MEET OUR EDITORIAL TEAM

Thank you for your valuable contribution

CONTENT

I S S U E J U L Y 2 0 2 0

A GLIMPSE OF OUR WORKSHOPS

SPIRIT OF SERVICE

SUCCESS STORIES

MEET OUR STELLARSTUDENTS

01 Word by Program Director

02 Students in Competitions

03 Alumni Success Stories

06 Find Your Light: Compassion and Connectedness

07 UN75 Testimonial Initiative

09 EcoLearn Summit Webinar

14 Honoring The Waste Collectors Initiative

15 READ - Weekly Highlights

17 For A Stress-Free Life - Community Service Project

18 Student Intiative

16 LEE - Leadership Empowerment Education

24 ROAD - Reach Out and Dazzle

25 Biodiversity - Plant with Katrin Salhab

31 Meet our Stellar Students

33 Meet our Talented Students

35 Meet our Alumni

Linda Jamaleddine Pia Maria Bou Doleh Leen al Khatib

28 Internships

Word by Program Director

Leadership is all about immunizing ourselves against the temptations of deceit and adorning ourselves with the virtues of character. This is no easy thing to do. Henry David Thoreau touches upon the core of reality when he soundly asserted that “You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one”. Candidates for leadership exercise self-coercion in trimming their characters from the flaws of low frustration tolerance and the defects of instant gratification, whether a desire or an impulse. There is no secret recipe for self-improvement. Only the hard and exhausting journey of introspective intrusions and the vow for building a moral character that pays off ethically purifies spiritually and builds an impeccable reputation. The battle is against our internal demons, the cravings of the flesh and the yearnings for self-aggrandizement. Like Sisyphus, aspirants of leadership should never surrender. A Lebanese poet, Said Akl, weirdly but wisely confirms, “The most beautiful history is still to come”. Tomorrow is a better day for the shapers of their inner selves and for the strugglers to purge their characters

from the scourges of their genes and the immorality of disfigured pragmatism.

Professor Elie SamiaAssistant Vice President

Program Director of USAID USP/HESOutreach & Civic Engagement Department

July 29, 2020

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SUCCESS STORY

2020Students in Competitions

“Dear CareCo Team,Congratulations!!! You have been selected by the committee to continue your journey and receive US $5000 in funding.”

LAU SPARK Program

The journey started in November 2019. What was only an abstract idea has today, thanks to LAU Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center (FMIC) and the LAU Spark Innovation program, blossomed into something ready to manifest into a real product. Throughout this journey, we learned a lot from attending more than 7 workshops, trainings, and consultations. LAU FMIC was by our side

every step along the way, mentoring and directing us. Our hard work, and the long sleepless nights we had spent trying to analyze our market and minimize costs have finally paid off. Today, we received this investment of which we are immensely proud in order to validate our idea and hopefully fully implement it. Thank you, LAU FMIC, for believing in our potential. It’s now time to

move onto the next step!

Congratulations!02

Julia Al AridiNursing

Carla GhanemComputer Engineering

Khaled Baghdadi

Computer Engineering

 

 

ALUMNI SUCCESS

STORY

My acceptance in the University Scholarship Program has taught me, first and foremost, what success truly is. It was never about the acceptance, but in the journey itself. I learnt that leaders don’t set out to be leaders, they set out to make a difference.

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From the start of my journey, I chose filmmaking and media communications. I had a burning passion for untold stories, to document people and events; which was exactly what I preached through my senior film, a fiction documentary of a girl roaming the “Yellow House of Beirut.”

In university I preached activism through my community service project, encouraged women in my community to find job opportunities and make themselves heard. I created the Environment club to highlight environmental violations, created campaigns with NGOs in Lebanon to fight back and raise the much-needed awareness.

A year later, I am now a grateful graduate student in Anthropology at AUB, as part of the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program. I’m currently working on my thesis, tackling the notion of care in elderly institutions in Lebanon. I was recently accepted in the New Generation Fellowship Program where I will be immersed into a two-year journey of activities involving research, training, mentorship, networking and exposure.

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I hope to learn more through these activities, for the knowledge I have acquired and that stayed with me, I have gained through listening to other humans, entering discussions, and sharing love with my community. Nour Halabi, University Scholarship Program Student (USP VII).

granted the Said Foundation Scholarship which funded his Master of Science Studies in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care, at the University of Southampton. Mohammad graduated with distinction, studying in a multidisciplinary environment, learning from experienced nurses and other healthcare professionals coming from different countries and healthcare systems. The program helped him broaden his knowledge beyond clinical practice and provided him with the skills in project management essential for his current job, developing his interests in healthcare informatics and digital health.

Currently, Mohamad holds the position of senior public health officer, with work focusing on primary health care. Mohamad says: “When I graduated with

a nursing degree, I took a pledge to

help the people in need. Working with

refugees, knowing that I can impact their

lives, has been extremely fulfilling.”

Truly successful individuals are those who can exercise their talents within humanitarian contexts, making the world a better place through their hard work and kind hearts. Mohamad

Ibrahim, a University Scholarship Program student (USP I) who was able to manage a campaign which provided corrective pediatric surgeries for over 500 Syrian refugee children born with congenital malformations as a Project Officer within the International Medical Corps, serves as a great example of such success.

Mohamad graduated in spring 2015, with an undergraduate degree in nursing and a minor in psychology. Upon graduation he started working as a nurse at AUBMC for a couple of years, developing his experience further in his highly practical field. He was then

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ALUMNI SUCCESS

STORY

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Capacity Building

Find Your Light: Compassion

and Connectedness

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Sparking  our  Self-­‐Awareness:  Defini6on  of  self-­‐awareness  

Mindfulness:  Prac6cing  mindfulness  

Recognizing  our  feelings:  How  to  name  our  feelings  

Apprecia6ng  strength  

Igni6ng  Compassion:  Defini6on  of  compassion  

Self-­‐compassion  (our  thoughts,  feelings  and  ac6ons)  

Ahmad  Marchoud  

Alaa  Hussien  

Amira  Turk  

Angelica  Skayan  

Boushra  Abou  

Kansour  

Rose  Sroujian  

Aya  Morra  Carla  Ghanem  

Fa6ma  Moussawi  Fa6ma  Dia  

Hanin  Haidar  Ahmad  

Chawky  Braidy  Christopher  Saab  Elena  Bou  Aoun  Fa6ma  Awada  

Fa6ma  Naserdine  Genevieve  Samia  

 

Gheeda  Choucair  Hassan  Abed  Ali  

Houssein  Yassine  Nada  Dandachi  

The  Mohammed  bin  Rashid  University  of  Medicine  and  Health  Sciences   (MBRU),   in   partnership   with   the   Na6onal   Program  for   Happiness   and   Wellbeing   (NPHW),   launched   the   online  course   "Find   Your   Light:   Compassion   and   Connectedness   in  the  Time  of  COVID-­‐19”  aimed  to  promote  mental  health  and  enhance   wellbeing.   49   students   (15   USP   and   34   HES)   have  completed   this   online   course,   benefi6ng   from   this   valuable  opportunity.      

Medita6on  exercise   Spreading  compassion  through  connectedness:  Compassionate  acts(  think  globally,  act  locally)    

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07 08

03 04Heyam  Al  Jawad  Hassan  Abed  Ali  

Hassan  Ghandour  Ka6a  Shaaban  

Housam  Al  Daoud  

Israa  El  Chamma  

Jana  Matar  

Karem  Aridi  

Khodor  Kadi  

Lamis  Armoush  

Leen  Ghaddar    

Khaled  Baghdadi  Patricia  A\eh  

Rowayda  Sayad  Sara  Jaafar  Tia  Semaan  

 

Merella  Khodor  

Naji  Dalal  

Najib  Hmede  

Nancy  Gebrayel  

Nssab  Shayya  

Rana  Younis  

Rita  Haddad  

Noura  Meshed  Haifa  Karawani  

Saja  Mahmoud  

Sandreen  Youssef  

Tamer  Mosleh  

Youssef  Atrach  

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#UN75 Testimonial

INITIATIVE

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#UN75 Testimonial

INITIATIVE

EcoLearn Summit

Managing one’s finances is a cornerstone to financial success and prosperity. It is also what allows individuals to evade financial crises, keeping them self-sustained and capable of carrying out their plans and agendas. Within the current difficult period and under the aim of being encouraged to overcome the period of pandemic and financial crisis, USP and HES students attended the EcoLearn Summit 2020 “Build it from Home” live event organized by Forex Space S.A.L. The students gained deeper knowledge of financial and investment education and understood the basics of money management which could potentially steer them away from debts and insecurity and toward financial literacy and independency.

WEBINAR

LOUBNA SABBAHCareer Coach and an Expert

in Self Development

ABDALLAH HARFOUCHFounder AH Financial Consultancy

CEO at Forex Space SALEconomist Financial Markets Analyst

IMAD ABOU KHALILLife Coach Influencer on

social media

JAD BITARFounder of Confidence Real Estate and

professional first division player in the Lebanese league.

AMADEUS AWADSpecialized in E-Commerce

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Our emotions are the lens through which we view the world, often projecting that which is purely subjective onto our external realities. This is a double-edged sword, as it is our responsibility to choose whether to exude that which is positive and uplifting, or that which could only bring us down and hinder us. With their own interest in cultivating positive emotions, USP and HES students attended the workshop “Do you know your emotions are your secret power to your success?” organized by EventBrite and Jones Liew, the founder of the Emotions Run Wild private company through Zoom. The students were introduced to the:

Students finally acknowledged that if they control their emotions, they can use it wisely.

Emotional Intelligence

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WEBINAR

Power  of  emo)ons  through  recalling  

memories  

Pause,  Choose,  Act  (P.C.A.)  model  

of  management  

Posi)ve  emo)ons  to  feel  and  act  accordingly  

Basics  of  Emo)onal  Intelligence  

Source  and  Purpose  of  the  basic  emo)ons  

 Anger   Disgust   Sadness   Fear   Happiness   Surprise  

CONFERENCE

Student Leadership

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USP student Noura Meshed, participated in the virtual student leadership conference organized by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), on the 18th of July 2020. The aim of this conference was to empower management, accounting and finance professionals to improve their performance by encouraging them to network and learn about industry trends, the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) certification, ethics, leadership and career opportunities.Through this conference, Noura experienced the journey from classroom to boardroom and learnt about the latest trends in the accounting and finance profession at the hands of inspiring and motivating speakers. She

built a network of contacts and engaged with like-minded students from various majors. Noura also had the opportunity to learn about the CMA certification and the changing role of the accounting profession from industry experts with decades of collective professional experience, meeting recruiters from some of the largest companies around the world. This has aided her in gaining a deeper understanding of the career opportunities present within the field, and the tools needed to achieve a holistic and well-rounded accounting education to kick-start her professional career.

WEBINAR

THE DEEP SIDE

OF SUCCESS

Lebanon, the Gulf, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, with agencies like Leo Burnett, BBDO and Dentsu. In addition, Jad got to learn more about how his career during “Meet the Expert” session with Manon Stokes, a senior buyer at Lidl. Jad delved into what being a food consumer is really like, learnt from Stokes’ experience and how she handled learning from mistakes on the job during her role.

At the heart of any brand’s success is a hidden tale of passion, inspiration, empathy, belief, ambition and strategic thinking. The webinar hosted by the School of Architecture and Design was attended by USP student Jad El Zock. The webinar addressed the current and aspiring brand architects from industries of design, marketing, business and advertising, with a mission to define and explore the most important, yet often forgotten pillars of a brand’s success and failure. With a focus on brand purpose, this event shed light on what it takes to build a brand that is both relevant and resilient enough to withstand economic difficulties or shifting consumer trends. Throughout the interactive session, Jad El Zock drew lessons from case studies with Nabil Sargi who has an 18-year experience in building and managing brands in  

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Spirit of Service

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Honoring The Waste Collectors

INITIATIVE

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WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

Virtualreadingplatform

خياليــة روايــة العالــم ســطح العيســى حــارس بثينــة فيهــا لنــا مغامــرة نقيــب الكتــب االســتثنائية مــع تــروي والمعانــي. الكلمــات

A mix of Hitchcockian suspense, Agatha Christie plotting, and Greek tragedy. The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.

This book identifies the excuses

to let go of, the behaviors to adopt,

and the skills to acquire on the path

to growth, confidence, and believ-

ing in yourself.

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LEE - Soft Skills

PROGRAM

Leadership Education Empowerment (LEE) was designed to empower youth to self-develop into emerging leaders, offering them valuable sessions and work-shops. In June and July, four sessions were conducted by 4 USP students that facili-tated leadership sessions to 51 students from Kherbet Rouha Youth Association and youth from Rashaya. Faysal Al Ladan, Carla Ghanem, Maryse Abi Haydar and Rabih Jaber worked tirelessly, in demonstrating the values of leadership and innovation, decision making, critical thinking and self-control consecutively. They were able to communicate to the students:

LEE lessons will inevitably help in shaping these students into a better version of themselves. The four students who stood before them today examplified passion and enthusiasm - as role models for a better tommorrow.

Processes  of  decision  making      

Modes  of  crea1vity  

Delving  into  the  Le9/Right  sides  of  the  brain      

The  founda1ons  of  innova1on  and  its  strategies    

Ways  to  bring  different  people  together  into  a  team  

The  difference  between  transforma1onal  and  transac1onal  leadership    

The  7  Pillars  of  leadership  

Difference  between  problem  analysis  and  decision  making    

Analyzing  alterna1ves  

Types  of  decisions  

Cri1cal  thinking  process    

Concept  of  self-­‐control  

Importance  of  strong  will  

LEE - Artificial IntelligencePROGRAM

ROBOTICS   MACHINE  LEARNING  FUTURE  ROAD  MAP  

DEVELOPMENT  

COMPUTING  

SMART  PREDICTIONS  

ANALYTICS  CLOUD  

STRUCTURED  INFORMATION  

AUTOMATE  STRATEGY  

NETWORK  

IDENTITY  PROCESS  

POWER  STATISTICS  NETWORK  

WORLDWIDE  

With the current technological advance-ments and increased reliance on artificial intelligence within our endeavors as a species, it is important that students are more acquainted with such concepts and

their future possibilities. On the 3rd of July 2020, 25 youth from Rashaya attended “The Power of AI, Machine Learning, and Big Data Management,” the LEE session, delivered by USP student Rabih Jabr.

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For A Stress-Free Life

For us to function as individuals within society, we must find ways to recharge within our internal lives and to enjoy the joys of life without having our burdens clouding the innate beauty of existence. Strongly believing in this cause, USP students Carla Ghanem, Jana Mattar and Jinan Nader organized a project with the aim of spreading the importance of stress management and ways in which to navigate through the stressors of life.

With the help of Zaher Chaaban, a representative of Dar Al Ramlieh NGO, the students were able to facilitate a two-day workshop in Ramlieh Club, Aley, on the 18th and 19th of July 2020. The team gave a presentation on simple and quick techniques for dealing with stress, including a plethora of mental and physical exercises which could be integrated within the audience’s day. They also highlighted the specific causes of stress and their respective human reactions and distributed a book on positivity and good health. On both days, the students ended the sessions with a yoga routine followed by dancing; allowing the participants to release tension and to enjoy the present moment.

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COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

Plethora of Activities

INITIATIVE

HES student, Hadeel Al Juhayyim, volunteered in delivering awareness sessions to kindergarten students in Nahr Al Barid Refugee Camp. A highly relevant COVID-19 awareness session was delivered to a kindergarten in Nahr Al Barid Refugee Camp. Under the slogan #WeWorkWithYouAndForYourSake and in collaboration with the Palestinian Civil Defense, Hadeel and the team delivered a comprehensive awareness session on COVID-19 infections, and how to strengthen one’s immunity to prevent and control the spread.

Hadeel effectively explained the ways in which one develops good hygiene routines and preventive measures and taught students how to wash their hands and sanitize. Hadeel also demonstrated to the teachers the ways in which they should approach the children, along with the importance of social distancing. At the end of the session, masks were distributed to the teachers and the children, followed by a demonstration of how to wear them appropriately.

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The most challenging misfortunes for families in need are those which pose as a threat to their health. This is especially the case in time of economic crises, where citizens are often unable to meet their primary needs. For that reason, under the Leadership of LAU’s President Dr. Joseph Jabra and the Dean of LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Dr. Michel Mawad , LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital launched the LAU Mobile Clinic which delivers free-of-charge PCR testing to potential patients who cannot afford it. USP VII student Lozane Hamze, along with other volunteers in Kfarrouman, aided the LAU Mobile Clinic team in delivering the testing, contacting and gathering individuals in need of free medical assistance, and facilitating the process of providing moral support; something necessary if we wish to triumph in the battle against COVID-19.

USP VII student Mahmoud Basma, is taking initiative to encourage people to cycle instead of using public transportation. Mahmoud Basma helped in raising awareness on the importance of cycling as a substitute for public transportation among youth, highlighting its low environmental impact as a means of transportation. Mahmoud, along with other members of the LAU Cycling Club, managed to organize multiple rides for small groups, sparking their love of cycling further. Basma was successful in showing how cycling could serve as an entertaining way to do some cardio and in maintaining a healthy lifestyle during this pandemic. Cycling is classified as the safest means of transportation during the health crisis. Mahmoud and the team described how cycling is the perfect way to discover new routes, new riding buddies, improve your group-riding skills and connect with fellow cyclists in a social setting.

INITIATIVE LOZANE HAMZE

MAHMOUD BASMA

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Bearing in mind that all it takes is a drop of blood to save someone’s life, USP VII student Mariam Akil chose to volunteer with “Donner Sang Compter” 2 years ago. Mariam’s role does not only include providing blood to patients in need, but also receiving urgent demands and finding compatible donors, all while respecting the privacy of both donor and transfusion recipient. Mariam expresses that her experience taught her that it is not enough to be just a blood donor, but it is rather important to encourage others to donate and assist the organization by filling all donors’ health records. During quarantine, she received various trainings which led her to become a volunteer in the DSC call center. Volunteering with DSC gave Mariam the opportunity to meet new people and improve her personality while giving back to her society.

INITIATIVE MARIAM AKIL

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HES student Samar Abou Ibrahim, in collaboration with volunteers in Hasbaya, helped in distributing flour supplies to families in need in her village.The aim of this initiative was to help families that are struggling financially, ensuring that anyone facing hunger can still access nutritious food during this crisis.With various forms of aid from multiple local institutions, sponsors, and volunteers, Samar along with other volunteers was able to distribute flour to over 175 households in the village of Hasbaya, softening the blow of these harsh times on many families.

SAMAR ABOU IBRAHIM

HISHAM YOUNIS

MOHAMAD KHODOR

HES student Hisham Younis, volunteered in distributing plant seedlings to households in Saida, South Lebanon. Hisham Younis was successful in distributing 120 vegetable seedlings to 30 families, combating the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic by encouraging households to sow them and cultivate useful land around their homes. This initiative has also helped in pushing for homegrown vegetables and promoting horticulture in changing the landscape. Hisham highlighted the importance of this campaign in not only enhancing the aesthetic appearance of residential houses in the area, but in providing the population with a wholesome and nourishing activity to spend their leisure engaging in. This way, Hisham was fulfilling his volunteering requirements whilst engaging in a cause towards which he felt great passion.

With the beginning of the “Sectional Opening” phase plan, USP VII Mohamad Khodor student volunteered to help monitor its implementation after the Cabinet Resolution No.23/2020, related to the extension of the general mobilization declaration to counter the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Mohamad, along with other volunteers, began visiting stores that opened their doors in his area Tripoli, to verify whether they were following the necessary instructions to ensure that safety measurements were being carried out. Mohamad checked whether the stores reinforced wearing face masks, adopting social distancing and sterilized the place repeatedly. Mohamad said that he had felt it was the right thing to do in order to help others and reduce the burden during these difficult circumstances, through redirecting people towards the right path and ensuring their own protection.

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INITIATIVE

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HES students Ahmad Abo Rajab, Ahmad Marchoud, Hanaa Ali and Hadeel El Juhayim participated in the Road to University Program in cooperation with Amqa Secondary School and the Islamic Association of Palestinian students in Nahr al-Bared camp to enlighten school students about the USAID and Unite Lebanon Youth Project (ULYP) grants.

The team highlighted the prominent questions that may be asked during the interview stage, listened and answered the students’ questions about the two scholarship programs thoroughly. The team listed the majors available for Palestinian students and provided a briefing on the course titles that they might come across in the future. This initiative aimed to familiarize the school students with grant terms, requirements, and majors available to apply to.

INITIATIVE

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ROAD

PROGRAM

Reach Out And Dazzle

The Reach Out and Dazzle Program is an initiative created with love and compassion with aim of engaging children with education activities which could transform their academic life. ROAD includes students from across all Lebanon an helps in creating a safe and active environment for them to learn, improve and prepare for the following academic year through workshops.

USP and HES students are the ones making this endeavor possible. Through consistent efforts, volunteers are designated to schools for facilitation of sessions through online platforms like Webex and Zoom. Tutoring is offered to students in both scientific subjects and humanities.

As of the first two weeks of July 2020, 10 USP and HES students have delivered sessions to 24 students. The sessions exceeded the students’ expectations, who expressed that the teaching methods were both effective and entertaining. The students expressed their gratitude :

“Nice idea, I support it. Keep up the

good work with this program, as it helps

students target their weak points. The

teachers also explain things perfectly

and are great at dealing with students.” - Student from Amqa School

“This activity has helped me study

English more often.” - Student from Nazareth Secondary School

BiodiversityPlant with Katrin Salhab

INITIATIVE

Katrin Salhab, USP VII student majoring in Computer Science, started planting during the quarantine in her hometown Nabatieh- Kfarsir. Katrin believes that taking care of our mother Earth is a gratifying duty that everyone must partake in. Katrin is aware that there is no need to sit around and let the stressors of the current situation consume us, thus she has decided to invest her efforts into something that would provide mutual benefit in the future.

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INITIATIVE

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I planted more than 60 seeds including tomatoes, green vegetables, and

flowers. My garden has been my refuge, and seeing my plants grow each day has given me hope and peace through these hard times. It’s also been easier

for me to lead a healthier life which has manifested into an organic diet full of

nutrients. I am, most importantly, happy to be investing time and effort into the Earth, this planet has always given us far more than we have provided.

Hopefully, in the upcoming years, preserving our planet and making use of the

resources that we are given will be our priority.

-Katrin Salhab

““

Job Readiness

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INTERNSHIPS Job Readiness

Through her digital experience, she had the chance to learn about different types of operations and departments within the range of services they had to offer. Fatima worked with Bank’s HR departemnt on a research project regarding the future HR tasks post COVID-19. Amal gained deeper insights into the banking

sector and was introduced to the operations of different departments. She occupied a front row seat to the processes of private banking & wealth management, risk management, treasury & capital market and compliance.

INTERNSHIPS Job Readiness

FATIMA AL MOUSSAWI

Banking & Finance

AMAL YASSINE

Banking & Finance

Being a business student in a world that is ever - revolving and changing, hands - on experience is an added value for students entering a highly competitive job market. It is through internships that students put their academic knowledge into practice and dive into their career preferences while expanding their skills. For the following students, the digital internship at BEMO Bank has been more than rewarding, and has equipped them with the tools needed to build their future success and make well - informed decisions.

During her digital experience, Fatima got to understand the inner functioning of a bank by interacting with a variety of people ranging from Human Resources to Finance Auditing. She was also engaged in brainstorming sessions where participants presented their convincing theories competitively and enthusiastically.

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Through her digital internship, Aya was familiarized with certain exceptional situations and their relevant measures. More specific to the current situation, Aya was introduced to the world of crisis management as she bore witness to the procedures that the banks are currently implementing to manage the pandemic and Lebanon’s economic crisis.

FATIMA SROUR

Accounting

AYA MORRA

Banking & Finance

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Throughout this internship, Petra was able to connect her analytical skills to the financial field and apply her acquired knowledge in various areas such as risk, trade and banking operations. In addition to the valuable experience gained, she was also able to grow personally and to develop new sets of skills.

Due to this experience, Sara got introduced to new techniques in finance major including reading bank accounts and checks, as well as forecasting commodity prices such as gold, oil, metals etc. She learnt ways to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, controlling and managing market and operational risks, and techniques to negotiate and attract new customers.PETRA AZAR

Economics

SARA JAAFAR

Finance and banking

My name is Zeina Lizzaik, a mathematics student from a small village in South Lebanon. Getting accepted into the University Scholarship Program (USP) at LAU was a dream coming true. Academically, the scholarship enabled me to give tutoring sessions in math courses at LAU, which has helped me grow and make good connections with the faculty. At university, I had the honor of becoming the vice president of the mathematics club for two semesters, all the while attending frequent workshops organized by the Award Management. Throughout this experience, I was able to give back to the community by implementing my community service project at the high school I had attended. I presented before 60 students and overcame my stage fright. I have also volunteered with MMKN organization to teach reinforcement sessions in public schools for 8th and 9th graders. This allowed me to overcome my weaknesses in teaching. Being able to deliver my presentation successfully and volunteer with younger students has transformed me into a stronger person today. I would finally like to thank USP, for believing in my potential and giving me a chance

to excel. It has truly been a one in a lifetime experience.

2020

Meet our Stellar StudentStellar Zeina Lizzaik

Congratulations! 31

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” – Hellen KellerNew gates were opened the moment I was accepted to pursue my bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, under the University Scholarship Program at the Lebanese American University. After years of hard work, this golden opportunity had been just the reward I needed, pushing my standards higher and rejuvenating my

energy, allowing me to intensify my scholastic performance as well as my volunteering experience.Thanks to this adventure, I have sharpened my skills by attending a wide variety of workshops organized by the scholarship, tackling different topics along the lines of public speaking, active citizenship and community service. This wouldn’t have been possible without the USP management team, who mentored me throughout my years of study and was like a second family. With them, I shared my ups and downs and always received the proper advice, which ensured my smooth sailing through storms. Due to their extensive efforts, I was able to maintain a GPA of 3.8 and pursue my undergraduate research on Autonomous Robotic Manipulation using

Artificial Neural Networks, which will potentially facilitate my application to study abroad. USP, last but not least, renewed my belief that life is full of opportunity and that it’s up to you to take

the lead and write your own journey!

2020

Meet our Stellar StudentStellar Sharbel Kozhaya

Congratulations!32

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GHEEDA CHOUCAIR

Gheeda Choucair, a USP-VIII student, Majoring in Computer Science has always dreamt of becoming an artist. During her childhood, she drew whatever came to mind and designed characters and natural landscapes. She discovered the world of drawing in its fascinating aura. Never giving up on enhancing her talent even when she faced many constraints and restraints.

Gheeda explains the source of her determination: “I have been drawing for my whole life, and I believe that the only way to progress is through challenging myself.” Up until now, Gheeda is still learning from her mistakes as a self-taught artist and incorporating a piece of herself within her work. Knowing that drawing is a place where she can express her feelings freely, Gheeda Says that “Art is not about a bunch of colors lying on a piece of canvas, it is about feelings, imagination, and a passion for what you want to express.”

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Karen Zgheib, USP VII student majoring in Nutrition, discovered her talent in dancing at a very young age. Even though she used to be a shy person and didn’t have the advanced physical flexibility at the time, Karen still believed in dancing as a way of human expression and managed to overcome her challenges by stretching, practicing, working on artistry, and choreographing creative pieces. Karen also took gymnastic classes to improve her dancing techniques and became physically stronger with the support of her teachers. “Dancing is my art and a

big part of who I am today. Performing

in front of a large audience in different events was extremely challenging for me

as it pushed me to display vulnerability

and building my confidence. Through dancing, I learnt to express myself not

with words, but through emotions,

creating pieces of art and seeing my

ideas manifest themselves through

movement.” Today, I hope to expand my talent by learning a greater variety

of dance styles and inspiring dancers to

reach their goals no matter how hard it

seems. Dance taught me that hard work

always pays off.”

MEE

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TALE

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TUD

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KAREN ZGHEIB

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Patricia joined Ernst & Young in 2016 as an Audit Associate, and got promoted to Senior Auditor position last September.

Patricia’s hard work is paying off!

Marwan joined CARMA since 2017 as Social Media Executive, where he got promoted to Social Media Team Leader in 2019. Marwan recently applied to the MA scholarship program at LAU and is

waiting for the results! Good luck Marwan!

Patricia Riad Matar USP III

Business major - Class of 2016

Marwan Al HasbiniUSP I

Communication Arts - Class of 2016

Meet ourAlumni:

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Lama is a licensed dietitian and has her own clinic and Facebook page “Lama Mattar - Licensed Dietitian,” where she provides nutritional recommendations to build a healthy relationship with food & create permanent lifestyle changes. Lama aims to improve the well-being of individuals and has provided online consultations during COVID-19 pandemic, where she offered health and nutrition related tips.

Sara continued her Masters’ degree in Athletic Development & Peak performance and graduated from Southampton Solent University – UK in 2017. Sara got married and has a one-year old daughter named Serena. Sara now has her own company and works as a clinical dietitian, personal trainer and corrective

exercise specialist.

Lama MattarUSP III

Nutrition major - Class of 2016

Sarah SuccarUSP I

Nutrition major - Class of 2015

Meet ourAlumni: