Summer Sensation

   It’s summer again. Time to relax, unwind and enjoy the break as well as the magazine’s shorter summer issue, with its many visuals and lighter content.

In this issue, we spotlight different aspects of the university, from successful alumni lawyers and bloggers to a performing and visual arts production of Shakespeare. In “Leading Lawyers” (page 14), graduates of AUC’s master’s program in international and comparative law and in human rights law speak about their careers and how they made it to top postgraduate schools such as Harvard and Stanford. “Blogged In” (page 6) sheds light on a famous blogger and AUC alumnus Juan Cole (MA ’78). A history professor at the University of Michigan, Cole established his booming blog, Informed Comment, in 2002, attracting millions of readers through his daring analysis of the situation in the Middle East, particularly Iraq, and becoming a sought-out expert in the field. In the article, Cole also shares his thoughts on the future of blogging and the Internet in the region. “To Tame or Not to Tame” (page 10) takes you through the AUC production of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, a comedy that has stirred controversy on gender roles. Performed by students at AUC New Cairo, the play presented a unique opportunity for the actors to learn, improvise and adapt a classic to modern times.

The alumni weekend (page 16), which brought together more than 3,000 graduates and their families, is also highlighted including homecoming with star performer Hisham Abbas ’88; the gala dinner, in which four alumni received distinguished awards; and sports day with fun-filled activities for alumni and their children. In Akher Kalam (page 20), Karim El-Shazly, electronics engineering sophomore and captain of AUC’s swim team for the past year, recounts his childhood memories with swimming and how leading the university team has added to his love of the sport. El-Shazly and his team were also part of a group of AUC students who won first place in the first International University Sports Tournament recently held at the American University of Beirut (page 5). In the tournament, AUC teams won 37 medals including 23 gold, eight silver and six bronze.

From sports and homecoming to theatre and blogging, we hope you enjoy your read.