhood memories. It then dramatically touches on plot thatstartswiththenearpastandtravelstofar upcoming generationmorespecifically. Itistoldinajourney consequences on the Arab youth in general and the Syrian This musicalproductiontacklestheSyrianwaranditschaotic Tonyby Farjallah Supervised and Joy Salah Samir Kawas, FerasAl-Sheikh by Produced Jana AbiGhosn by Directed Time” “Maybe Next Sarah Kaskas by Supervised Rita Choueifati by Produced Samir Kawas by Directed “Jabbara” Sarah Kaskas by upervised S Nour Nassar by Produced Lynn ElJbeily by Edited Iyad Tchelebi by Directed “Rabbit Ears” Television Capstones andFilm wanted. have foundthepersonthey casting forthedayandthey done are them thatthey the agencythencomesinandtells her tocomeinandaudition.Theintern no onecalled still actually happened in castings. Two hours have passed and by thingssheneverthought but shekeepsbeingdistracted her lines and memorizing by reading herself to distract tries and they careaboutthetrueessenceofacting.how little Jana having conversationsrelatedtowantingbecomefamous While she’s there, shestartshearingthepeoplearoundher CV andheadstothebuildingwhereacastingisbeingdone. Jana parkshercar,collectsfrom her thepapersthat havefallen decision. a life-changing hatefulness pushesherovertheedgeanddrivestomake herself inhermind. But LinaischallengedwhenSalma's in thesanctuarythatshe’s built mother andseekssafety to withstandanyand every haunting memory of her putrid envious motherSalmaseeksrevengeon her. Lina struggles head. This story revolvesaround a teenage girlLina,whose The monsters don’t live underyourbed, they rotinsideyour rabbit. Hisweirdbehaviorleadshimtodiscoveradeepsecret. Ghady, acuriouskid,sneaksintoanoldman’s housetofinda

65 StudentsStudents Produced by Produced Omar Moujaes by by Supervised Taline Bedikian Photographer of Director Melissa Samaha by Directed “The Unfortunate” Tonyby Farjallah Supervised Rita Choueifati by Produced Mabelle C. Abbas by Directed “Asphodel” Dr.by SabineElChamaa Supervised Taline Bedikian Photography: of Director Jana AbiGhosn by Produced Pia ElKhoury by Directed “Telwin” Roody Madi Madi Roody Roody fantasy journey, Sarafindsanunfortunateanswer. out whySara’s parents arefightingathome. Going througha sorceryoncampus.Theydecidetogoandfind is exercising Two best friends, Sara and Yara discoverthata fortune teller out tobeherworst. such a rush, he never saw a car coming. His best day turned her fiancéthatnevergottopopthequestion, for hewas in All thisends, however, at thecemetery, sitting atthetombof anothernormalday.woman isgoingthroughherdayasifit’s man rushesthroughthepreparations.Onotherhand, altogether. The morningof his engagementdaysurprise,a This is thestoryofhow a fewseconds can alterpeople’s lives my futureinpast. If thisdaywastobemylast,I’dlive embraces herfreedom. issue while Lara ignores the imposition and walks away as she coloring Eastereggs,andsohermomstatesa“solution” tothe two strongopposingcharacterstakesplaceoverthecourseof mom noticesthechange.Theconfrontationbetweenthese makes herchangedailyhabits.Throughtheseactions, her tryingtoavoid“conservative”motherwhilethelatter of both–discomfortandindependence.Theformerresultsin Lara, a20yearoldgirl,wakesupthedayafterwithmixture Produced by Produced Sara Kaskas by Supervised Nour S. Al Halabi by Produced Majed Zein by Directed Have Luck” “You’ve GotTo Dr.by SabineElChamaa Supervised Pia ElKhoury Peter Hilmi, SabrinaBouris and by Produced Rita RAbidaoud by Directed “Ella” Sarah Kaskas by Supervised Rouba Tamim by Edited Yara Adada by Directed “Elka” Youssef Dghaidy Dghaidy Youssef Youssef This shortfilmisaprojectproducedintheFilmmakingclass. escaping jail breaks into her house and threatens her. woman, deaf marriedwhosedayistwistedwhenacriminal thatfollows A the storyof psychological thriller Nora, a have unforeseenconsequences. going on in her room as it comes to life and her stay proves to at the motel, she begins to notice that something strange is motel amidst a terrible storm. Soon after she arrives run-down from all her personal problems. She plans on meeting him at a Ella decidestofleethecountrywithherboyfriendgetaway reason behind thechange in her decision. another killer, andshefindsoutthatherartpaintingsarethe life leadingto her confusion. Yet she saves her baby from and abort the baby, interesting incidentsstartto pop up in her from herbadhusband. On herdecisiontofocusoncareer is holding hernew art gallery, but discoversshe is pregnant film aboutSahar,A shortthriller who painter anestablished

Page67 D StudentsStudents Produced by Produced by Directed Tonyby Farjallah Supervised Dima Hijazi by Edited by Farah Abdelsater Cinematography Joelle Ghaddar by Produced Feras ElSheikh by Directed “Dabbous” Sara Kaskas by Supervised by by Alex El Dahdah Design Design Production Production Samir Kawas by Edited Mikaella Aramouni Photography of Director Joey Badr by written and Directed “Nasseeb” Sara Kaskas by Supervised Rita Choueifati by Edited by Jad Bou Assy Cinematography Nour Al Halabi by Written “Present Past” Joy Salah Salah Salah Joy Joy Sakka Sakka Yasmeen Yasmeen Youssef rapesthemotherinherkitchen. live inasmall apartment, whereasupermarketkeepercalled brutality. TheplotrevolvesaroundMayandherdaughterwho women a voice and moves the public opinion to stop this and thetraditionalmentalitystillpersists.Thisshortfilmgives overpopulated areas,limitedfreedomisgivenforwomen exist and on a wider scale than they should be. In poor and There isasadtruthaboutourcommunity. Honorcrimesstill love lifeto the test. throughout the wholenighta situation unfolds that puts her friend group. Rachelle and Joseph arrive atthedinnerand place tomeettheguyandintroducehimrestof Rolathe coupletoasmalldinnerather toinvite thendecides informs them she has someone new in her life calledJoseph, and Rola. Onedaywhiletheywerechitchatting, Rachelle hertwobestfriendsMaria everyone knows that especially Rachelleand has averybadhistorywithherpreviouspartner out. that she is trapped insidethemuseum and calling foraway through herjourney stories fromthewaruntilsherealizes Lebanese civilwar. As she enters, she revives a mirage of real witness ofthe the primary Beirut, girl,toBeit a youngteenage “Present Past” is a fiction documentarythatbrings back Baher, Director of Photography of Director by Produced November/ Dr.by SabineElChamaa Supervised Samir Kawwas by Edited by Louna Karameh Direction Art by Karl Bourjeily Photography of Director Iyad Tchelebi by Directed and Written “Mother Art” Omar Moujaes by Supervised by Raissa Frangie Coordination Production by Yara Tabchy production Line Lynn Sukkar by Continuity by Khaled AbiJoumaa Cinematography Emilio Mounsef by Directed Tree” “Behind the“ ”تشرين Dr.by SabineElChamaa Supervised Samir Kawas by Edited Khaled AbiJomaa by produced and Directed Dana Younes Younes Dana Dana Jammal Jammal Rahaf Rahaf shop wherehefindsapurposetolive. emotions, until when his thoughts lead him to an Ice cream among histhoughtsand nowhere. Helivesinabattle abandons a meaninglesslifeafterhis him outof girlfriend A mangoesthroughaseveredepressionandexperiences the museum and causes a change of plan. losing fans. On a very special day, a dedicated fan enters him to add new elements to the exhibitionin order to avoid exhibition. He disagrees with his manager, who is pushing corpses ofhisdeadfamilymembers,showcasingtheminan Farouk XXisanartistwhocollectsandpreservesthe to leave. the village unborn child. However, her brotheris sincerely attachedto to savehis aims toconvinceherbrotherleavethevillage with heryoungerbrotherNader. Through her journeyshe rules ofthesystemthatforcesadoption,shereconciles strict old village. After10 years of illegal departurebecause of the Rola, a40-year-old woman,embarksonajourneyintoher

Page69 D StudentsStudents Produced by Produced Dr.by SabineElChamaa Supervised Kareem Fayad by Editing by Kourken Papazian Photography of Director by Iyad Tchaleb Director Assistant by Dana Younes Producer Assistant Sabrina Bouri by Produced Louna Karameh by Directed Reckoning” “A System of ترب" Sara Kaskas by Supervised Dahdah Rita AbiDaoud andAlex El by Edited by Taline Bedikian Cinematography Dahdah Roody MadiandAlexEl by directed and Written “AH” Dr.by SabineElChamaa Supervised Rayan Zrein by Produced Rachid Hneineh by Directed Alex El Dahdah Dahdah El El Alex Alex frustrated love. frustrated desires ofMalekandhis lover unfoldinasurrealisttaleof destroys therelationship.The hopes, fears, longings and effectively and to determination maintain “our dynasty” Malek strivestoholdonto his own identity. Her disapproval landowner ofthefamily,opposition fromthematriarch fierce living a secret lovestorywiththeman of his dreams. Facing Malek, ayoungmanbornintoLebanesefeudalistfamily, is family. daughter uses her only source of endurance to save the the house as it getsdestroyedand shattered, untiltheyoung family triestosustain to hiseternalrest.The beleaguered door the powerful father is put death knocks on this family’s by thefather.A smallfamilyspendstheirdayspetrified When and postpones her death to the next year. time in years. The morning after, she goes back to her delusion doesn’t workduringthefirsttrial,shefaces reality forthefirst preparations ofherfuneralandplacedeath.Whenplan she was going to die on April 26. She goes through all the A younggirl who plans every second of her life has decided Cinematography by Cinematography Dr.by SabineElChamaa Supervised by Jad Misri Photography of Director Jad Misriand CarinaAshkar by Edited Carina Ashkar and written Directed, “Light Fingers” Dr.by SabineElChamaa Supervised Adam Jammal by Edited by Jad Misri Cinematography Ghada Youssef by Produced by written Karl Bou-Rjeily and Directed “Allegro” Dr.by SabineElChamaa Supervised Miari Nathalie Maalouf and Noha by Produced Adam Jammal by Edited Karim El Ali by Directed Bell” “Saved by The produced by produced Papazian Papazian Kourken Kourken the reason why theyhad to moveout of their oldtown. to closeoffadealthatleadsusunderstand the apartment share afewwordswhileunpacking.leaves Omar eventually does nothaveaconversationaboutitwithOmar. Theybarely accused ofshoplifting. Shegets backtotheapartmentand new town,getting of their Sahar isatthecornersupermarket While Omaris in the apartment unpacking all the furniture, their rebellionandstandagainsttheoppressionofsystem. fed upfromtheforcedrhythmuponthem,theyfinallyunitein students towardsthefreedomfortheircreativity. Afterbeing An experimental short film about the journey of three music help Shavarshdecide? bell the by thepresenceofbell.Will absurd eventscreated unfolds the abandoned bell,andtakesithome.Thefilm not told theothers about this. One day, Shavarsh finds an dilemma of whether toleaveor stay inthevillage.Hehas with himintheUS,live andsincethenhe’s been facinga asking Shavarsh His son to from abroadsenthimaletter lives Shavarsh. in Lebanon,there In asmallArmenianvillage

Page 71D Students - SaadAbbas a change.” make day one will who minds suchbrilliant on graduating keep to LAU to encourage who me thepeople took places. Iamoneof and changing “Pascal’s life was concert Zaynabby Raya a Micro Level change Comm Artsstudents start Social Issues Captured inArt: as if theyare objects.” women loud,” hestated.“Stoptreating “I just felt the urge to say one thing out of his script. misogynistic societytriggeredtheidea His siblings’ misfortunes oflivingina his youngersisters. his parentstreated the way that he disliked He explained the house.” Hneineh wastaughttobethe“manof with asingleboyandfourgirls, Growing up in aconservativefamily become mothers. day they are born, until theday they of women fromthe framed thelives society.the traditional portrayed Each the modernsociety, andtheother of characters:onesetrepresented was madeoftwosets performance struggles ofwomeninsociety. The on the Aazimet Lsenettoreflect production titled a theater directed Rachid Hneineh,aTVandfilmstudent, art has been theirmission. about socialissues. Resistance through andraiseawareness instigate resilience knowledge as an opportunity to at LAU haveused their academic Many communicationartsstudents Campus Stories issues. on many controversialsocial reflected a fewproductionsas a student, which Nashar, has also succeeded in directing artsgraduate,TalaAnother performing fists. eyes andhands closed in with teary The audience memberslefttheconcert process,” she added. through a production can be a healing a problem anddiscussingit tackling in arttherapy.“I believe Ithinkthat energy and emotion.” this much, we just all sharedthesame didn’t expecttheaudiencetorelate “Honestly,good,” shesaid.“I Ifelt to heremotionslikeneverbefore. relief performance has served asa Jallouf’s Toute Toute maKholsit el Hattoute. and so thatinherconcert she reflected War changedherlifeinmanyways, experience.” “events that no child shouldever Jallouf grewupinSyriaandexperienced her sourceof inspiration was war. by anotherissue for herproduction; performing artsgraduate,was inspired discrimination, Pascale Jallouf, a Aside from women rights and gender my playcamefrom.” wherethetitleof said Hneineh.“That’s translation of‘LsenetLNes’inEnglish],” answer was‘people’stongues’[literal her own decision and remove it, her I asked her why she couldn’t“When take wear theveil. to other women,wasforced who like struggle was inspired byhis mother, struggle womenface.This time, the Hneineh also pinpoitnted another - Pascale Jallouf process.” production canbeahealing and discussingitthrough a problem a tackling that think therapy, inart “I believe I for thetransformationofsociety.” sure theyareawarethatartisatool said Abyad.“I’m achievements,” great “I think our students are readyfor and creates artout of it. and take,” one grabs a certain situation about thisjourneyisthat“itagive at LAU, believes thatthe best part arts professor Lina Abyad,performing our revolution,” she said. “Picking such a domain is the startof people. a changeis through reaching out to that thebestwaytomake She believes change throughcommunicationarts. how to inspireothersand affect journeyatLAU taught her Nashar’s Palestine suffers.” gets toknow more abouttheinjustice her throughout the journey, but also audience doesn’t just learn about a Palestinian woman, where the about me, sheexplained.“Ittalked Ayoubi hadthemostimpacton productions. with art.Shealsoparticipatedinother existential crisis by combining philosophy another performance that tackled Joudo,was hell, whileEntezarAwdat strong relationshipbetweenloveand A play titled , presented the Huis Clos, presented the by MohamedShourby Prep for Your Exams theRight Way! substances like nicotine which hinders substances likenicotinewhichhinders opment is vulnerable to psychoactive showed thattheprefrontalcortexdevel- A study by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam psychiatric disorders. and makesyoumoresusceptibleto to hinderacademicperformance adolescents actually affects the brain all before. But, long-term smoking in through the screen – you’ve heard it Your deepsighsomehowmadeits way Smoking doing wrong, keep reading. if youwouldliketoknowwhatyou’re performance takesahugeblow. So, in thelongrunand,turn,academic can have adverse effects on the brain things deemed normal on a daily basis Scientific research has shown that don’t seeit? Read everythingabove again. Still “I don’t seewhatIdidwrong!” exam. Next morningcomes.You failedyour bag in sight. the stress and crack open every chips light upacigarettetohelpcopewith while downingyourenergydrink.You “How willIpassthisexam!?”yousay overdone. A study by the University ingestion of sugary products is often Everyone hasasweettooth,butthe High SugarFoods&Drinks body.” antioxidants, whicharegoodforthe said. “Greenteaalsohasalotof beverage has better outcomes,” she they havetochoosewhattypeof bodyneedscaffeine,but “The replacement wouldbegreentea. Solution: Mattar explained that a good focus whilestudying. anxiety whichinturn,directlyaffects memory. Itcanalsoelevatelevelsof learning andoverallperceptual in energydrinkscausesdeficits the UniversityofPretoria, caffeine According toastudyconductedby Energy Drinks said. going back after cell damage,” Mattar is extremelydifficultandthere’sno The nervous system regeneration “Completely cutdownonsmoking. Nutrition at LAU Lama Mattar, PhD. according toAssistantProfessor of theonlyway than done,butit’s Solution: Stopsmoking. Easiersaid the developmentofbraincells. of sodium. promises youatleasthalftheamount fresh at home, with fresh ingredients, also statedthatmakingsomething processed foods,”Mattarsaid. they counter-balance thesodiumin “Fruits are richinpotassiumand eat morefruits. Solution: To counteractthesodium, impairment andissueswithfocus. levels of salt intake leads to cognitive the Weill Cornell Medicine, elevated many people.Accordingtoastudyby in salt,whichcomesasasurpriseto Processed foodsarecriminallyhigh Processed Foods pocket,” she said. nuts inatissueandputityour products, youcanwrapanyformof “Instead ofsnackingonoverlysugary Mattar. healthier for the body, explained lower sugar levels, and are overall a positive effect because they have Solution: Consumingfruitscanhave cognitive andmemorydeficiencies. ageing ofbraincellsandtherefore, glucose levelswaslinkedtothefaster of California showed that increased

73 Students by JanaBarakat by 2019 Media andGlobal ChangeSeminar Reflections onSalzburg Academy on Farah Ismail Ayah Ghandour Lynn Soueid Jana Barakat the books. Salzburg, you hold all of my questions and secrets. lately. I am This was forever gratefuland beyond appreciative.experienceone for in aworldthatseemedsosad of freshair a breath less thanpure.Theyseemedlike a sociallevel,Iamstillinaweofthekindness of peoplewhose intentions arenot economically. I couldnothaveaskedforasmartergroupofpeopletobewith.On and professors who of theworldpolitically,widened myperspective socially, and they go. Fromwherever with students aneducationalapproach,Iwasinroomsfilled people who reside inmymindforever;theycarrypiecesofheartwiththem with relentlesseffortsandpurelove.Onthistrip,I’vemet bubble filled A diversity and public relations Majoring incommunicationandminoringadvertising missing itwould hurtthismuch!Salzburg,experience. thank you foralifetime that sayinggoodbye tothisplacewouldbeso hard and nutshell. Ineverexpected Seminar ina is SalzburgGlobal experience from their cultures, andlearning their languages, getting toknowmoreabout different place! Listeningtopeopletalking visited This mightsound cliché, butIliterally Majoring inmultimediajournalism knowledge, andmostimportantly, myself. Salzburg GlobalSeminarwas an exile whereIfound peace, good friends, a lot of Mother, director, student,hardworker,Being partofthe roommate,friend,leader… Majoring ininterdisciplinarygenderstudies weeks bystayinginonespot! the worldinthree met fromallovertheworldwereinone place, theSchloss Leopoldskron. I travelled souls and mindsI just howbeautiful unbelievable It’s and gratitude. appreciation, My heartisfullofjoy,in numerous activities. lectures, panels,andparticipated We andfriendsofalifetime. thelessons, It created experiences, several attended living withpeoplehavinghighacademicbackgrounds. It was much more thanthat. of I cametoSalzburgnotknowingwhatexpect,withthenervesandexcitement The experienceandIwas seminar wasluckyenoughtobeinvolvedinit. a lifetime Majoring inTVandfilm Student Diaries 13 countriesinthreeweeksand inone Nour Kazoun Tara Beckdache Youssef Ghanem Sarah Nassif Maya Estephan wordings andimagery. and therefore,changedmyviewofreadingthemedia startedtonoticeanybias had changed thewayweconsumenews how themedia age. Ilearned in adigital in an schloss. incredible Our main purpose was to challengethecost of disbelief together forthreeweeks cultures wherewelived,ate,learnedandpartied different Salzburg GlobalSeminaris a life changingexperience.Imetover100 people from Majoring inTVandfilm real lifeexperience.Iamgladandgratefulforthesebestthreeweeksofmylife. culturally exposed topeoplefrom all around the worldandIwasabletolearnthrough Going to the Salzburg Global Seminar was one of the best experiences I’ve had. I was Majoring incommunication and applyforthisprogram. that has experience changed my life forthebetterand I recommend everyoneto try unbreakable andImadefriendsforlife.This was truly averyfun and unforgettable tiring but the bonds I made with other participantsfrom all around the world are was very hard workandit It required would have onmylife. it how bigofanimpact weeks. However,abroad andthatIwouldgetoveritwithinthree Ididn’t realize any othersemester to thisprogram,Ithoughtitwouldbejustlike When Iapplied Majoring incomputerengineering not tomiss. opportunity thatis was hard toputinwords. an experience unforgettable Truly, it is a learning love, andengagementtaughtmethevalueofauniteddiverseworld.Salzburg the truthandcontributingintomakingachange. Eighteen daysfullofexperience, participants from about each other; the media shapes us with wrong beliefs. Afterlivingwith74 wrong impression about Lebanon. I had it allwrong. Turns out we know nothing how theythinkandact,Iwassureknewnothingaboutushadthe I thoughtknewhow people on the othersideofworldlive,Ithoughtknew Majoring incommunication the goodbyesandthatsaysalot. was parts oftheworld.The only downsidetothisexperience conflicts fromdifferent from across the world, made valuablefriendships, and learned about different cost of disbelief. I got out of it withmore than I imagined, I connected withpeople more aboutthe learning backgrounds andcultureswhile from different people meet with anopenheartandmind.Iwasreadyto I wentintotheSalzburgexperience Majoring inpsychology three different countries, Ifound myself responsibleforconveying 13 different

75 Students our university offers to itspeople. our university were alsoabletoexplaintheimportanceofmentalhealth andtheservicesthat campaign, butitwasalsoanopportunitytomeetstudents andcounselors. We I gotfromthe not onlybecauseofthe PRexperience It was a fruitfulexperience relations and public arts andminoringinadvertising Majoring inperforming Ghiwa AlAyyass counseling servicesatLAU. concerns andsuggestionsregardingthecurrent campus grounds,andcollecting infographics, chalkingaroundtheBeirut to: circulating but arenotlimited that include, activities the conversationthroughseveral them toenter and invited NEXT.opinion express their students tofreely Thementalhealthcampaigncalled campaign under the hashtags #BilHawaSawa and #Relatable during Festival communication artsstudents joined theireffortstolaunch an online and offline ProfessorJournalism GretchenKing, ofCommunicationandMultimedia four services. Sponsored by the disability hub and under the guidance of Assistant counseling health issues among LAU studentsandimprovetheuniversity’s “Bil HawaSawa” isastudentcampaign thataimstoraiseawarenessonmental GhaidaaHreibyby Offline Campaign A Student-Run Online/ Bil Hawa Sawa: Ameena Ali social campaignthatisimportanttome. of Students. I loved using the skillsI have learned from my majorto implement a counseling, and presentingthe resultsofourfindingsandsolutions to theDean of thecampaign, talk abouttheimportanceofremovingstigmaaround to workonthevisuals experience illuminating yet, avery It wasachallenging Majoring incommunication health servicesas it is very much needed atLAU. people engagedwithourcampaignandpushed us mental to advocateforbetter usually addressed, which is mental health.Itwas interesting toseehow many from mycommunicationcoursesaswellworkonanimportanttopicthatisnot a lot ofwhatIlearned I lovedbeingpartofthiscampaignasgottoimplement Majoring incommunicationandminoringphotography Salam Halila Student Activities levels of school education in order to support sustainable development and globalcitizenship. of schooleducationinordertosupportsustainabledevelopment levels address gaps and fully harness the potentialof the threedomains of learning atthethree secondary educationlevelsand exchange innovativeand promising approaches on how to and at earlychildhood,primary in curricula are reflected emotional andbehavioural) socio- (cognitive, dimensions ofESDandGCED learning how thethree The formpresented Target forum aims to support synergies between ESDand GCED, and foster a holistic approachto the UNESCO Forum on Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship.The Every two years, UNESCO brings together stakeholdergroups and experts from both areas at factsinapost-truthto deliver era. in ESDandGCED–thatis,how learning to cognitive related challenges focused onparticular panelist in“PlenaryTown this possibleandhow?” This plenary the facts-Is Hall: Delivering and GlobalCitizenship.Shewasa 2019 ForumonEducationforSustainableDevelopment Sally FarhatrepresentedtheMediaand Academy of Digital Literacy Beirut in the UNESCO July 2019 Location: Hanoi,Vietnam Pursuing anMAinMultimedia Journalism Sally Farhat of Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 ofSustainableDevelopment on Education and theEducation 4 onEducation 2030 Agenda.

77 Students delicately narrating the story. jeans withexcitement, smiling, and his film,herecalledwhilerubbing his At 15yearsold,hewasready toshoot output thatsurpasseshisage. directing, filming, and editingwithan Atthattime,hewasonly11 yearsold, videos,” he said. at home either shooting or watching of friends.Iusedtospendweekends “I wasn’t the kind of kid who had a lot to dothingsherelished. where heusedtospendweekendsjust Dghaidy alsorecalledthesememories memories. to earflashingbackallthechildhood Hiba said, while grinning from ear the song’sstory, anditwassofunny,” to sing and do acting scenes that fit “We usedtohavealotoffun,I his dearestsisterHiba. Lebanon. Dghaidyshotvideoclipswith house thatliesintheBeqaa,West of his own studio in a small corner ofhis Armed withasmallcamera,hecreated sister. Andthiswasjustthebeginning. school friendsandhisbelovedolder to write and shoot his first film with his thrill, andinnocence, Dghaidy managed experience, but strong enthusiasm, first boughtaDSLRcamera.Withzero at LAU, wasonly15yearsoldwhenhe Youssef Dghaidy, aTVandfilmstudent but he has a story. His friendsmightbeastalentedhim, one inhisfamilyandamongfriends. boy turned out to be the outstanding who triedtokeephisdistance,butthis was alwaysthisshylittleboyatschool out to gain everyone’s scrutiny. There inside thathealwayswantedtobring However, hehadsomethingdeep finished buildingsomepuzzles. else. Played around, colored, and He hadachildhoodjustlikeanyone by JanaBarakat With aGoal A Day Dreamer Youssef Dghaidy: Student Profiles what frustrated Dghaidy the most. what frustrated Dghaidythemost. film “don’t make aliving.” Andthisis law, orengineering. MajorslikeTVand family, he had to major in medicine, like in any other traditional Lebanese affected his academic performance. Just from thestartasitdistracted himand plan. His mother was against filming majoring inthisfieldwasnotpartofthe and that itwasjusta“teenagehobby” first got the tripod, his father thought him and his parents started. When he This iswhenalltheclashesbetween and film as a major. motivation tocontinueandpickTV film wasn’t nominated.Thisgavehim invited to watch the festival because his accomplished at school. He was only Film Festivalafterthesuccesshe courage got him applying to the Dubai interview about his first film. Dghaidy’s Dghaidy wasnowonTVdoingan Soon thingsstartedtogetmoreserious; the way hewas describing his work. the passion that he had in his eyes and said. For her, this was obvious through school Principal Christine Rayyis, PhD, “He foundGod’sgifttohim,”Dghaidy’s by his work. Students andteacherswerefascinated a future, and I want to get you on TV.” his shoulder and told him: “You have festival afterhisEnglishteacherpatted insisted toscreenhisfilmatschool’s that this short movie was different. He for a living. Dghaidy hadafeeling last one worked as a domestic worker bomb, thesecondwasatraitor, andthe one had a malformation caused by a actors and each had a story: three girls, on people. There were three main about thewarinLebanonanditseffect his firstmoviewasborn.Thefilm Where DoWe Go Now filmandso, Lebanese DirectorNadineLabaki’s by thesetragiceventsandthe bomb attacks. Dghaidy was influenced It was2014,andLebanonunder winning the bet,” Dghaidy said. “I amgetting somewhereandI’m satisfied his family. importantnowisthathe him, what’s from professionalism,butaccording to work to do. He isonlyafewstepsaway Dghaidy knowsthathehasa lotmore Kouyoumdjian onFuture TV. known LebanesepresenterZaven to shootaTVshowwiththewell- radio station, Dghaidy had the chance after theother. Afterworkingatthe Opportunities started to pop up one to the radio station,” Nasser said. from everyone who previously applied dedicated. I simply found him different “Youssef isnotnormal,he’spatientand that hehadabrightfuture. encouraged him because shebelieved fondness. Nassersaidthatshe “She believedinme,”hesaidwith became apart-timer attheradio. explained thatsheisthereasonhe persistence. Dghaidyheartwarmingly made himstandout:histalentand in Dghaidythatwasdifferentand at Radio Liban, noticed something godmother. Amal Nasser, a presenter whenhemethis Radio Liban.That’s until he applied for an internship at whole new experience. Days passed performing wellat university. Itwas a he hadto live alone and he wasn’t he expected.Hestressedoutbecause LAU shocked him. It was far from what firstsemesterat compete. Dghaidy’s He sawthisasabetandwasreadyto have tomakesomethingoutofit.” told him “if you want this, then you challenging from the moment his father what hispassionwas.Heknewitwas chose TV and film because he knew Dghaidy appliedtoLAU onlyand always devastatesme,”hesaid. would have studied medicine. This “People still tell me that I’m smart and Moussawi said. on Snapchat and Instagram,” Al their answersonmypersonalaccount them random questions. I shared friends oncampusandstartedasking “I was oncehangingoutwithmy concept wasverysimple. When it first launched, the page’s social issues. opinions on different political and questions to LAU students about their On hisinteractiveplatform,heposes “Daily Question” Instagram page. In 2017, Al Moussawi founded the his talentandreapsuccessoutofit. media platforms,hewasabletogrow Instagram page. Through his social started tacklingrelatedtopicsonhis shows. Whenhegrewolder, he eagerly watchnewscastsandpolitical As a child, Al Moussawi used to love forpolitics. from otherstudents,however, ishis in law at LAU. What differentiates him degree currently pursuingamaster’s 2017 withaBAinAccounting. Heis Al Moussawi graduated from LAU in Instagram. of the“DailyQuestion” pageon Moussawi, also known as the founder AboHashemAl right.It’s That’s Have you figured out who he is yet? answer hisfun, yet creativequestions. students gatheraroundhimreadyto phone andneck-mic inhishand,while he jugglesaroundcampuswithhis On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, by MariaAlKhoury Spreading Positivity atLAU Abo Hashem AlMoussawi: Al Moussawi. me and express their love to me,” said other publicspaces,theyapproach peopleseemeatmallsor “When made AlMoussawievenmorepopular. controversy amongstudents,which caused at many times, they’ve questions startedgoingviraland, and thepublicaswell.Thepage’s targeting otheruniversitystudents to LAU students,itthenbegan While the page started off customized topic. opinions ontheday’s of hisphone’scameratorecordtheir after theother, studentsstandinfront shortly became a weekly routine. One his questionsandthe“DailyQuestion” students startedeagerlywaitingfor gained over 30,000 followers. LAU Over theyears,pagerapidly Moussawi added. admiration frommanypeople,”Al found thatthisideareceivedgreat “After a short period of time, I choose tobe?” into an animal, which one would you and “Ifyouaretobetransformed million dollars what would you do?” these twoquestions:“Ifyouhadone He explainedthatitallstartedwith a student like Abo Hashem.” a studentlike Moussawi’s work andisproudto“have Mohsen himself is satisfied withAl like him,butarealsoproudofhim. Raed Mohsen, PhD, people do not only According totheDeanofStudents semesters. on campustalkshowfortheupcoming organizing with the dean’s office an Al Moussawirevealedthatheis his experience. points,” Al Moussawi said, describing “It showed me my weak and strong talkshow.able toproduceathree-day being anupgrade,AlMoussawiwas discuss socialandpoliticaltopics.This in which he invited public figures to organizers to host a live talk show Moussawi was approached by the During FestivalNEXT2019,Al he is. “the dynamo,”referringtohowfast Malaeb, describedAlMoussawias A close friend of his, Abdullah energy.” students, andspreadinghispositive from one area to another, talking to Taha. “Heis always in action, moving of hisfriendsandLAU graduateLynn and everyoneknowshim,”saidone “On campus,heknowseveryone, heart. spontaneous personalityandkind Moussawi isalsoknownforhis Besides being a public figure, Al

79 Students Connect withthewriters: Kozman, PhD. Studentswrotethearticles,createdabusinessplanforthatissue,andhandled visuals. ran anewsroomheadedbyAssistantProfessor ofMultimediaJournalismandCONNECTions’Editor-in-Chief Claudia magazine, CONNECTions. In fall 2018, the department offered a topics course in magazine writing, where 12 students For three consecutive years, the Department of Communication Arts at LAU has been publishing its own student by Rana Tabbara Behind Issue 3 Connect WiththeStudents Student Profiles them all. architects, computersciencegroups, emos,orkids,Miracanfindawaytoopenconversation with Mira wouldsitwithanygroup of peopleandblendinwiththem.Whethertheyarebusiness students, BA inmultimedia journalism aka theChameleon Mira Kobeissi her. events,knowit’s in oneofthedepartment’s Maria isachillperson,whowouldsittolisten,butnottalk.If youeverfindamysteriousphotographer BA inmultimediajournalism aka theMysterious Photographer Maria Khoury thrive foradebate in thevirtual world, Jana’s comment section is a safe place to start. Posting political thoughts on her Facebook timeline, Jana is always ready to cause controversy. If you BA inmultimediajournalism aka theFacebook Activist Jana Barakat more browniesyouwillget! need, alongwiththegoodsweetsthatyourtastebudscanhandle.Themoreyou’re depressed,the No oneiseverdownifJadaround.You canopenyourhearttothisguyandgetalltheattentionyou BS ineconomics andminorinmultimedia journalism andpolitical science aka Brownie Queen Jad Fawaz varsity teamandhitsthepoolgymregularly. nutrition advisor, Ahmadistheguyforyou!He adoptedahealthylifestylein2016.Hejoinedthetrack He’s ajournalistbyprofessionand an athleteatheart.Ifyou’re lookingforapersonaltraineror BA inmultimediajournalism aka Karkar Ahmad Karakira Connect withthePR/advertisementteam: Connect withthegraphicdesigner: You’ll enjoy it! For Rawane is a professional singer and a guitar player. If yougotoBlend,you’ll spotRawane singingDisneysongs,and sometimeswithachipmunkvoice. BA incommunication aka theDisney Character Rawane Itani she’ll showyouhowinspirationallifecanbeiflookatit differently. honey mustardiswaybetterthanplainhoney. Wheneveryoufeelmiserable,justreachouttoMaiand In a beehiveofseriousworkingbees,Mai is theonebeethattriestoconvincehercommunity that BA incommunication aka theBumbleBee Mai AlKhouri companion, but she will also keep you safe from any harm with her MMA skills. toodangerous,giveJenaa call. Not only issheafun If youeverwanttogooutat night, butfeelit’s BA incommunication aka theChamp Jena Karam the guitar, composing music, creating films, and shooting photographs. Bahaa, you intimidate us. Bahaa isamulti-talentedandmultidisciplinaryartist.Hishobbiesincludepainting, illustrating, playing BA intelevision andfilm aka theTalent Bahaa Radwan And thenthere’sme! BA inmultimediajournalism aka theHippie Rana Tabbara of humorcanmakeMonaLisasmile.SteffenisalsofamousforhistasteinGIFs. He mightnotgivethatvibe,butSteffenistheonewhomakesuslaughinclass.Hissarcasmandsense the DanishSchool ofMediaandJournalism BA injournalism andanexchange studentfrom aka theFunny one Steffen Neupert award winningstudentwhoarchivedinpicturesthelifeofChatilarefugeechildren. Although hecomesfromarathercoldland,wearsjacketiftheAC isoninclass.Joakiman from theDanish School ofMediaandJournalism BA inphotojournalism andanexchange student aka theDesertTortoise Mads JoakimRimerRasmussen

81 Students about Anagnorisis. locally andabroad,”saidYoussef fondly film isofinteresttoaudiences both “It issuchamotivationtofeel thatyour award. where itearnedthe“BestStudent Film” European Cinematography Awards, international competitions such as the also succeededintakingpartmany with her through a dance. The film whose soul used to communicate decides to let go of her dead mother, The filmtellsthestoryofagirlwho which itreceivedanhonorablemention. way toLosAngelesFilmAwards, during international standardsandmadeits Hatoum andGhadaYoussef, met a CapstoneprojectcreatedbyLama start unexpectedjourneys.Anagnorisis, true that some opportunities can It’s to International Festivals Alumni MakingTheirWay cried. I was ecstatic about our selection selection! Ijumped,screamed, I receivedanemail.Jabbara’s first Several weekshadpassedandthen wait forananswer. to filmfestivalsishavinganxiously you, the worst part about submitting and towhichitwon’t. Ihavetotell getselected not knowingtowhichit’ll fests, somelocalandothersabroad, had begun.Isubmittedittoseveral finally complete,Jabbara’s festivalrun my optionsdownandhavingthefilm budget. However, afternarrowing I totallywentoverboardandover At first,thingsgotoutofhandas festivals that I wanted to submit to. searching for the possible film post-production, Iwasconstantly When my film Jabbara Scores Wins A Reflection: SamirKawas’ Student Awards Jabbara was still in more filmselectionsandawardwins. this isonlythebeginningofmany and time into, succeed.And hopefully, all put so much hard work, energy, It feelsgreattoseesomethingwe’ve Cinematography. for BestActress,Editorand in Scotland.We werealsonominated August inTheMonthlyFilmFestival Best Original Score of the month of second BestFilmofthemonthand won 2 awards in another film fest: category. Afew weeks after, Jabbara honorable mention in the student film to findthatJabbarahadreceivedan up one day and I checked my email or notwewouldwinanything. Iwoke stressful asIwaseagertoseewhether Angeles. Thefollowingfewdayswere at theFestigiousfilmfestivalinLos

Pioneer Journalist Alumnae Weam Al Dakheel Becomes a Itani TakesFiras Sugarcoat toLA social structure,”saidItani. propriety in the face of a demanding the obsession of the people pleaser with In only11minutes,“thefilmcriticizes making industry to the next level. which will take the Lebanese film New FilmMakers Los Angeles Festival, given theprivilegetotakepartin broke the Lebanese frontiers, and was able toachieveinLebanon,Sugarcoat After thebigsuccessthatfilmwas to theLebaneseFilmFestivalinBeirut. holding aBAinTVandfilm,madeit directed byFirasItani,LAU alumni project in2018,thefilmSugarcoat After beingawardedbestcapstone anchor the evening broadcast news. anchor theevening broadcastnews. TV's Channel 1 as the first woman to 2018, AlDakheelappeared onSaudi pioneer she is today. In September proved herselfworthyofbecoming the journalist andtelevisionpresenter who Weam AlDakheelisaSaudi Arabian

“I am aware of my passion and with “I amawareof mypassionandwith dedication accompanied with passion. from LAU. She attributeshersuccessto 2011 withaBAinCommunication Arts has adream.AlDakheelgraduated in is anexampletoeverywoman who Chosen forhercompetence,Al Dakheel this iswhoIam.” responsibility. This ismypurposeinlife, and workhardtofulfillitwith great said. “I just feel my passion, guide it, awareness comesresponsibility,” she

83 Students he ishere. Awad started from the bottom and now Some peoplestartfromstageonebut always a breath of fresh jasmine air. ornaments and his journey was not Awad, however, didn’t alwayslivewith awards toartornaments. displayed allofhisachievements,from fell onaswegotinwasashelfthat apartment. Thefirstthingmyeyes and accompaniedmeupstairstohis explanation, Awad opened the gate Before I could come up with a logical probably overthinking. the simplestdetails.Thenagain,Iwas Awad areimaginativeenoughtonotice I thoughtmaybetheaterdirectorslike to tellmewhereheorshelived.Then a tree or the color of a building’s gate wondered whysomeonewouldreferto hit thejasminesreleasingtheiraroma,I me. While I stood there, and as the wind alumnus Awad Awad haddescribedto jasmine treeandthegreengatethat somewhere in Ashrafieh looking at the It was6p.m.andIstanding Answers his Inner Impulse Alumnus Awad Awad: by Rana Tabbara Featured Alumni then, except that he didn’t. Communication Artsprogramback would assumeAwad appliedtothe Based on his love for the arts, one American University. fully paidscholarshipattheLebanese school, Awad wasabletosecurea gatherings. After graduating from high school, andactedoutsketchesinfamily himself in theater productionsat and do wood crafts. He also engaged as hetaughthimselfhowtodraw, sew, Growing up,hehadapassionforarts, Awad. refugee inEinelHelwicamp,”said “I was born in 1993, as a Palestinian doing here?”recalledAnnieTabakian, him andthinking:whatisthisnewbie in it.’Irememberthenlookingat I lovethistheaterandwanttowork not a Communication Arts student but theater whenhekeptrepeating‘I’m working on a set at Gulbenkian firsttimeImetAwad Iwas “The the theaterwascallinghimeversince. and nevercameback.Awadd, Since then Awad entered the theater want toworkinthetheater.” is the theater?” asked Awad. “I “Where services. at Mona Knio’s office offering her his Communication Artsandfoundhimself chairperson of the Department of the first week, he tracked down then doing thethinghedoesbest.From wrong foot,Awad didnotgiveupon Although he started university on the thus Iwentintographicdesign.” advised topursuesomethingelse,and a career,” reminiscedAwad. “Iwas as anartist;tothemtheaterwasnot “My familynevertookmeseriously was excelling in the Department of was excellingintheDepartment of Still a graphic design major, Awad was doing.” what that alien from graphic design students lookedatmeandwondered set alonewhileCommunicationArts outdoors andIwasassemblingthe production,” saidAwad. “Itwas “I remember working on my first and conducting his own. himself contributingto30otherplays as hisfirstyearwrappeduphefound undergraduate workedinaplay, and year at university, the graphic design In thefirstweekofhissophomore stage,” addedTabakian. just claim a statement he claimed the “Unlike otherstudentsAwad didn’t see them come back.” about it we wouldn’t but that’s theater’ workingin students saythatthey‘love Awad again.We alwayshearoutside supervisor atLAU. “Ididn’t expecttosee communications & journalism lab rules.” plan thatconvincedthemto break the a leapoffaith,andproposed astudy changing majors, until I decided to take my scholarship package didn’t cover “But I didn’t really have a choice; to changemymajor,” allegedAwad. courses, peoplestartedadvisingme I started failing my graphic design Isettheaterasmypriority,“When hands,” addedMasri. his bare hands, his bare magical “He usedtogeteverythingdonewith productions with minimal assistance.” him for help, he used to do his own students andwhileeveryonecalled used to work harder than a lot of other Theater Manager, Hala Masri. “He our own,” said Senior Performing Arts we surelovedhimlikehewasoneof “At firstAwad wasn’t ourstudentbut skipping anysession. classes forfour semesters without Knio, inallofherplayproduction Communication Arts.Heshadowed a triumphant look on his face. and I love me for that,” said Awad with “But I know what I love, I love what I do, scent of jasmine came back. Then suddenly, abreezeblewandthe in Lebanon” “It isnoteasymakingitasaPalestinian an art director” “It isnoteasymakingitasatheateror “It isnoteasymakingitinBeirut” such as: then startedthrowingoutstatements telling hisstoriesuntilrealityhithim;he night orthismorning. Hecontinued these experiences just happened last educational experience, talking as if Awad sat back dwelling on his as aFestivaldirectoratMishkalFestival. and wasassigned,at20yearsofage, productions, contributedto130plays years heassistedineightmajor the major. During his undergraduate Arts afterthreeyearsoftrespassinginto Awad finally got into Communication

85 Faculty and Staff Faculty

87 Faculty and Staff Awarded toSleimanElHajj A Competitive Research Fellowship literature, as well as interstitial spaces women inLebaneseAnglophone focused on representations of ageing new studies in progress: his research El Hajj completed the legwork for two about change." During the fellowship, new thinkingthatishelpingtobring comparisons to generate cross-country drawing onmultipledisciplinesand that aimsto"challengeassumptions, multidisciplinary researchdepartment Trinity Term (summer2019).ODIDisa International Development (ODID) for University of Oxford's Department of Visiting Research Fellowshipatthe highly competitiveandprestigious Sleiman ElHajjwasawardedthe and JournalisticWriting atLAU, Assistant Professor ofCreative productive.” makes me more ambitious and 1,200 tracks,”Khalifesaid.“This my musicproduction,whichexceeds it isanewanduniversaladditionto importanceofthisworkisthat “The at theTokyo InternationalAwards. the 2018 Golden Award for short films and the Valley ofQadisha),hewon Lebanon (Byblos, Tyre, Anjar, Baalbek, five UNESCOWorld Heritagesitesin short film produced as a tribute to the achievement. After composing for a his long musical journey another at LAU JosephKhalife added to and Senior instructorof music Composer, MusicianinResidence, Golden Award for ShortFilms Joseph Khalife Earns the2018 Faculty Awards research intersects. studies, the areas inwhichElHajj’s studies andthirdindevelopment Rankings, Oxford was first in English ethnography. Inthe2019QSWorld Asperger syndromeandfeministauto- War (2011-present), with a focus on as vectorsofhomeintheSyrianCivil added. and myloveforthiscountry,” Khalife work ispartofmyLebaneseheritage of Lebanonthroughitscedars.This it tellstheworldabout beauty importanceofthisworkisthat “The Lebanon.” and adoration for the Cedars of “love a melody, butalsoagreatdealof assembling musical notations to form 14 minutes did not only require of music.Ashedescribed,these lot of energy to produce 14 minutes audience, Khalife hadtoputawhole Before it could reach an international Next Residency Seba Ali Plans for her Double GrantedFaculty Award Under“Revolution” Category Seba Ali Brings LAU aPrestigious her upcomingresidency. travel toLAU inspringtoperform of whichwillbeusedtosupporttheir won anothergrantof$100,000,part Taipei CivicOrchestra andTunisia88, along withherartisticcollaborators Development Project (BREDEP). She, Network Plus:BaselineResearch and for theGCRFproject,Creative of Derbywonagrant$75,000 university consortiumledbyUniversity Seba Aliandhercolleaguesinamulti- recognizes an“individualproduct, the “Revolution” category, which The prestigious award falls under human rights. on genderequality, socialjustice,and IWCS Fall2017residencyReflections Lebanon andtheArabregionduring of thefirstgenderfluidfashionshowin Concerts Series (IWCS) and organizer Director ofImagineWorkshop and Design Award asthefounderand Ali wonthe 2019 iphiGeniaGender award in Germany. received aprestigiousinternational Professor ofMusicSebaAli,asshe Communication Arts,”saidAssistant human rights at the Department of advocate forgenderequalityand Series, and many more projects that Imagine Workshop andConcerts “Here istotheIMAGINE initiative, expressed. able duetotherevolution,”Ali sad thatmanyfromLebanonweren’t “I’m gladIwasabletogetthere,but her work. with thejurymembers for recognizing to thefounderandchairofiphialong Seba Ali extends a heartfelt thank you accompanied byexcellentdesign.” commitment wereveryimpressiveand diversityand continued. “The and outstandingwork,”theirnote “equally innovative,courageous The jurywasimpressedbythe noted. excellent design,” the announcement fusion of gender-sensitivity, and showing acredibleandinnovative research project,actionsorinitiatives

89 Faculty and Staff New Faculty Q&A Gretchen King studies. and critical audience polices, journalism education and economy, media feminist political with afocus on community media Alternative and Focus: Studies PhD in Communication Degree: Multimedia Journalism Program: Multimedia Journalism Communication and Assistant Professor, Position:

in Canada than anywhere else in the world. This is just as in Canada than anywhere else in theworld.This is justas world; Iknowthatwomenand youtharemoreinprison are morepeoplein prison in the US thananywhereinthe the waronpoor, but thecriminalization.Iknowthatthere indigenous populations.Ialso haveinsightsonnotjust For example,themasssuicide ratesinCanadaamong walking on the streets in Lebanon wouldn’t think about. happens inCanadaandtheUSthataverageperson that have aperspectiveoftheeveryday“waronpoor” not safe? No. But neither is anywhere. I Do Ithinkit’s notsafe here? That it’s true? After comingtoLebanon,didyou find out that it’s region and some of that was media war. this regionorinsolidaritywithsocialmovementsfrom a longtime,Iworkedsidebywithpeopleeitherfrom refugees andpeople who havefamilies in thisregion.For with communitiesnotjusthere,butalsoof justice issues means inherently you’re working in solidarity activist,andworkingonsocial occupation, pro-peace foreign policyintheregion.Sobeingananti-war, anti- Afghanistan andIraqbecauseoftheUSCanadian on mostly Palestinian solidarity activism and activism in anywhere, oranypointintime.Ihavebeenworking trust themediaanditsportrayalof‘accurate’anything, I think,ononelevel,learnedalongtimeagonotto media portrays it? What attractedyoutotheMiddleEastknowinghow have to put research in the back. that I have piled up and I need to write. Sometimes you No, andyoucanseethatbasedonthenumberofarticles time? Is italwayseasytodoresearchandteachatthesame to move to the Middle East. kids, and a PhD I co-decided I didn’t reallydesiretolivethere.Thus,afterahusband, that IwasbornandraisedinNorthAmerica,although interest intheArabregioncanbeattributedtofact research onacommunityradioinJordan.Part ofmy Arab region.ThisfactexplainswhyIbasedmydoctorate was interestedinworking, teachingorlearninginthe teaching andatLAU specifically, becauseIpersonally teaching; infact,itishighlyencouraged.NowIchose on research,butyoucancontinuedoingitatLAU asyou’re Teaching doesdecreasethenumberofhoursyouspend academia atLAU? From a researcher toan assistant professor, why choose activities. contributing to on-campus of CommunicationArtslastyearandsincethenhasbeen extensive experienceinradio.KingjoinedtheDepartment News Coordinator at CKUT 90.3 FM for 10 years and has and publicaffairsprogramming. Sheoccupiedthetitleof Gretchen Kingisanaward-winningcommunitynews by JanaBarakat the politicalagendas. news astheybecomemorecriticalandunderstandingof start watchingthe political background,andafteritthey’d sexuality. Otherstudentsmightcometoclasswithzero rights and that they want to do their projects on pro-gay people would tell me later on that they have become they shouldkeepeverythingtothemselves.”Thesesame like: “Idon’t wanttothinkaboutgaypeopleandthat students how to critique. I had students tell me things a successfuleducationtomeissuccessfullyteaching I don’t cometoclassbeing“Oh Iwanttochangepeople,” How do you strive to changethementality of the students? focus on critiquing media, but also building societies. then transfer those lessons to society. I think in classes we the media,howtheyshouldbebetterrepresented,and how thesethingsarerepresentedormisrepresentedin ability, thenwecangetstudentstostartthinkabout having conversations aboutrace,gender, class, and about to talk about equality of women and homosexuals? So by Doweneed thecome-after? toreplace?What’s what’s great.But frameworkandthat’s imperial, anti-colonial a rich opportunity because people have an anti- I think it’s have asenseofhatredtowardscolonialcountries? thinking in classes where students are full of energy yet How hardisittoimplementtheconceptsofcritical problems, and that’s why it’s not evident. notevident. whyit’s problems, andthat’s and theUSdoaverygoodjobatnottalkingabouttheir devastating tothesocietyasabulletandbomb.Canada

91 Faculty and Staff New Faculty Q&A Sleiman ElHajj life inLebanon. that undergird daily different cultural ills and insightintothe achieve new meaning with thecritical to Combining thecreative Focus: Writing PhD in Creative Degree: Multimedia Journalism Program: Journalistic Writing Creative and Assistant Professor, Position: similarities start to emerge because that’s whenyou’re similarities start toemergebecausethat’s writing. But,aswestartworkingonfeaturewriting, more true,theyaredifferent,verydifferent modesof It’s you approachbothclasses? writing, whicharetworelatively differentcourses.Howdo You’re currentlyteachingcreativewritingand news doing myPhDincreativewritingspecifically. personal interest and try to forge a career out of it, was by my own writing. The only way I can do that, to satisfy my my doctorate in it. I thought I wanted to start working on studied literatureatBAandMAlevels,Ididnotwanttodo why,to contributewithmyownwork.That’s afterhaving that I’vealreadyreadagreatdealandnowIfeelready feel thatway. You reachapointwhere youtellyourself up, soIsupposeasisthecasewithotherpeoplewho writing. I have always been a very avid reader growing I always knew that, one day, I would pursue a career in you label it as something else? passion that they have. Does that apply to you or would probablya For someonetopursueacareerinwriting, it’s wasn’t a transition. I always like to emphasize that. technology. Itwasanenrichingexperienceoverall,andit happening in the fields of science and updated on what’s It putsyouinaframeofmindwherebywanttobe in myBSdidinformwritingnowtoacertainextent. rounded education.ThekindofmaterialIwasexposedto very different fields because it helped contribute to a well- humanities. Itwasaveryfulfillingexperiencedoingtwo really knewthatIwasmoreorientedtowardsartsand the end of my BA, I was 21 years old at the time, and I to beablepursuemypersonalinterestacademically. By biology and a BA in literature. I was very fortunate in a sense biology and literature in parallel so, I eventually got a BS in from onefieldtoanother. From theverystart,Iwasdoing notthatIshifted end upgoing, soIdoublemajored.It’s I was17yearsold,didn’t knowinwhichdirectionIwould writing. Why the shift? your graduatestudieswereallfocusedonliterature and You completedaBSinbiologyandBAliterature, things are done. as yougo”in terms ofhow new soyou basically “learn expectations andadifferentaudience.I’mrelativelystill writing, and literature. Each course comes with different teaching different courses like news writing, creative The experience so far has been an interesting one. I’m How wouldyoudescribeyourfirstsemesteratLAU? in AmericanLiterature,andaPhDCreativeWriting. pursued aBAinEnglishLiterature,BSBiology, anMA University, turnedhispassionintoacareer. ElHajj creative andjournalisticwritingattheLebaneseAmerican for books, Sleiman El Hajj, PhD, assistant professor of With afeverishpassionforcreatingstoriesandanappetite by FatimaAl Mahmoud love finedining. that appreciatestheaterandmusic. Otherthanthat,Ialso you’re part ofanactivecommunicationartsdepartment But beingatLAU isagood thinginthatregardbecause something Iverymuchmiss aboutmyyearsoverseas. I’m averyavidtheaterandclassicalmusicfan,that’s you have? Aside fromreadingandwriting, whatotherinterests do daily life. in fictionaregroundedimagesyoucanwitnessyour for theworldaroundyou.Often,somanyideasstores world around you. You need to keep aneye and an ear To beagood writer, youalsoneedtobeinterestedinthe writing in a way that doesn’t replicate what camebefore. writing, which teaches us how we can approach our own reading often fall into that trap. We need exposure to solid students orbeginnerwriterswhohaven’t doneenough that art,material,priortotheactofwriting. Alotof reader first.We cannotwritebeforehavingreceived In orderforanyonetobeawriter, youmustbean avid What doyouthinkmakessomeoneawriter? kept anirregulardiaryasachild. piece, butitwouldn’t bethefirstI’vewritten.even in onewayoranother. myveryfirstpublished Sothat’s what is happening, and if she will end up being harmed happening. Thestoryexploresherfear, herconcernabout photographed nude,withoutreallyunderstandingwhat’s witnesses allthesepeoplecomingtothestudioandbeing from theperspectiveofanEthiopianhousekeeperwho under the same name, “I Am Not Naked.” It was written inspiration fromthatsamemovementtowriteastory with the“IAmNotNaked”sloganunderphoto.Itook the supposednudityandyouhadpeopleposingnaked someone onsocialmediastartedacampaigntoreclaim in thenudeafewyearsbeforethat.Asresponse, was beingcriticizedbyLebanesemediaforhavingposed think cameaboutin2014,whenskierJackieChamoun inspired bythe“IAmNotNaked”movement,whichI published anywhere.Myfirstpiecewasastory They werebasicallymyown,butInevergotthem I alwayswroteshortpieceswhenwasmuchyounger. What wasyourfirstpieceofwriting? and re-imagine according to our aspirations. accordingtoouraspirations. and re-imagine exactlywhatwedo.Wein creativewriting, that’s imagine you wouldhavewantedittoseethateventhappen.While happened, and you can’t really skew that or imagine how meant to report on facts and instances that actually that, yes,theyaredifferentbecauseinonecaseyou’re with whatwedoinsoftnewsfeaturewriting. Havingsaid modes ofwritinginfictionwriting, whichareincommon with creative writing. We focus a lot on sensory descriptive anecdotal leads,andstorytellingwhichareincommon writing, teaching studentstoworkonfeature-oriented

93 Faculty and Staff calling aswell. composer he is today, but to gratify his in musicologynotonlytobecomethe background, Khalifepursuedadegree Born into a family with no musical each andeverystudent. the pulse of music from the heart to his teachingcareerthus,transmitting his love for music and composition with University Khalifehasmanagedtomix music attheLebaneseAmerican Composer and Senior Instructor of which hasbeenpracticedwithlove. path to a prosperous music career, harmonium triggeredhimtodrawhis emotions andvividsensationsto Starting fromtheageofsix,hisintense to fulfillwhatwasobviouslyhisdestiny. Full offaith,JosephKhalifewasable inspire. man whowasborntogetinspiredand world. This is the academic journey of a to deliver his inner-self to the outer With hope and passion, he was able by MariaAlKhoury The Journey ofa MusicComposer Joseph Khalife: Featured Faculty doing the exact same description he doing theexactsamedescriptionhe each musical note,” Khalife said while the noises around me, I used to hear dining tableathome,andevenwithall practice bypushingmyfingersonthe “I did not own a piano, so I used to from practicing and excelling. not haveapiano,nothingstoppedhim classes athisschool.Althoughhedid Khalife was expected to join piano Being thepassionatepersonheis, couldn’t.” my feelingsweretoostrong, Isimply me every time to look to the front, but teacherwouldwarn said Khalife.“The played, it was too dramatic for me,” orchestra every time the harmonium my head in the opposite way from the “My intensefeelingsdrovemetoturn feeling that was never there before. within him, as if the music activated a harmonium played.Hefeltsomething the frontrowsatchurcheverytime Khalife was that person who stood in youth that givesmelife.” career as “a momentum and sense of teaching. Hedescribedhisteaching Khalife combined composition with years Thirty-Seven later into his career, music. with affection and deep love to classical Lake byTchaikovsky. Hewasmoved orchestral performance known as of classicalmusicjusttoattendan Khalife wenttoMilanforthelove Moving forwardtowhenhewas18, “grace thatchallengesanything.” narrated. Hereferredtothisactasthe - NourMatta what." matter "I would not skip his class no Swan Swan write music lines and then collects them write musiclinesandthencollectsthem the semester, heaskshisstudentsto gives hisstudentsasouvenir. Through At the end of each semester, Khalife said. so Itrytomakethebestoutofit,”he courseistakenonceinalifetime, “This love making music. classes, Khalifeteachesstudentshowto Middle Easternmusicevenmore.Inhis instrument andsomestartappreciating students consider playing a musical After takingtheintroductoryclass,many interfere,” Khalife said. steal from yourself and not let anything “Composition islikeathief, youhaveto create music. night to come to isolate himself and extent personal.Thus,hewaitsforthe However, compositiontohimisan compassion. he bringsouttheirhardworkand bring out his creativity as much as students. According tohim,his students gets inspiredfrominteractingwithhis music forKhalife.Whenheteaches, composition andacademicteachingof There isnodistinctdifferencebetween what,” she said. “I wouldnotskiphisclassnomatter and personalized. student, Khalife’sclassissointeresting According toNourMatta,amarketing so energetic,”hesaid. “He issooptimisticandhisclassesare learned alotfromhim. student, enjoyedKhalife’sclassand James Rahme, anindustrialengineer after taking it. some change their view about music the class.Studentslovehiscourse,and melodyfor and composesatake-home all to choose beautiful ones randomly - Joseph Khalife hear eachmusical note.” Iusedtonoises around me, withall the andeven home, at table dining the on fingers pushingmy used topracticeby apiano,soI “I didnotown inside oftheindividual.” is peaceandthatitspringsfromthe career in music is believing that “music The secretingredienttoasuccessful able to achieve all that he wished for. and practicingnomatterwhat,hewas need. Through playing the dining table much passion,especiallyforthosein always continuecomposingwiththis something spiritual.Heiswillingto Khalife describes music composing as expressed happily. touched theirinnerfeelings,”Khalife I gavethemsomethingtheylikedand see people’sloveandwhenIknowthat “My heartisfilledwithjoywheneverI produce suchwork. great enthusiasmforcontinuingto and attending his concerts gives him People’s love for listeningtohissongs melodies inhislibrary. for. Hecurrentlyholdsmorethan1,200 he composedmany hymns andsongs worked with Joumana Medawar, who 21 and met Majida El Roumi. He then big encounterdatestowhenhewas and small bands into effect. His first churches. Hebroughtyoungpeople Khalife firststartedhiscareerin

95 Faculty and Staff November 2018 Location: Faculty: September 2018 Location: Faculty: June 2019 Location: Faculty: July andAugust2019 Location: Faculty: musical performance, pre-performance talk,andaworkshop. musical performance,pre-performance Alongside SilkroadEnsembleandRightTo Play, AmrSelimlaunchedMusicforDevelopmentProject, a seriesthatincludesa and dance during the Mishkal Festival at Al-Madina Theater. DanceCompany,In collaborationwithAl-Sarab AmrSelimproducedReverberation , a20-minutespieceofimprovisedmusic explained Assaf. spot from where the alphabet was launched to the world, as well as its current role of embodying both Lebanese and Syrians,” aimoftheexperiencewastoraiseawarenessonhistoricaleducationalsignificanceland[Byblos],being “The Heritage Site, and ended at one of the oldest religious spaces in Byblos, the UNESCO Cultural Square. through aseven-pointhistoricalbasedmovementwhichstartedattheoldestexistingMosaicinOldSouk,UNESCO World on the current concerns of spatial ownership and migration. The participating artists highlighted awareness on these issues Dance Company journeyed through a structured movement improvisation which touches Jimmy Bechara, Assaf and Al-Sarab Nadra AssafdirectedandperformedSeventotheSeventh:AGlobalDanceinaSharedVirtualStage.Incollaborationwith titled Festival. She sparked a wider conversation of how women are treated, and ultimately crossed cultural borders in a performance with Al Sarab DanceCompany, Assaf’s Nadra Assafsuccessfullychoreographed,performed,anddirectedseveralproductionsduringthepastyear. Incollaboration Faculty Activities Public Conflict, Private Scars.

Hona Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. Amr Selim Al-Madina Theater, Beirut, Lebanon. Amr Selim Byblos, Lebanon Nadra Assaf Al MadinaTheater, Beirut, Lebanon Nadra Assaf was the ceremony’s openact during theMishkal PerformancePrivate Scars Revealed was the ceremony’s Performances and Productions report shared over 40 recommendations regarding the CRTC’s Policy and the upcoming review process. which tookplaceattheFuture ofFirstNations,Inuit,andMetisBroadcasting:ConversationConvergencegatherings.The Gretchen King, alongwithotherauthors,publishedareportintheUniversityofOttawaaboutdiscussionsandpresentations March 2019 Location: Faculty: on Twitter andassessedtherelationshipbetweenframesnewsworthiness. Journalism andMassCommunicationatitsannualconference.ThestudyexaminedhowLebanesemediaframetheirposts Claudia Kozman presentedherresearch study in the International CommunicationDivisionoftheAssociation of Education for August 2019 Location: Faculty: fundamental freedoms of protected groups. in the news. Along with scholarships on multicultural and ethnic broadcasting to uphold the public interest and guarantee criteria basedontheAct,relevantpolicies,internationalagreements,dataportrayalofIndigenousanddisabled people submitted finalcommentsfortheBroadcastingNoticeofConsultationCRTC 2018-127.Theresearchdevelopsassessment In collaboration with the Community Media Advocacy, Gretchen King presented research during the public hearing and November 2018 Location: Faculty: Sea andinakeynotelecturepresentationattheDigitalEarthSymposiumorganizedbyAshkalAlwanHivos. intelligence in the Mediterranean National Communications Organization (NCA) on the ethical imperatives of geo-spatial by the Shenzhen University (SZU) and the participated in another presentation at the Shenzhen Forum 2019, co-sponsored Communications Research (IAMCR) to discuss the intersectionality of data relations in humanitarian border regimes. She also Monika Halkort participated in a paper presentation at the annual conference of the International Association of Media and April, JuneandJuly2019 Location: Faculty:

Research Conferences University ofOttawa, Canada Gretchen King Toronto, Canada Claudia Kozman Ottawa, Canada Gretchen King Spain, ChinaandLebanon Monika Halkort

97 Faculty and Staff of Arabicmusiconthehorn. for performingoriginalandarrangedArabictunesonthehorn.Itwasfollowedbyalectureoftheoryperformance reciting in Islam.WhereasVocalizingreligious singing, by himself, especiallyQur’an theHorn, was a hybrid lecture-recital was partoftheGlobalListeningSeminarMusicDepartmentanditdiscussedrelationshipbetweenmusic Amr SelimgavetwolecturesaboutMusicinIslamononehand,andVocalizing theHornonanother. Thefirstlecture psychology says about people’s choice to hear facts. psychology says aboutpeople’schoicetohear facts. journalism. In addition, Kozman presented atalkaboutconflictin themediaandledastudy group thatfocusedonwhat along withotheracademics,supervised agroupofstudentsastheycreatedandpresented theirprojectonhowtoreimagine Claudia Kozman was one LAU’s two visiting faculty at the Salzburg Academy on Media and Global Change, where she, July –August2019 Location: Faculty: scientific research. efforts putforthbytheDepartmentofCommunicationArts attheLebaneseAmericanUniversitytoincreaseawarenessabout about theimportanceofresearchmethodsinmediaand communicationeducationforundergraduates,highlightingthe As one of the panelists in the discussion titled “Problems & Concerns Media Students Are Facing in University,” Kozman talked May 2019 Location: Faculty: existing social,culturalandenvironmentalchallengesaffectingthesocietyatlarge. arts educationinLebanonandtheArabregion,programhassinceexpandedtoaddressgeopoliticalparticularities, and scholars andartpractitionersfromaroundtheworld.Initiallydevelopedtoexplorefreetrans-disciplinary, criticalmodelsof 10 monthseachyear. workshops withrecognized Thecurriculumconsistsofresearch seminars,lecturesandpractice-based for Plastic Arts - Ashkal Alwan. The HWP enrolls 10-15 contemporary artists from the Arab world and beyond for a period of research seminar attheHomeworksStudyProgram (HWP) of the Lebanese Foundation Monika Halkort took partin a two-day February 2019 Location: Faculty: she presentedatalkaboutmedialiteracyandsocialtransformations. two campusesinLjubljanaandNovaGorica.Shealsoparticipatedthe11thSlovenianSocialScienceConference, where faculty exchangeprogram.DuringherstayinSlovenia,Kozman presentedtwolecturesaboutArabmediaattheuniversity’s Claudia Kozman visitedtheSchoolofAdvancedSocialStudies(SASS)inSlovenia,aspartEU-sponsored Erasmus+ May 2019 Location: Faculty: April 2019 Location: Faculty: and workshops,proposed practical recommendations to strengthenpublic media educationpolicies and practices. students. This community met to exchange knowledge on issues related to media education and, at the end of the discussions representatives fromgovernmentalandquasi-governmentalsectors,non-profitorganizations,librarians,activists Ending Fake News: The Future of Media Education Policies and Practices brought together educators, researchers, journalists, Gretchen King facilitated the discussions during a conference organized by TELUQ university. The participatory event titled November 2018 Location: Faculty: Lectures and Presentations

Salzburg, Austria Claudia Kozman Beirut, Lebanon Claudia Kozman Spain, ChinaandLebanon Monika Halkort Ljubljana andNova Gorica,Slovenia Claudia Kozman for New Music, SanFrancisco Santa Clara University andCenter Amr Selim Montréal, Canada Gretchen King September andNovember 2018 -April and June2019 Location: Faculty: Documentary Festival Amsterdam. competitions inbothEdinburghInternationalFilmFestival,andMiddleEastNow, alongwithaworldpremiereinInternational Underdown. Herworkalsohadotherappearancesduringdifferentfilmfestivalsaroundtheglobe,suchasinscreening El GounaFilmFestivalawardedSarahKaskas afinishingfundaspartofCineGounacompetitionforherdocumentaryfilm, Program: Location: Faculty: Program: Location: Faculty: Program: Location: Faculty: July till August 2019 June till July2019 November 2018 during theworkshop. led chamber music groups and technique sessions from Syria and Lebanon. He also worked with the composition-students, Amr Selim led the wind instruments program during YES Academy Lebanon – Summer Program, working with 25 students performed the Brahms Horn Trio for thefacultyconcertduring the Summer Chamber Music Workshop. In theAppleHillCenterforChamberMusic,AmrSelimcoachedthreegroupsofmusiciansonchambermusicworks and programming fromtheon-airstudiosofbothstations. Jadeed and Sawt el Shaab, they interviewed staff about the stations’ different practices and histories, plus watched live political economyandcontent,pluswenton-airwithSallyAnthonywhohostthepopularmorningshow. WhileatAl- Communication andGenderstudents.InVirginRadio, thestudentsinterviewedgeneralmanageraboutstation’s Gretchen King organized tours in Virgin Radio, Al Jadeed TV, and Sawt Al Shaab Radio for her Media and Society and

Egypt, Holland, Italy, andScotland Sarah Kaskas The HolySpiritUniversity ofKaslik Amr Selim Apple Hill Centerfor ChamberMusic, Nelson, NH. Amr Selim Studios, Beirut, Lebanon Gretchen King Performing Arts Performing Arts Communication Workshops Film ScreeningsFilm

99 Faculty and Staff “LAU isahomeforeveryone.” enjoy itheremore,”Ankarevealed. “I’ve lived 10 years in Canada, but I Department ofCommunicationArts. atmosphere heenjoyssuchasLAU’s in workingafriendlyandrespectful proud father of one showed his pride dedicated service at the university. The to receivearewardfor10yearsof He wascalledagainduringthedinner recognizing Anka’s hardworkatLAU. One awardwasn’t enoughfor another department,”Ankasaid. professionally, especiallyif it was for coursehelpedmeinwritingemails “The professional level. the importance of the course on the 53-year-old theatertechnicianstressed level course and in overall courses. The received thehighestgradein level of proficiency in English. Anka divided intothreelevelsbasedontheir structured emails.Staffmembersare English grammar and composing well- staff membersandfocusesmostlyon course is offered during summer for the Englishstaffcourse.Thisoptional award forscoringthehighestgradeon Arts’ staffreceivedtheoverallfirstplace The DepartmentofCommunication ceremony. annualstaffdinner the university’s at LAU receivedtwoawardsduring performing arts theater technician On May 1, 2019, Fouad Anka, senior 10 years ofDedicatedServiceatLAU Fouad Anka: Staff Activities Continuous Effort toEmpower Refugees Samer Beyhum: the documentary was selected atthe the documentarywasselected 31. Inaddition, on October festival and screenedduringthe in Barcelona at the INDIEDOC PRO FILM FESTIVAL In the past year, from itslaunchin2017upuntil2019. Beirut, hashadcontinuous recognition the issues of refugee kidbeggars in documentary On another note, Beyhum's camp. and harshenvironmentofarefugee in adifficult situated methods while theirteachingskillsand to develop for individuals and groups who plan intended tobepartofaMOOCmade Online Course Videos. The videos were forMassiveOpen initiative RELIEF College London for theUniversity Monzer, produced more than 30 videos Issa Khanji, Tarek Madani, and Karem Beyhum and other students including for LebaneseStudies(CLS),Samer withtheCenter In collaboration Maram, which tackles Maram was awarded recognized bymany. is an awardwinningproductionthat on set to contribute in the makingof students together many TVandfilm by Beyhum,Marambrought Directed where itwas also screened in October. submissions from 49 distinct countries, Dumbo Film Festivalout of 390 film

101 Faculty and Staff equipment. recording and editing the department’s the daily usage and maintenance of film festivals,whileatLAU heoversees won several awards at international minded, dyslexicfilmmaker, whohas American University. Heisahyper- Fine ArtsBuildingattheLebanese resides in the basement of the Safadi Dragon,” Beyhum Dubbed “The a confidentsmirk. monsters!”heproclaimedwith “They’re duty graphic editing. are specificallybuilttoprocessheavy workstations the buzzingtwo-display He upgraded the computers himself and spinning its fans. tone of supercharged hardware computer lab, drowning the constant resonated loudly in the brightly lit and forafewsecondshisvoice “I’ve beencalledarobot,”helaughed, tempered glassare humming. jet-black plastic,stainlesssteel,and hands behindhishead.Aroundhim, ergonomic office chairandputs his Samer Beyhumleansbackinhis by SteffenNeupert Communication Arts Tech-Dragon oftheDepartment Samer Beyhum: TheDyslectic Featured Staff Beyhum has had more difficulties Beyhum has had more difficulties percent ofallhumans,meansthat The condition, which affects about 10 been partofhislifesincehewasborn. It isanupsidetodyslexia,whichhas mind. Beyhum works fast, and so does his The ManinPerpetual Motion possible.” making suretheygetthebesteducation and I care a lot about the students and it here.Ifindsolaceandcomforthere, they graduate,” he laughed again.“I like they entertheuniversitytomoment escort thestudentsfrommoment “I’m probablytheonlypersonwhowill Dragon. microphones are involved, so is The Every time computers, cameras, and Department of CommunicationArts. be the most-recognized face in the of hiscomputerlab.So,hemight spends most of his time in the depths employee, butasamatteroffact,he On paper he is just a part time average. Sleeping more is simply not average. Sleeping more is simply not more than four to six hours of sleep on the average person, getting by with no He also sleeps significantly less than me superheropowers!” whatmakesmeuniqueandgives It’s and thinkofitasmygreatestquality. sense of pride. “I embrace it completely motion,” hesaid,almosthidingasmall called me: the man in perpetual have everhadwaswhenaprofessor tasks likecrazy. ThebestdescriptionI “I haveasuperhyper-mind thatmulti flawlessly pronounced. of histongue,tightlycompressed,yet detailed explanations while words roll with technical issues - diving into mental capacitytohelpoutstudents of his“monsters,”hestillhasenough equipment whileeditingafilmonone keeping trackofthedepartment’s minds several tasks at once. Even when In his computer lab, he effortlessly speeding. also means that his mind is constantly reading andwritingthanmost,butit up with seeing him being bullied, she up withseeing himbeingbullied,she an interestinfantasynovels, gotfed a friend of his, with whom he shared famous nickname-TheDragon. When also thestoryofhowhegot hisnow story of how he did that is, quite fittingly, to embracehisatypicalmind, andthe But at age 14, Beyhum learned how noise grewalmostdeafening. completely still,andthesubtlecomputer For ashortmomenthiseyesstayed didn’t want to hurt anyone,” he recalled. target, because I didn’t fight back. I throwing rocksatme.Iwasaneasy other kids were standing on a table “I remember in kindergarten, all the result he often got bullied. from theotherkidsinschool,andasa Growing up,itmadehimstandout did not come easy to The Tech Dragon. dyslexia aspartofwhoheis,butthat These days, Beyhum has embraced the Becoming theDragon bit. Mybodyisscreamingatme.” though I’mnotsleeping, justtorelaxa myself tostaylongerinbed,even I’m getting older, I’m trying to push scratched hisshortsilverhair.“Because “I’m too hyper,” he explained as he which he refuses to touch. has triedeverythingbutsleepingpills, an optionforBeyhum,eventhoughhe of theproductionprocess.Now, several filmmaker and has worked in every step Since then,hewentonto become a his younglifearound,hegrew silent. still partofhislifetoday, helpedhimturn As Beyhumrecalledhowthegirl, whois sure ofmyself,” hesaid. being very timid to being generally very flipandwentfrom I dida180-degree partofmydrive. still withmetoday-it’s significant moment in my life, and it’s way I saw myself changed. It was a She toldmetobeadragon,andthe very empoweringandwillfulspeech. “She gave me this speech, and it was came to be. Beyhum –andthus,hisfantasticalias decided toinvokesomefightingspiritin subtle, knowing smile. from time to time,” he said with a though Ihavetobereminded ofthat I’m generallyhappywithmyself, even “I don’t really have any big regrets. room again,drowningthewhitenoise. up andbrokethesilencehefilled own thoughts.Ashesuddenlylooked seemingly occupiedsomewhereinhis voice. Hesatandponderedforawhile, room intheabsenceofTheDragon’s The soundofthecomputersfilled skills on tothenextgeneration. he hasreturnedtoLAU topassthose movie festivalsandfourawardslater,

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