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A Warm Virtual Welcome: Class of 2025 Joins AUC

Nahla El Gendy
February 2, 2021
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AUC welcomes the Class of 2025 in unusual circumstances — with new hopes and challenges awaiting them. AUC is still implementing a hybrid model of classes with an emphasis on maintaining a low-density campus.

Having the first month of the spring semester entirely online did not prevent the incoming students from enjoying their orientation and preparing for their AUC journey.

"We are all ready for the pandemic to end and active life to resume on campus, yet for the ongoing safety of the community, we conducted this year's orientation entirely online via Zoom," said Mohamed Gendy, manager of the First-Year Program. "This didn't stop the new students from fully engaging with their peer leaders during the sessions — asking questions, exchanging ideas, sharing stories and playing educational games. The energy and vibes were great."

The new undergraduate class — 54% females and 46% males — enriches the community's diversity, with students coming from Nigeria, Algeria, Yemen, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Likewise, on the graduate level, the class — 70% females and 30% males — comprises a diverse international body coming from the United States, Nigeria, Libya, Yemen, Canada, Kuwait, Palestine and Syria. 

Students expressed their hopes and eagerness to learn more about Egyptian culture, engage in a wide variety of cocurricular activities and improve their Arabic-language skills. News@AUC caught up with some Egyptian and international students during orientation week to learn about why they decided to join AUC and what they look forward to this semester. Here's what they had to say: 

Amanda Robles, an international student, studying at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., is looking forward to forming a strong base for Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic, in addition to acquiring a thorough understanding of the regions that practice those languages. "When it comes to subjects regarding the Middle East, [my home university] does not offer many options for courses," she said. "In comparison, AUC has an extensive list of courses which range from the culture of different areas in the Middle East to language, politics, and economics; this is why I chose AUC. I haven't seen a university that offers a list of courses as impressive as AUC, and since my university partners with AUC, I thought it would be an excellent option!"

Olivia Voss, an international student studying international relations at the University of North Carolina, is looking forward to improving her Arabic-language skills. "I wanted to come to AUC because it has a great reputation, and I want to improve my Arabic. I have wanted to travel to Egypt since I was a kid," she said. "Everyone has been so kind already, and my expectations going forward are to make many great and long-lasting friendships and to improve my understanding of the region."

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Vebjørn Hole Uleberg, an international student pursuing a Master in International Management/CEMS, came to AUC because it is the only CEMS academic partner in Africa and the Middle East. CEMS, or the Global Alliance in Management Education, is also the only AUC program ranked by the Financial Times and The Economist. "I find Egypt  with its culture, language, and people  very interesting," he said. "AUC is also the only University in the MENA region that is part of the CEMS network, meaning that it must be of high quality while also giving a unique cultural experience."

Uleberg is also looking forward to "seeing and experiencing what Egypt is like, including learning Arabic, getting to know locals and traveling all over the country," he added.

 

Marissa Jean Haskell is joining AUC from the United States. She had previously studied abroad at AUC as an undergraduate student. "I loved being here and in Egypt so much that I was looking for an excuse to come back," she said. "One of the main reasons I returned to AUC is the quality of professors here. At AUC, it seems like every professor is a well-known scholar in their respective field, so I am excited to learn from such renowned professionals. I am expecting to not only substantially broaden my knowledge of education and global affairs but also take advantage of the opportunity to grow my international network."

Egyptian students are joining AUC from more than 12 governorates across the country, including Giza, Monufia, Beni Suef, Ismailia and Gharbia.

For freshman Marwan Gamea, one of the main reasons he applied to AUC is sustaining a reasonable balance between academics and cocurricular activities. Gamea's intended major is data science, which "is exclusively available at AUC."

Salma Omar, a freshman intending to major in graphic design, decided to join AUC for the balance that it offers between the quality of education and the cocurricular activities that allow her to find her passion in various fields. "I thought it would give me the best education and environment to thrive," she said. "I am looking forward to building a solid foundation for my future and enjoying college life while still learning about my passion."

Lama Khallaf is another freshman intending to major in electronics and communications engineering who has chosen AUC for its liberal arts education that would prepare her for a strong career. "I'm hoping to really enjoy the diversity of courses that are offered. Although I'm an engineering major, I still have interests outside my major that I want to be able to pursue," she said.

Fahad Muhammad Dankabo, a freshman intending to major in political science, expects to make the best use of his time at AUC on so many levels. "I want to be able to develop both academically and socially," he said. Dankabo was overwhelmed with the welcome he received from everyone since he joined AUC. "The peer leaders' dedication truly reflected on the three-day orientation. It was simply superb and worth emulating. Everything was well-coordinated and executed. What a way to set a high standard for newcomers. Thank you for making it easy for me to blend into my new family."

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Faculty Tips on Striking a Balance Between Lecturing and Student Participation

Nahla El Gendy
December 27, 2020

“A number of students sent me thank you notes during the semester. However, the most rewarding gesture of thanks that I received from them is when at the end of the last class, they unmuted the sound and video and each one of them carried a note of thanks expressing their appreciation. For me, it was a thrilling gesture, which I will always cherish,” said Walid Kazziha, professor of political science.

For Kazziha, what seemed to work the best in online learning is striking a balance between lecturing and student participation.

“At first, students found some difficulty in getting out of their comfort zone. They resorted to hiding behind muting their sound and picture, and left it to me to take the initiative while they watched,” he reflected. “However, with some effort, it was possible to draw them out gradually, as I followed the tactic of presenting the topic briefly at the beginning of class (10-15 minutes), and then asking very simple questions related to how students felt about the subject under discussion. As students began to react, I appealed more to their intellect and not only their feelings. More sophisticated questions were posed to them, and the discussion was eventually fueled by students themselves asking questions and debating the issues.”  

Kazziha also assigned students short presentations at the beginning of class to keep them engaged, interactive and focused.

Kazziha believes that the most important element in successful online teaching is not only the professor’s preparation of what he’ll offer to the students, but how it will be offered.

“The difference between face to face and online is that in the former, the students are coming to learn; in the latter, they are sitting comfortably at home expecting you to go to them. The trick is to draw them out to have a walk with you and share the effort,” he said.

 

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AUC Faculty Reflect on their Students' Handwritten Notes of Gratitude

Nahla El Gendy
December 29, 2020
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On the last day of classes, students surprised their professors with handwritten notes to express their gratitude for their ongoing support in online learning despite the unusual circumstances.

 

Walid Kazziha, professor of political science:

“A number of students sent me thank you notes during the semester. However, the most rewarding gesture of thanks that I received from them is when at the end of the last class, they unmuted the sound and video and each one of them carried a note of thanks expressing their appreciation. For me, it was a thrilling gesture, which I will always cherish."

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Read more here.

 

Tarek Selim '92, '95, professor of ecomomics:

"A gratifying moment from my wonderful students in the feasibility study class (Econ 4012). They were one of the best feasibility classes I taught, and I have been teaching at AUC for the past 20 years."

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Soraya Altorki, professor of anthropology:

"I was very touched by the message that I received from my students in ANTH 1099 on the last day of classes this semester. It reads: 'We love you professor! Thank you for the amazing course.' It is truly gratifying to get [my] students' feedback like this. It is an experience that says it all."

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Hania Sholkamy '85, '89, associate professor at AUC's Social Research Center:

"In my Introduction to Community Development course (Anth 2201), my students surprised me. They are a wonder bunch and made the course interesting and dynamic. I am thanking them for their kindness. They said 'thank you,' and that really meant a lot to me. So in sharing this with you, I am thanking them."

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Students in the marker research class also decided to surprise their professor, Hakim Meshreki (MBA '05), visiting assistant professor of marketing, and show him love and appreciation. Nathalie Nabil Kamel, senior, who decided to share with us the story on behalf of her class, says:

"A class member sent the idea in our project group, and then we created a students only group to coordinate. No one hesitated to join this celebratory action for Dr. Hakim, I guess because he's not only our doctor, [but also] he checked up on everyone who missed class, every class he asked how we were and gave us advice to help us mitigate the stress. All his classes were enjoyable, even the difficult chapters, and we wanted to show him the appreciation we had for him."

 

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Hakim Meshreki (MBA '05), visiting assistant professor of marketing:

"Toward the end of the last class, students stunned me with a wonderful thank you note that represents the best reward an instructor can get from his students. Though they were not forced to do so, they showed that good work, care and dedication pay off. They were able to understand the essence of my teaching philosophy, which is knowledge, fun and love . For this, I am thankful and grateful to all of them."

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 Sonia Zulfiqar, associate professor of chemistry, 

“It is an overwhelming experience for me to earn so much love, affection, and respect, given the fact that I am teaching this course for the first time."

Read more here.

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Yasmine Saleh '91, associate professor of practice of clinical psychology,

“When the students asked me at the end of the class to stop sharing my screen since they had something that they wanted to share with me, I had no idea what was going on, and I was genuinely very surprised. This was unexpected and SO appreciated, after all we have been through together.”

Read more here.

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Daoud Siniora, assistant professor of mathematics and actuarial science

"I feel honored to teach such beautiful minds and future stars. The main lectures were pre-recorded and sent to students in advance. On lecture days I hosted optional live Zoom sessions for further discussions on the material, homework problems, and beauty of mathematics. When the semester became very stressful, I made all deadlines flexible, meaning that students may submit their work as soon as they can. I also supplied my students with detailed lecture notes covering the whole course so they do not need to worry about taking notes. From time to time I give easy short quizzes so students can keep up with the course. We had a WhatsApp group that included the students, teaching assistants, and myself so that we all stay connected with each other as one team."

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'I Am Happy and Grateful to Feel So Appreciated' - Students Give Thanks to Faculty

Nahla El Gendy
December 20, 2020
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“This last semester has been different, to say the least, and has required a lot more on my end to be creative, engaging, effective and still meet my learning outcomes, and it was wonderful to see the appreciation directly from those who mean the most: my students,” said Yasmine Saleh '91, associate professor of practice of clinical psychology.

On the last day of classes, students surprised Saleh with handwritten notes to express their gratitude for her ongoing support in online learning despite the unusual circumstances.

“When the students asked me at the end of the class to stop sharing my screen since they had something that they wanted to share with me, I had no idea what was going on, and I was genuinely very surprised,” she said. “This was unexpected and SO appreciated, after all we have been through together.”

Keeping them Virtually Engaged

“[Online learning] requires thinking and planning to ensure effective learning while still making sure that students have a sense of [belonging] and no one feels left out or disengaged,” affirmed Saleh.

Saleh’s strategy to keep her students virtually engaged includes: setting expectations and planning the course well in advance, making sure to keep the workload reasonable, prerecording lectures, not exceeding the original planned class time, flexibility with deadlines and having students decide what works for them.

“This made the whole experience even more rewarding and fulfilling and every difficult point so much more meaningful and worthwhile,” she said. “I am so happy and grateful to feel so acknowledged and appreciated, and I was very close to tears — which is not an easy thing for me.” 

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You, W-Ana Too: Exploring Sexual Harassment from Multiple Perspectives

Yakin Ouederni
November 29, 2020
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AUC’s Theatre Program is looking to cast actors for the upcoming production, You W-Ana Too, a play that explores the issue of sexual harassment from various perspectives, including family and couple, bystander, victim and perpetrator, male and female, power and incapacity. 

Co-creators of the play Jillian Campana, professor of theatre and associate dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, along with Dina Amin, head of the Theatre Program and associate professor of theatre, are encouraging people to try out in order to experience the joy of taking part in a one-of-a-kind production like this one that tackles some of society’s most pressing issues. Auditions will take place on December 3, with callbacks on December 5. The play creators are also looking for stage managers, designers and student guides who help audiences get from one play to the next. Credit is available for those involved. 

“Aside from caring about the issue and being interested in promoting conversation, participants will have the joy of being involved in a play,” Campana said. “There is something truly magical about bringing a story to life, embodying another person and working with collaborators to make a story meaningful and resonate. We learn so much about ourselves by studying others in this way.”

The idea for the play draws inspiration from a 2018 Washington Post article, “In Egypt, a #MeToo complaint can land a woman in jail.”

“I remember reading that article, which discusses Amal Fathy and other women who were targeted precisely because they were making or supporting accusations of sexual harassment. I decided then that one of my next AUC productions would be about this issue,” Campana said. 

With the events that unfolded this past summer in Egypt and the movement around sexual harassment awareness gaining unprecedented traction, Campana had known that this sort of production would gain support and interest. 

For her, exploring different perspectives is essential to understanding why sexual harassment happens, how it happens and what happens in the aftermath. This play, she said, can hopefully encourage conversations that increase awareness. 

“Sexual harassment and sexual assault happen everywhere, in every country in the world and most of us have experienced it in some way,” she said. "Change can happen in big and small ways. If just a few people see this performance and think more critically about sexual harassment and make a change as a result of their observations and thoughts, it will be a huge success.”

The play takes a unique format: Split into five different parts, each one takes place outdoors and simultaneously, with audience members moving from one play to the next.

“This allows for discussion in between performances — an unpacking and reflection about the theme and characters and events depicted,” Campana said. 

You can find instructions on how to sign up for auditions below. The play will premier in March at the New Cairo campus. 

 

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How Can We Combat Harassment and Why Should We Care? Launching the AUC SpeakUp Dialog Series

Reem Abouemera
November 24, 2020
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“The hardest problems to solve are those that we find too shameful even to name or to admit exist,” said President Francis Ricciardone in his opening remarks during the inauguration of the AUC SpeakUp Dialog Series held last Thursday.  

“At AUC, we think of ourselves as progressive, and we don’t shy away from problems – we welcome them. We think our role in higher education is to address the great problems of our time, and we believe we do so effectively,” he added, emphasizing the role of leading higher education institutions in raising awareness on sexual harassment and conveying the measures AUC has taken to combat the issue.

As part of the AUCSpeakUp initiative, the University launched the AUC SpeakUp Dialog Series in Ewart Memorial Hall, AUC Tahrir Square. The series, inaugurated with a dialog on “How can we combat harassment and why should we care?” features a set of conversations around key topics ranging from social norms and portrayals of gender in film to safety of public spaces, workplaces, and college campuses.

The AUC SpeakUp Dialog Series is held in partnership with several institutions and prominent influencers to participate in the national conversation on sexual harassment to raise awareness of this critical issue.  AUC had recently formed an Advisory Board of distinguished leaders to help shape the topics, speakers, sequence and direction of the series.

The board members are Maya Morsy ’95, president of Egypt’s National Council for Women; Hisham El-Khazindar ’96, co-founder and managing director of Qalaa Holdings and AUC trustee; Christine Arab, UN Women Egypt country representative; Hoda Elsadda, professor of English and comparative literature at Cairo University; Rabab El Mahdi ’96, ’98, associate professor and chair of AUC’s Department of Political Science; Nadeen Ashraf, AUC student and founder of Assault Police; and Omar Samra ’00, adventurer, entrepreneur and motivational speaker. The first of the series was moderated by Farah Shash ’09, ’12, community psychologist and co-founder of The Community Hub.

The Dialog Series was launched to keep the issue of sexual harassment at the forefront, not only on campus but on a country level. In fact, sexual harassment is a global problem that has become prevalent in today’s time.

"When I was a student at AUC, we never heard of the word harassment," reflected Morsy. "I'm a 1995 graduate, so 20 years ago, this term never existed, but now it's widely heard in Egypt and the world. It's called sexual harassment. In my generation, it was called flirtation. ... The word harassment changed everything," she said, addressing the need to continue spreading awareness of sexual harassment and stressing that the constitution and Egyptian law protect women's rights.

In the past few years, women started to speak up and society's structure and ethics underwent a major change. There has undeniably been more awareness of the topic since 2010, when the magnitude of the issue was felt. That's especially with the passing of Egyptian laws in 2014 that address sexual harassment, which resulted in women gaining the confidence to speak up and report their experiences.

“In the case of Egypt, sexual harassment is quite advanced in the social dialog, particularly if you look where it sits in the region, both in Africa and the Arab region, and that’s extremely important. Laws are fine and incredibly important to combat sexual harassment, but it’s actually a behavior shift that is required,” said Arab.

“Laws need to be enforced; that means institutions like AUC have to enforce these with rigor, impartiality, and penalty. There has to be justice. That’s when the behavior starts to change.”

Last summer, numerous women took their incidents to both social media and court, shortly after @assaultpolice was created to support women to speak up while maintaining their anonymity, reflecting the significance of civil society organizations. "The accumulation of civil society organization initiatives is very important," said El Mahdi. "State institutions and civil society organizations actually complete each other's work; they're not against each other - [working] to create an environment where people can speak up," El Mahdi noted, stressing the importance of such integration without incriminating the victim at the societal or institutional level

On @assaultpolice, Ashraf, who launched the Assault Police Instagram account that reinvigorated Egypt's #MeToo movement, explained how social media was an efficient tool in fighting sexual harassment.

"I was just sitting for years seeing that no one is taking this issue seriously from the community around me. For years, girls were told not to talk about this: 'This is not acceptable,' 'This is wrong,' 'We cannot talk about these things'", she said. "I reached a level where I felt I had to do something. ... I noticed with the first story I shared that the survivors of harassment realized that they have similar experiences and that they were not the problem, but the real problem was the harassers and society."

During the same period, several initiatives were being held on a country level by different institutions and individuals, including Samra. "Posts about social media were starting to spread about sexual harassment," he said. "I was so concerned, unhappy and upset."

"I know that this problem has been there for years, but I was upset because I didn't find that men are talking about it enough," Samra added. "There has to be a higher responsibility on men to talk about it. I believe that we're at a stage where if we're saying that we have the laws and penalties, we must all delve into a stage where the whole society becomes Assault Police. ... Silence at this stage is almost a crime."

On the workplace level, the private sector may be seen as relatively hesitant when it comes to discussing sexual harassment. Yet, there remains awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace, such as that by El-Khazindar. "I look at the issue of sexual harassment and sexual violence within a wider context related to women's empowerment, women's rights and the role of women, and I look at it from a developmental perspective," said El-Khazindar.

"At the end of the day, no community, no country, advances if half of this society, which is women, is not empowered and is subject to secondary treatment. For me, this is not an issue of man and woman but an issue of what is right and what is wrong," El-Khazindar added, emphasizing that universities have an essential educational role in creating the appropriate climate to set the rules and deter harassers, and the private sector has a role in setting a good example for institutions.

When it comes to educational institutions, units combating sexual harassment have been established at different universities, with 22 units in place to combat violence against women in Egyptian universities. Elsadda has been working since 2014 on policies fighting harassment inside universities and was one of the founders of the Anti-Harassment Unit at Cairo University in 2014.

"There was a revolutionary movement in Egypt for three years, that started from  2011 to 2014. Many taboos were discussed in society, and violence against women was one of the issues that were tackled by NGOs and other groups. ...In 2014, a law was passed to incriminate violence against women," Elsadda said.

"These university units are a first step in a long way. It's very important to enforce the law and reconsider the personal affairs code, family code and media coverage because all these elements together help in decreasing the incidents of sexual harassment."

Since the subject of the educational institutions and universities is a vast one, the next session of the Dialog Series on December 14 will tackle: “From the Playground to School: Does the Way We’re Brought Up Affect How We Treat Women?” Find out more here.

For more information:

AUCSpeakUp initiative

Dialog Series

Advisory Board profiles

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Award-Winning Reem Bassiouney: 'Writing About History is Liberating'

Reem Abouemera
November 10, 2020
Reem Bassiouney

Nahdet Misr Publishing Group recently held a launch event celebrating award-winning novelist and AUC Professor of Applied Linguistics Reem Bassiouney’s new book, Sabeel Al Gharek. With the first edition selling out in only five days and the second edition released shortly after, the book has been achieving substantial success.

Bassiouney attributes the book's success to the different layers of meaning it carries. “The book is historical, philosophical, romantic, Sufi and more. On the surface, the structure can either seem like a love story or a historical one, but as you go deeper, you explore different themes. It’s about history and myths, but also about life in general and the roads we take that affect who we are,” she said.

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Earlier this year, Bassiouney was awarded the Supreme Council of Culture's 2019-2020 Naguib Mahfouz Award for Best Egyptian Novel for her best-selling book, Sons of the People: The Mamluk Trilogy, exploring the history of the Mamluks in Egypt with a deeper insight into their human experiences.

“Naguib Mahfouz is one of the most inspiring writers. Having the honor of receiving an award with his name is a big recognition that I appreciate very much,” Bassiouney proudly stated.

The award was unexpected for Bassiouney. Nahdet Misr Publishing Group had nominated and presented the novel for the award with her approval, but she got immersed in her day-to-day tasks that she entirely forgot about it.

“Reem Bassiouney is an experienced and professional novelist who mastered linguistics and, accordingly, excelled in writing,” said Dalia Ibrahim ‘93, ’99, CEO of Nahdet Misr Publishing House. “Being a lover of history who’s proud of her Egyptian identity to the utmost extent, she succeeded in presenting wonderful novels in which she merges history and fiction while shedding light on some of the most important historical periods that the country has gone through to enrich the minds of readers and guide them to researching and penetrating history to understand the past, its impact and its close connection with the present and the future.”

Bassiouney explained that Nahdet Misr Publishing House had taken a risk with her at the time of Sons of the People: The Mamluk Trilogy, being a 760-page book. “Our chemistry together is really good. They read very well and always give me a very objective opinion and end up with a reasonable decision,” she said. In light of that, the book has indeed been a best-seller for two years.

“Bassiouney’s books carry a great cultural value that we’re keen to present to our readers so that they can sail with us to new worlds that they didn’t know before to see and understand the present and the future with a more comprehensive perspective,” noted Ibrahim. “Sabeel Al Gharek comes after two years and a half of writing to present us with valuable work once again, and this time, takes us to the depths of the human soul, the dilemma of existence and the human journey in understanding its construction and finding the way. In my opinion, it’s one of the best and deepest novels Bassiouney wrote, diving and sailing us again to different periods of time through a number of overlapping stories that carry within them many existential questions and issues through a wonderful combination of philosophy and mysticism.”

On the choice of history as a genre, Bassiouney expressed that “history is liberating. It gives me much more liberty to merge certain themes than in contemporary writing. It could be just me, but I find it easier when I’m writing about history.” In Sabeel Al Gharek, for example, Bassiouney merges magical realism with mythical history without restraint.

She proceeds to explain that she lets her imagination take the lead while writing a novel, even when history is involved. However, she steers clear of reflecting her own opinions in her writing. “I usually don’t state opinions. I just describe, and the interpretation is up to the reader. I don’t want to prescribe how to live; I’m just describing how life is,” she said.

However, she hopes that history has the same effect on readers as it did on her. “We need to liberate ourselves in the same way I liberated myself while writing. We’re speaking about medieval times, yet we impose their values today,” she expressed. “We need to go back and analyze what they went through to become that way, and accordingly, we can’t live by their values in our modern time.”

Through her historical novels, Bassiouney aims to “connect people with their historical past.”

“Some parts of history are very dark and haven’t been taught at schools, either at all or in the right way. I want people to read more about their history, especially such critical parts,” she clarified. “You can’t understand the present without understanding the past -- it is related to the present in a way.”

Bassiouney has been writing novels since she was 12 years old. She always had a passion for literature, specifically novels. Her experience with teaching language in society through linguistics courses at AUC has tremendously facilitated her writing in many ways.

"Linguistics and literature are very much related in my mind. When you're able to understand the language better and relate it to society, writing becomes easier. Additionally, sociolinguistics taught me not to be judgmental, and that significantly helped me as an author." she reflected. "I also find it refreshing to deal with younger students – I learn a lot from them."

To date, three of Bassouiney's books have also been translated into different languages to extend to a global audience. Her novels are read by almost everyone: Her readers are as young as 15 years old and as old as 90. "If you're writing about the human experience, you can appeal to everyone," she said.  

Author's books

 

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Aya Abbas, Professional Paralympic Swimming Champ, Finds Her Passion at AUC

Nahla El Gendy
October 13, 2020
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“Doctors told my mom I was going to die. They told her not to invest too much in me as I am dying anyway,” said Aya Abbas, the first and youngest paralympic swimmer in the Middle East and Africa to win world paraswimming championship medals as well as Egypt's Republican Medal for Athletes.

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Abbas and her family never took no for an answer. With her family’s support, Abbas challenged herself to become the first and youngest Paralympic swimmer participating in the Rio 2016 Paralympics and is now preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, which have been postponed to August 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“It’s all due to my mom’s support, who never left my side during trips and training. My family, friends and coaches have also supported me throughout the way. Without their continuous support, I wouldn’t have been who I am today. I owe them everything,” said the journalism and mass communication sophomore who is double minoring in business administration and theatre at AUC.

 

Abbas’s journey started in 2006 by joining El Shams Club’s special needs team when it was first established. At the age of 8, she started competing in national championships and won Egypt's best swimmer cup for five consecutive years. At the age of 14, she joined the Egyptian Paralympic national team and became the first Arab and Egyptian female swimmer to win two world championship medals.

 

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When she first joined AUC as a holder of the Athletic Scholarship — provided to a select number of students who participate in University-sponsored sports — she was mesmerized with the facilities offered to people with disabilities, “I am impressed with all facilities offered at AUC to make our lives better especially the Center for Student Well-Being — my go-to place on campus — that always works to support people with disabilities in all aspects. I really appreciate the campus accessibility to wheelchair users, which makes my life much easier," said Abbas, who regularly participates in swimming events held by AUC.

Besides swimming, Abbas is passionate about arts. Her dream is to work in acting, production and filmmaking to support people with disabilities and make their lives easier.

“I want to become the first wheelchair professional actress in Egypt,” she said. “I wish I could get into filmmaking, especially acting, and help people with disabilities stand in front of the camera to prove how good they can be as public speakers or directors. We can do anything.”

Abbas immediately minored in theatre and signed up for AUC's Theatre & Film Club to develop her love for acting and filmmaking. “The extracurricular activities at AUC are everything to me; they help us find our passion in different fields,” she affirmed. “I love the AUC Theater & Film Club and have a thing for theaters at AUC; the Malak Gabr Arts Theater and Bassily Auditorium. I’ve only taken one theatre course and one film course so far, but I always feel something special when I go there.”

 

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Abbas is so grateful for the University’s Athletic Scholarship that helped her study at AUC to find and support her passion for acting and major in marketing with the wide variety of activities offered on campus.

“My dream to study integrated marketing communication, theatre and business administration at AUC came true with the help of the Athletic Scholarship,” she said. “The scholarship gave me a chance to explore different activities on campus and discover my passion for acting by joining the AUC Theater & Film Club. ”

Abbas is now preparing for the Olympics. “I train almost twice every day; I have my swimming training everyday in the morning and at night, and I also have my fitness and yoga classes three times a week. Hopefully, when things get better after the pandemic, I’ll start traveling again to take part in international trials.”

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The Plethora of Passions of AUC Student Ambassador Catherine Yassa

Reem Abouemera
October 4, 2020
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As an admirer of AUC’s rich cultural and academic history, Catherine Yassa, a mathematics graduating senior minoring in creative writing, joined the AUC Student Ambassadors program two years ago to represent the University and its core values. At that time, it was just the second cycle of the program.

Yassa was wholeheartedly keen on communicating AUC’s global impact to its different stakeholders while investing in networking with as many community members as possible. Since then, she has built connections with high-profile individuals in the politics, arts and higher education industries, among others. Representing the student body in accreditation meetings with the National Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Education in Egypt (NAQAAE), in particular, is among her cherished memories of being a Student Ambassador. 

“Being a Student Ambassador taught me confidence, poise and adaptability. It’s extremely humbling how much I’ve grown since I’ve joined the program,” said Yassa. “I’m also lucky I get to work with such a brilliant team.”

Most recently, AUC introduced a virtual online 360-degrees tour of the New Cairo campus, meant to support international students in touring the campus firsthand before physically arriving to Cairo. When it was launched, AUC’s Student Ambassadors were selected to showcase the campus through their eyes, intertwined with their relative experiences.

“The whole experience was interesting, to say the least. Our team worked tirelessly over the summer to create a worthy substitute for in-person tours before orientation,” reflected Yassa. “Preparation alone took several weeks - from an updated tour narrative and working with peer leaders to figuring out how to engage freshmen through Zoom.”

While the process was challenging, the results were overwhelmingly impressive and fulfilling. “There’s no question that the New Cairo campus is stunning. Even though most students had never seen it before, the intricacies of its design and the lush greenery shine through any digital screen,” stressed Yassa. “Of course, it’s not as good as the ‘real-thing,’ but freshmen were undeterred. Once the world returns to normal, I’m really excited for them to experience the campus and what it means to be a full-fledged AUCian!”

Student Ambassadors don’t only provide distinguished guests with tours; share an overview of AUC’s mission, history and achievements; and support the community by being hosts to AUC-organized conferences. They also acquire competitive skills, including leadership, self-reliance top-notch public communication. To ensure they’re equipped for these significant responsibilities, they’re trained by prominent instructors to guarantee the highest standards.

Yassa is the youngest of three sisters and grew up in a family that celebrated individuality. Her parents were always keen on sparking her and her sisters’ curiosity and keeping their imaginations alight. With that, exploration and inquisitiveness were always present in her family, and bringing together distinct fields such as music, science, and arts, were far from unordinary.

Growing up with vivid memories of “ABBA” and “The Carpenters” crooning softly in her home’s background, Yassa embraced her parent’s cross-disciplinary learning environment until she uniquely blended mathematics and writing in her studies today. This is in addition to her passion for sustainability along with astronomy and space. At AUC, she found herself immersed in a variety of resources that enabled her to follow her “kaleidoscope of passions,” as she describes it.

Pursuing her excitement for astronomy and space, Yassa had recently spoken about the newest SpaceX Falcon Rocket Technology to 1,000+ attendees as part of the annual Astronomy Club Conference. Also, uniting with AUC’s sustainable development efforts, she worked on several sustainability projects at the Center for Applied Research on the Environment and Sustainability (CARES) and developed and presented research on renewable energy solutions to aid Egyptian farmers. 

What’s more, when it comes to writing, Yassa had many of her creative works published, from articles on student health and research on how greed shapes modern humanity, to a short murder-comedy play for The Author’s Challenge at AUC. Notably, it was through this very eight-page literary endeavor that won over the judges that she traveled to Paris last summer to study film and cinema, all sponsored by AUC. 

Despite the current testing times, Yassa holds on to an optimistic view of the future, believing that innovation will come to the rescue. “There’s so much new technology being developed, which intersects with everything I’ve pursued throughout my 23 years of living,” she enthusiastically said. “As such, I can’t wait to be at the forefront of this new wave of creativity and innovation –– a dream AUC has empowered me to pursue.”

 

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$1.3 Million HUSS Grant for the Future of Art at AUC

Reem Abouemera
October 4, 2020
art

AUC’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences was recently awarded a grant agreement worth approximately $1.3M over two years from the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA) to fund “The Interdisciplinary Future of Art Education at AUC.”

Through the grant, the school plans to bolster the Department of the Arts with present-day, state-of-the-art technological resources to lay the foundations for the development and scaling up of the department's five programs: theatre, music, film, visual arts and graphic design. 

“This is a very important time in the history of HUSS because it gives us the needed support to be able to go forward to enhance liberal arts education,” said Zeinab Taha '78, '81, professor and interim dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. “Having the department equipped both in terms of human resources and equipment will result in excellent programs and, consequently, up-to-date graduates ready to contribute to the market both locally and internationally.”

Taking the form of creative platforms, five initiatives are currently in the works: a new Media Lab, Music Technology Studio, Fashion Design Lab, upgraded Sharjah Art Gallery and renovated classrooms/studios. Given the diverse and versatile nature of arts education, the intent is to bridge the exchange of knowledge and practices among the programs through interdisciplinary methods and experimentation. 

“This grant is a step toward interdisciplinary education, which I believe is the future of education,” said Haytham Nawar, associate professor and chair of the Department of the Arts. “The new interdisciplinary environment we are aiming for will help students develop the essential skills and understanding required in the diverse areas of the creative process. This approach will open the doors for future generations to reach a mutually collaborative and constructive understanding and achieve purposeful research.”

The specific goals of the Interdisciplinary Future of Art Education at AUC are twofold: to empower students with the knowledge and ability to explore expressive possibilities brought about by existing and emerging forms of technology, and to cultivate an intellectual framework to investigate, understand and navigate a world infused with media and communication technologies. 

The technologies are posited not as an end in themselves, but as a means to address fundamental questions pertaining to the human condition, complex relationships between ourselves and our mediated environment, and what it means to be an active participant in a world increasingly informed by computation and automation.

“The Office of Sponsored Programs is thrilled to work alongside the Department of the Arts in this transformative initiative," said Dina Adly (MPA '17), associate provost, of sponsored programs. "Being in line with AUC’s Centennial Strategic Plan pillar of ‘innovation,’ the award engages in the active purposing of resources toward creative and versatile academic endeavors."

Adly added, "AUC’s learning platforms are integral to student growth, faculty development and the University's impact on the community at large by integrating novel spaces, equipment and technology and by instilling American best practices and values. OSP is proud that the School of Humanities and Social Sciences won this significant award that will help shape the future of arts education at AUC and contribute to equipping our graduates for the present and future market.” 

Moreover, the department plans on introducing new undergraduate majors, including music technology and fashion design. “Several art disciplines are growing, and the demand is increasing in the MENA region. We hope to upgrade the existing material that we have to improve the current degrees, and we also aspire to introduce new ones to cater to this increasing demand,” added Nawar.

Taha highlights that despite its growing popularity, music technology, in particular, has no equivalent study in Egypt. In fact, only a few institutions offer a degree in that area in the Middle East. “This is an opportunity to graduate students at an unprecedented level in the Middle East and put AUC, especially with its liberal arts focus, as a leading institution on the map of qualified students to come study in Egypt.”

“With USAID/ASHA’s support, AUC will not only continue to nurture interdisciplinary learning strategies across programs under the Department of the Arts but will also [bulid] synergies and fresh collaborations between the Department of the Arts and other departments at AUC,” noted Adly.

As such, the interactive technology advancements and new program additions are set to take the Department of the Arts to new frontiers, meanwhile magnifying AUC’s liberal arts education and emphasizing inclusive, cross-disciplinary approaches to learning to equip students to excel in evolving, competitive markets.

 

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