During the gala dinner, four alumni received Distinguished Alumni Awards 

With a bachelor’s in chemistry and a master’s in solid state physics from AUC, Moustafa Mansour ’62, ’65 earned a PhD in nutritional biochemistry from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Tennessee in 1972. Upon returning to Egypt, Mansour quickly established himself as a successful medical research scientist, receiving the country’s 1996 first-class honorary medal for excellence in medical science research. He is currently head of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Centre for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, and was previously the scientific director of NAMRU-3. 

A mechanical engineering graduate, Emad Elsewedy ’88 is managing director and vice chairman of Elsewedy Electrometer Egypt, and heads the company’s branches in Zambia, Ghana and Ethiopia. He is also vice chairman of the Arab Company for Industry and International Trading. In addition, Elsewedy is a member of the Egyptian Junior Business Association and the Chamber of Engineering Industries. 

Karim Bichara ’97 is the chief executive officer and co-founder of LINKdotNET, the largest Internet service provider in the Middle East and a subsidiary of Orascom Telecom Holding. Bichara, a business administration graduate of AUC, played a major role in the company’s acquisition of eight online businesses in 2002. Under his tenure, the company expanded its operations to North Africa and the Middle East, with an extensive line of products and services. 

Leila Saad ’66 has more than 40 years experience in theatre. She worked extensively in the United States, directing works of different genres including summer stock theatre, as well as educational, experimental, professional, repertory, reader’s and children’s theatre. Returning to her alma mater as a performing and visual arts professor, Saad helped form the Alumni Community Theatre group at AUC.