A tall wooden door guards the Heliopolis apartment where, on a Saturday afternoon, Leila Saad ’66 checks emails on her iPad and prepares for a day of work. Amid the funky statues, potted plants and fairy lights that furnish her apartment, Saad fills the space with a smile, her white hair and pixie cut accentuating her vibrant energy. 

She insists on coffee — for her, karkade — and an hourlong chat before beginning the interview.

Donning black leggings, a colorful blouse and a cross necklace alluding to her Coptic roots, Saad is adamant that she would never leave Heliopolis as she gives us a tour of her old Cairo home. “God will take care of the destination and the rest,” insists Saad, relying on her faith in the present as she has during much of her eventful life.
The octogenarian’s career is going strong — she has an acting job later today, and she recently wrapped up a project she directed for AUC, The Importance of Being Earnest.

Church bells ring in the vicinity as she takes a seat on her balcony, a private garden filled with greenery. The first question — “Who is Leila Saad?” — prompts the actress to spring to life, her voice heavy and animated with conviction: “Leila Saad is an 88-year-old who is passionate about theatre and has been on a journey doing theatre for 61 years, since she was cast in a 1964 AUC rendition of Oklahoma in Ewart Memorial Hall.” 

She laughs that her first role caused three music directors to quit after Bob Harper, the casting director, insisted that she sing in the play (“I can’t sing,” says Saad). Thus began a love for theatre, which has since colored every aspect of Saad’s life. 

A New Life in North America

Soon after Oklahoma, Saad opened up a cafeteria called Greedee’s in the basement of the newly acquired Greek Campus, where she started meeting with AUC’s theatre group: “There was no theatre department at the time, but there was something called the Maskers Club,” she reminisces. “I have the best memories with them.”

Saad was majoring in English literature at first, but following Harper’s guidance, she soon received a full scholarship to study theatre at the University of Southern California (USC) — an offer she couldn’t refuse. She knew then she had to follow her dreams, even though she was sad to leave AUC in 1966.

“There was no theatre department at the time, but there was something called the Maskers Club. I have the best memories with them.”

“I was scared and nervous and hesitant, but I went. I took my suitcase and $11 because during Nasser’s rule, we were only allowed 5 Egyptian pounds (equivalent to $11 at the time),” says Saad. “I didn’t know anybody except a friend of mine whom I knew from Cairo and who happened to be studying television and film, and we lived together as roommates.”

Saad’s journey in the United States was one that spanned decades: She loved USC but disliked California, so she moved to Oregon, where she joined a graduate program in the theatre department and Middle East Studies Center at Portland State University. 

After a few years, Saad relocated again. “I was thriving in Portland, but it was time to move to the East Coast where there was more opportunity in theatre,” Saad says. She worked at Boston University (BU) and joined a professional theatre company in the city, where she remained for 25 years. 

From the 1920s to the 1960s, Khanji Publishing House played a leading role in editing, printing and distributing important Arabic and Islamic manuscripts. Last fall, in collaboration with five U.S. institutions — the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton University, New York University, the University of Michigan and the College of Charleston — AUC acquired the Maktabat al-Khanji Archive — a rare collection of thousands of documents covering the day-to-day business of the publishing house.

“The archive tells a story of where passion, business and culture intertwine."

Within the archive lie secrets, relationships and manuscripts that reveal new information about the history of the Arab-Islamic literature and publishing world. Now responsible for preserving this collection, AUC’s Rare Books and Special Collections Library (RBSCL) will be the first to hear and share these tidbits of the region’s history with the world.

What’s in an Archive?

With approximately 5,600 items, the collection provides a peek into the Arabic and Islamic publishing scene of the early 1900s, when Mohamed Amin al-Khanji (1865-1936) settled in Cairo to pursue his passion for searching, identifying and selling manuscripts. After starting his business, al-Khanji and his family quickly filled a pivotal role in the translocation of tens of thousands of Arabic manuscripts — when such trade was legal — including some of the most important collections worldwide.

“Al-Khanji’s interest in books and manuscripts started during his childhood in Syria, when he realized that local inhabitants don’t pay attention to the value of a manuscript,” says Amr Omar, assistant director at RBSCL and project supervisor. “He began his business in Istanbul, but due to tight restrictions on publishing, he had to move to Cairo, where it’s unfettered.”

The Maktabat al-Khanji Archive not only contains the history of new or previously lost manuscripts, but also correspondences, invoices, book orders, price lists and personal documents that reveal the everyday life of the business and its affiliates. “The archive tells a story of where passion, business and culture intertwine,” says Omar.

"It often takes us several months to solve the enigmatic part of the collections — some of which date back more than 100 years."

After receiving the archive, a team of library specialists was formed to begin an instant conservation treatment, a process that Omar says was “much needed” before each item in the collection could be scanned. Less than a year after the acquisition, the team has accomplished both tasks. 

Have you ever wondered what the ancient Egyptians would have eaten in the absence of homemade molokhiya and street shawarma? Mennat-Allah El Dorry ’05, assistant professor and chair of Coptic studies in the Department of Sociology, Egyptology and Anthropology, studies Egyptian food history. 

Here’s what she told us about ancient Egyptian eating habits, and how we know.

What was ancient Egyptian cuisine like?                             

When it comes to ancient Egyptian cuisine, we’re limited to the evidence we have. We know a lot about the raw ingredients, but we don’t know how they were put together. We can assume the cuisine as a whole was a very simple, rural one, but it’s difficult to describe in detail. Yet we know that it was largely based on land and available resources, with a bit of import and trade of products with others. For example, pomegranate was introduced in the New Kingdom from the East. It was a very local, seasonal diet, and this only changed in the last 100 years, as is the case with many traditional cuisines.

In what ways do we see remnants of the ancient Egyptian cuisine in Egyptian food today? 

There are specific products that are continuously used throughout Egyptian history. Khass baladi, or local lettuce, is seen in ancient Egyptian tomb scenes and continues to be used until now; it’s a staple of every baladi table. So are spring onions and attah, an ancient cucumber variety that can also be found today. Bread was an absolute cornerstone of the ancient Egyptian diet and is still in the modern Egyptian diet. These are staples of the ancient diet that have remained. There are also products that we assume existed but don’t have hardcore evidence for, like fermented cheese, while there are products that we have plenty of evidence for, such as dairy products, beef, duck, geese, fish, pork and other meats. 

Khass baladi, or local lettuce, is seen in ancient Egyptian tomb scenes and continues to be used until now; it’s a staple of every baladi table.

Coming to campus soon are three new sites that will transform AUC as we know it. Underway are the Technology, Research and Innovation Lab (TRI-Lab), the public-facing Extended Education Hub and accessible NextGen Student Living and Learning Spaces — all central components of the Campus 2026 development project.

“This is the year we take our vision from a big idea to a tangible reality,” says AUC President Ahmad Dallal. “Over the past several years, the University has worked to shape the plans for campus expansion that were first envisioned as part of the original campus design and later carefully refined to advance AUC’s strategic vision. This year, we will work together to take the three transformative, strategic projects from detailed plans to effective programs.”

Three tower cranes — one for each project site — are visible from afar, facilitating material handling on the ground. Behind each construction site are core values, safety protocols, an army of engineers and technicians, and even on-site student trainees that reflect AUC’s identity.

Meaningful Design

Throughout the building plans, the key themes of sustainability, accessibility and public service are pervasive. Physically, the new architectural style symbolizes a continuation but also an advancement of the New Cairo campus.

“The new buildings will not only be in harmony with the existing style and features of our campus, but they will also be considered the next generation of green buildings — driven by performance and environmental stewardship,” says Khaled Tarabieh, University architect and associate
professor of sustainable design in the Department of Architecture.

“The new buildings will not only be in harmony with the existing style and features of our campus, but they will also be considered the next generation of green buildings — driven by performance and environmental stewardship."

Material selection, for instance, will adhere to current campus design guidelines. Sandstone, which is known for its superior insulation against solar heat gain, will continue to be used for exterior walls, and tree species will continue to be selected according to water efficiency and green
canopy surface area. High-performance glazing and energy-efficient equipment will enhance sustainability. Yet, new systems will be installed for the first time, such as gray water optimization systems, which will allow for reduced water intake by at least 50% in the new buildings. Meanwhile, shading and evaporative cooling strategies will continue to be used to ensure comfortable outdoor spaces. The buildings will also contain energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, electric vehicle charging in select parking areas and dedicated recycling rooms to properly sort and divert waste off campus. All of the designs are in compliance with the globally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification standards for new construction.

“This year, we will work together to take the three transformative, strategic projects from detailed plans to effective programs.”

Accessibility will also be at the forefront of the designs. For instance, the NextGen student housing will be equipped with accessible restrooms, elevators, ramps, common spaces, a teaching kitchen, a small grocery store, a music and gaming studio, and even a dual-delivery classroom.
Confirming that the other sites will also be accessible, Tarabieh says, “We are studying the installation of tactile tiles [special floor tiles that assist pedestrians with visual impairments] for members of our community who need it.”

Service is at the core of the projects, particularly for the Extended Education Hub, which will house state-of-the-art programs for extended education learners while also hosting events and conferences for the public, with networking and lounge spaces for professionals.
“The hub is strategically located to serve professionals seeking training, primarily in New Cairo and the New Administrative Capital, and is within walking distance of the monorail station,”
says Tarabieh.

Student Trainees On Site

Over the summer, several AUC students interned at the construction site, jumpstarting their careers.

“Working on AUC’s campus expansion project was incredible,” says Nouran Hany, a construction engineering junior and project intern. “I got to know how every project, every task and every structure all sync and come together to bring AUC’s vision to life.”

“I got to know how every project, every task and every structure all sync and come together to bring AUC’s vision to life.”

Hassan El Mogui, architecture junior, was grateful for the hands-on opportunity. “The fact that I’m applying what I learned into AUC itself is unique and special,” he says. “At the site, I was able to visualize what [was shown] in the architectural drawings and reports and see how they’re
implemented in real life. I feel I’m part of something bigger for AUC.”

With less than 1,400 cases of supercentenarians in history, the exceedingly rare occurrence of living past 110 is a sought-after phenomenon in the research on human longevity. However, Sungsoo Chun, professor at AUC’s Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, points out that the experimental methods used to research each case differs, with each country’s experts typically studying their supercentenarians independently. This creates problems when comparing results, making it difficult to generalize or draw scientific conclusions that apply beyond each individual case. “We need to collectivize existing and future studies to find the secret behind extreme longevity,” Chun says.

To do this, Chun started a cohort study network composed of international subject matter experts. This method pools together existing data on supercentenarians while the network designs a protocol to standardize future research in this area of study. 

The protocol, which will determine the specific cohort design and data points to be collected in future studies, will connect all research on supercentenarians, allowing longevity researchers to work together. “Without the collaboration of global experts, it’s impossible,” says Chun. 

The Global Supercentenarian Cohort Network Study conference, which was hosted at AUC in May 2025, brought researchers one step closer to finalizing a protocol. “Two years ago, we set up the network with 42 study panel members from around the world, and they all shared their insights. Accordingly, we developed a draft of the protocol,” he says. “This conference was one of the final stages to global experts reaching a consensus.”