Spring 2009

AUCTODAY MAIN

FEATURES

Great Expectations
Leading The Way
Wishing Women WEL
A Grand Opening
AUC's Founding
AUC Through The Lens
ChitChat
Distinguished Visitors
Did You Know

AUSCENES
Al Alfi named vice chairman of the board, regional and global partnership established, Queen Rania Al-Abdullah '91 receives first YouTube visionary award

LETTER

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Al Gehad Moawad is the recipient of the
Suzanne Mubarak Public School
Scholarship

ALUMNI PROFILES

Riri Stark '41 is the same age as AUC

The late Eva Habib '31 was the first female student to enroll at AUC

Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy '74 is Egypt' ambassador to Germany

Mervat Hatem '71, '75 is former president of the Middle East Studies Association

AROUND THE WORLD

AKHER KALAM
Adel El-Labban '77, '80 reaffirms AUC's mission of service to Egypt

 

Zeinab Amin, associate
professor of mathematics and
actuarial science, received the
Excellence in Teaching Award
Rima Khalaf, CEO of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from AUC
Farida Mortada receiving the Parents Association Award
Mary Morcos with the President’s Cup
Mortada receiving the Ahmed H. Zewail Prize
for Excellence in the Sciences and Humanities
Amani Elshimi, senior lecturer of
rhetoric and composition, received
the Excellence in Core Curriculum
Teaching Award
Stancil Campbell, chair of
the performing and visual
arts department and graduate
class representative
Graham Harman, associate professor of
philosophy, received the Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors Award

Great Expectations

Graduates of the first commencement after AUC’s move have high hopes for the future

   In her keynote speech at the undergraduate commencement, Rima Khalaf, chief executive officer of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation and recipient of an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from AUC, stressed the importance of using the opportunities provided by an AUC education for substantive progress throughout the world, especially during the present economic crisis.“You may be graduating during one of the most severe economic recessions of modern times. ... Some of you may find it more difficult to obtain the job or the income they desire.The firm you have planned to join may be drawing down the shutters. Don’t be discouraged. Even in the most austere of
circumstances, many opportunities will still come your way.Your education, training and skills will shield you in hard times and propel you in more promising ones.”

   Echoing the same sentiment, class representative and LEAD student Kareem Omara, economics major, urged his fellow graduates to take steps toward solving some of the problems facing the world today.“At this defining moment, with all the global challenges that we face,we need to be the agents of change,” he said.“ We need to work for peace, we need to work for equality, and above all,we need to work for tomorrow.” At the ceremony, 332 undergraduate students received their degrees. Among the undergraduates recognized were Mary Morcos, biology major, recipient of the President’s Cup; Kismet El Husseiny, economics major, who received the Nadia Younes Award for Humanitarian and Public Service; Farida Mortada, economics major, recipient of the Parents Association Award and the Ahmed H. Zewail Prize for Excellence in the Sciences and Humanities; and Zeina Tawakol, journalism and mass communication major, who received the Ahmed El Mehallawi Family Award for her strong academic achievement and contribution to extracurricular activities.

   In addition, faculty members were also recognized. Graham Harman, associate professor of philosophy, received the Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors award; Zeinab Amin, associate professor of mathematics and actuarial science, received the Excellence in Teaching Award; and Amani Elshimi, senior lecturer at the rhetoric and composition department and director of community-based service learning at the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropy and Civic Engagement, received the Excellence in Core Curriculum Teaching Award.

   At the graduate commencement, 140 students were awarded master’s degrees. His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, ruler of Sharjah, delivered the keynote address, urging students to put the knowledge they had gained to good use. “It is your responsibility to use your new in-depth knowledge and enhanced skills to advance not only yourselves, but also the communities and the societies around you,” he said. Addressing his fellow graduates, Stancil Campbell, chair of AUC’s performing and visual arts department and recipient of a master’s in political science, said,“... Let us all shine brightly in the skies of Egypt and the world and beam out:We are AUC.”


By Jeffrey Bellis

Photos by Ahmad El-Nemr
Zeina Tawakol, recipient of the Ahmed El
Mehallawi Family Award
Kismet El Husseiny, recipient
of the Nadia Younes Award for Humanitarian and Public Service
  
Provost Lisa Anderson
Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, ruler of Sharjah, received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from AUC
Undergraduate class representative Kareem Omara
Graduate class representative Ayman Hegazy