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On the cover: The newly renovated AUC Downtown, photographed by Dana Smillie Contents At 22, Ethar El-Katatney ’07 has received several international awards for her work as a journalist Page 14 Ahmad El-Nemr FEATURES 12 A CELEBRATION OF SUCCESS At AUC’s 87th undergraduate commencement, distinguished students and faculty members were honored. 16 THE GOLDEN AGE AUC Press, the Middle East’s top English-language publishing house, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. 19 BEYOND LITERARY BOUNDS AUC’s newly established Center for Translation Studies is hosting leading Arabic- English translators as part of its new lecture series, in addition to other initiatives to foster research in translation studies. 20 ACT ONE Bringing together alumni who share a passion for theatre, the new Alumni Community Theatre group presents good-quality theatre to the Egyptian community. 26 WHAT’S UP WITH DOWNTOWN? AUC Downtown, which includes the university’s historic palace as well as Hill House and the Falaki Academic Center, has been remodeled and renovated. 31 FROM INSIDE AUC Alumni give their input on how they would like AUC Downtown to be remodeled, as part of the contest that ran in Inside AUC, the monthly alumni e-newsletter. 32 DISCOVERING A FOREIGN LAND Dalia Abdel Ghany, business administration major, tells the story of the time she spent in Japan as a study-abroad student. DEPARTMENTS 4 AUSCENES Queen Rania Al Abdullah ’91 speaks at AUC, new Board of Trustees member appointed, PhD program begins, provost starts new lecture series, Arabic Web site launched, Professor Salah Arafa honored for environmental work ALUMNI PROFILES 14 Ethar El-Katatney ’07 is the first Egyptian to win CNN’s African Journalist of the Year Award 25 Nevine Loutfy ’74 is the first woman in the Arab world to head an Islamic bank 39 Gala El Hadidi ’05, ’07 is the youngest singer to join the Cairo Opera Company 35 AROUND THE WORLD Alumni meet in various countries 40 AKHER KALAM Gihane Refaat, a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership Center, recounts the lessons learned from the program

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Page 1: Spring 2010 ()

On the cover:The newly renovated AUC Downtown, photographed by Dana Smillie

ContentsAt 22, Ethar El-Katatney ’07 has received several internationalawards for her work as a journalist Page 14

Ahm

ad E

l-Nem

r

FEATURES12 A CELEBRATION OF SUCCESS

At AUC’s 87th undergraduate commencement, distinguished students and faculty members were honored.

16 THE GOLDEN AGEAUC Press, the Middle East’s top English-language publishing house, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

19 BEYOND LITERARY BOUNDSAUC’s newly established Center for Translation Studies is hosting leading Arabic-English translators as part of its new lecture series, in addition to other initiatives to foster research in translation studies.

20 ACT ONEBringing together alumni who share a passion for theatre, the new Alumni Community Theatre group presents good-quality theatre to the Egyptian community.

26 WHAT’S UP WITH DOWNTOWN?AUC Downtown, which includes the university’s historic palace as well as Hill House and the Falaki Academic Center, has been remodeled and renovated.

31 FROM INSIDE AUCAlumni give their input on how they would like AUC Downtown to be remodeled, as part of the contest that ran in Inside AUC, the monthly alumni e-newsletter.

32 DISCOVERING A FOREIGN LANDDalia Abdel Ghany, business administration major, tells the story of the time she spent inJapan as a study-abroad student.

DEPARTMENTS4 AUSCENES

Queen Rania Al Abdullah ’91 speaksat AUC, new Board of Trusteesmember appointed, PhD programbegins, provost starts new lectureseries, Arabic Web site launched,Professor Salah Arafa honored forenvironmental work

ALUMNI PROFILES14 Ethar El-Katatney ’07 is the first

Egyptian to win CNN’s African Journalist of the Year Award

25 Nevine Loutfy ’74 is the first woman in the Arab world to head an Islamic bank

39 Gala El Hadidi ’05, ’07 is the youngest singer to join the Cairo Opera Company

35 AROUND THE WORLDAlumni meet in various countries

40 AKHER KALAMGihane Refaat, a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership Center, recounts the lessons learned from the program

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2 AUCTODAY Spring 2010

The American University in Cairo is anonprofit private institution devoted toproviding English-language liberal artseducation to serve Egypt and the Middle East.

Editor in ChiefDalia Al Nimr

DesignerHanan Omary

WritersHenry Agbo, Doaa Farag and Sarah Topol

Advisory BoardGalal Zaki ’68; Magda Hayek ’72, ’76, ’94;Adel El-Labban ’77, ’80; Hanzada Fikry ’78,’81; Nayera Fadel ’94; Islam Badra ’98;Raghda El Ebrashi ’04, ’07; and DinaBasiony ’08

Photography Zeina Awaydate, Ahmad El-Nemr, AmiraGabr, Mahmoud Hindy and Dana Smillie

AUCToday is published three timesa year by the American University in Cairo.

We welcome all letters. Submissions may beedited for space and clarity. Please send allcorrespondence to:

AUCTodayThe American University in CairoAUC AvenueP.O. Box 74New Cairo 11835EgyptorAUCTodayThe American University in Cairo420 Fifth Avenue, Third floorNew York, NY 10018-2729USA

tel 20.2.2615.2405 (Egypt)[email protected]/publications/auctoday

AUCTODAYSpring 2010

Volume 18, No. 2

I t’s always a pleasure to talk about fellow alumni and where theyare now. In this issue, we feature examples of AUC alumni who

have stood out and excelled in their fields. Ethar El-Katatney ’07(“A Reporter Without Borders,” page 14), who entered AUC atthe young age of 15 and is currently studying for a dual master’sdegree at the university, is the first Egyptian to win in CNN’sAfrican Journalist of the Year competition. Nevine Loutfy ’74 (“A Career of Firsts,” page 25), the first woman in the Arab worldto head an Islamic bank, is spearheading the difficult mission ofreforming the National Bank for Development, which was in aloss situation, and transforming it into an institution compliantwith Islamic sharia. In addition, Galal El Hadidi ’05, ’07 (“Hittinga High Note,” page 39), the youngest singer to join the CairoOpera Company, is studying for a Master of Music degree at Yale’sSchool of Music and has been an opera singer in numerouscountries worldwide.

Theatre lovers will be excited to hear about the new AlumniCommunity Theatre group (see “Act One,” page 20). Bringingtogether approximately 40 alumni who share a passion for theatre,members of the group handle the whole process, from performing,directing and fundraising to stage management, production anddesign. Still in its first year, the group has performed twoproductions in different theatre venues throughout Cairo, includingchurches, bookstores, gardens, and of course, their alma mater.Despite the fact that many of them have their own jobs and haveto drive straight from work for late-night rehearsals, they arepersistent on achieving their goal of becoming a recognized alumnitheatre group in Egypt, giving back good theatre to the communityand relaying what they’ve learned through theatre andimprovisation workshops.

It makes me proud to see such examples ofAUC alumni who are making a mark. This allcomes to show that whatever field you are in, ifyou work with passion and commitment, youare bound to achieve something.

Editor’s Notes

Alumni at the Forefront

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I would like to congratulate you on such a great issue. I have read AUC Today Fall 2009,and I’m very impressed. I read the article by Peter Wieben about Majzub’s Abjad systemand thought it was very interesting. I would like to ask you if you could give me a way tocontact Mr. Majzub. I am a mass communication student at AUC.

Reem Gehad, Egypt

Abjad Cairo18 Rd. 16 2A, Hadayek El Maadi, Cairo, Egypttel 20.2.2528.6643/20.2.2528.6645 fax 20.2.2525.0994www.abjad.com

I finished reading the AUCToday Fall 2009 issue. I liked the vignette about the year-abroads who planted a tree and thefinal story about the alumna who works for the United Nations. I loved the article about the new Arabic learningtechnique. I probably need to invest in one of those Abjad Arabic learning sets.

Kristi Beres (YAB ’95), United States

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AUCToday Mail

InBox

We Would Like to Hear From YouAUCToday welcomes letters from readers. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Please send to [email protected] or Editor,AUCToday, Office of Communications and Marketing, AUC Avenue, P.O. Box 74, New Cairo 11835, Egypt

Inside AUC, Monthly Alumni E-newsletter

As the university gears up to the upcoming alumni weekend, wouldn’t it be nice if the alumniwall was unveiled as part of the celebrations? I understand the construction of the wall in itsnew location will be completed this spring, coinciding, hopefully, with the start of the alumniweekend. If so, wouldn’t it be fitting that, on their exciting homecoming, alumni guests aregiven the unique opportunity of viewing the wall with, I am sure, its many wonderfulinscriptions that fellow AUCians have chosen as their means of honoring those named onthe wall?

Motaz Derhalli ’62, Canada

Ed –– AUCToday checked with AUC’s development office. Plans are underway for the construction of the alumni wall in theUniversity Garden. When complete, the wall will bear more than 1,700 inscribed bricks. An exact completion date has not yetbeen set, but AUCToday will follow up and keep you posted of this important milestone. Many alumni contributed to theuniversity by naming bricks, and a special area in the AUC garden has been dedicated to commemorate this generosity. Thisarea is located at the highest point in the garden, adjoining the student housing complex and the conference center. It includesseating and landscaping.

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AUC recently appointed leadingQatari educator and the

president of the University of Qatar,Professor Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad,as a member of its Board of Trustees.

Prior to serving as president of theUniversity of Qatar in 2003, ProfessorAl-Misnad held positions in teaching,administration and research at the

university, including the posts of vicepresident for research and communitydevelopment, head of the Departmentof Foundations of Education and headof the University Council.

Professor Al-Misnad received herBachelor of Arts in education from theUniversity of Qatar, as well as adiploma in education and her PhDfrom Durham University in the UnitedKingdom. She has also been awardedan honorary doctorate in civil law byDurham University in recognition ofher outstanding achievements in thefield of education.

Al-Misnad has played an importantrole in the reform of primary,secondary and private education inQatar. She is a member of theSupreme Educational Council that

oversees the reform of publicly fundededucation with the aim of establishingprogressive and modern independentschools that are privately operated, butpublicly funded.

B. Boyd Hight, chairman of AUC’sBoard of Trustees, said that Al-Misnadwill provide unique counsel as amember of the university’s board.“Professor Sheikha Al-Misnad’sprofessional experience in educationand educational reform in the Arabregion will provide AUC’s Board ofTrustees with invaluable expertise inthat field,” said Hight. “In addition,she will play a vital role in advancingAUC’s mission to serve the region inproviding quality education to thenext generation of leaders in theArab world.”

Leading Qatari Educator Namedto Board of Trustees

Charles Norman has been named dean of the School of Continuing Education. Normanjoins AUC from the University of Tennessee, where he held numerous positions, including

dean, vice chancellor and special assistant to the executive vice president of the University ofTennessee state system.

Norman received his bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University, where he studiedplant and soil science with a minor in political science and education. After receiving his master’s inagricultural extension education, he went on to earn a PhD in educational leadership, both at theUniversity of Georgia. When asked about his dual interests in agriculture and education, he said,“While I have stayed involved in agriculture programs throughout my career, all my leadership andmanagement positions have been educationally focused and community based.”

His previous experience includes work on public-policy grants, statewide outreach programs for the Universityof Tennessee and distance-learning programs at the University of Georgia. Looking forward to his new role atAUC, Norman said, “The School of Continuing Education has tremendous potential since it is already sorespected and well-connected to the community. I am excited to work with people to accomplish the school’sgoals in the community.”

School of Continuing Education Appoints New Dean

Al-Misnad during the Knowledge Society Symposiumheld by AUC in 2005

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An alumna and a global advocatefor community empowerment,

Her Majesty Queen Rania AlAbdullah ’91 of Jordan recently spokeat AUC about the importance ofcivic engagement in the Arab regionand the role it can play in improvinglives and ensuring progress. In heraddress, she called on the nextgeneration of young Arabs who have benefited from higher education toaccept their obligation to advance their societies.

AUC President David D. Arnold noted that Queen Rania stands as arole model for young people around the globe, pointing out that shechose “a life of service and volunteer leadership on behalf of others,” andthat her example stands “as a testament to all the best qualities that wewish our graduates to strive for.”

In her address, Queen Rania pointed out that civic engagement isrooted in Arab culture and that now is the time to revive it again andfuse fresh energy into it. She referred to the story of the founder ofAlashanek ya Balady, Raghda El Ebrashi ’04, ’07, who at the age of 12was inspired by a poor woman to start her foundation. The queenunderscored how this story can serve as an example to be emulated bymany others, saying that in “each and every one of us is the ability tolook beyond ourselves. Civic engagement is about leaving the four wallsof your life and looking up.” Queen Rania ended her talk by calling foraction and change. “What are we waiting for? None of us can hope to fixeverything, but each of us can do something,” she said, adding that peopleshould not wait for governments to act. Civic engagement, she explained,“is a path to enlightenment” and even though it is not enough to elevatea country’s status, it is an indispensable part of it.

Barbara Ibrahim, director of the John D. Gerhart Center for Philanthropyand Civic Engagement, which organized the event, noted, “Her MajestyQueen Rania is a role model for those who believe that no matter howyoung one may be, determination and vision can result in importantimpact on our region and the reforms that are so urgently needed.”

To watch Queen Rania’s lecture on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/auc.

Queen RaniaSpeaks at AUC

5

Galal Amin, professor ofeconomics, has received the

Sultan Bin Al Owais CulturalFoundation Award, which recognizesdistinguished works and richcontributions to Arab culture. Amin’saward was for the humanitarian andfuturistic studies section in recognitionof his contributions to economics,politics, community and culture.

“I felt quite honored and veryhappy to get this prestigious award,which is probably the mostdistinguished cultural prize in the Arabworld,” said Amin. “It is really a verybig boost to me.”

Amin is also the recipient of theAward for Economics from theKuwait Foundation for theAdvancement of Science; Order ofMerit for the Sciences and Arts fromthe President of Egypt; and the StatePrize for Economics (Egypt).

Galal Amin WinsArab Culture Award

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The university has introduced itsfirst PhD program in the School

of Sciences and Engineering (SSE).The program will offer PhD degreesin applied sciences with specializationsin nanotechnology, biotechnology andcomputer science; and in engineeringwith specializations in mechanical,construction, electronics andenvironmental engineering.

“This is an important milestone forAUC,” said AUC Provost LisaAnderson. “It took five years of hardwork and research to set up thecriteria for this program. Weinvestigated every single detail tomake sure everything would go well–– faculty, facilities, accreditation,library and external funding.”

According to Medhat Haroun, SSEdean, “Surveys conducted by theuniversity showed that there is stronginterest from well-qualified studentsto pursue PhD degrees at AUC. Infact, there is a real shortage in thenumber of highly qualified scientistsat the doctoral level in fields such asbiotechnology, bioinformatics,nanotechnology, informationtechnology and cutting-edgeengineering applications. AUC hasopportunities to build human capacityin these disciplines and to address theshortage in highly qualified facultymembers in the region.”

In his remarks at the PhD launch,Haroun noted that there are severalfactors that prompted theintroduction of the PhD program.These include the strength of existingSSE master’s programs and the recentintroduction of new innovativegraduate programs in biotechnology,nanotechnology and food chemistry.In addition, the PhD programcomplements the strong foundation of

SSE undergraduate studies and theinternational accreditation the schoolreceived from ABET, a recognizedU.S. accrediting body for universityprograms in computing, engineering,technology and applied science.Haroun also credited faculty membersat the School of Sciences andEngineering for their combinedexcellence and contributions toimportant ongoing research.

According to Amr Shaarawi,associate dean for graduate studies andresearch, the PhD program is open forstudents with MSc degrees fromrecognized schools. “We anticipatePhD students to receive their degreesin four years,” he said, explaining thatthe program will start with 10students in the first year, and fiveadditional new students per year, untilreaching sustained enrollment of 25students. “We are selecting a smallnumber of students on purpose,”Shaarawi explained. “We want toguarantee quality, and it is importantfor us to do it well with a great dealof professionalism.”

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New PhD Program Begins

AUC’s biotechnology graduate students will benefitfrom the new PhD program in the field

To celebrate the successful endof its comprehensive capital

campaign, AUC held a Founders’Dinner to honor majorcontributors. The campaign, whichwas officially launched in 2003,raised funds to build the NewCairo campus, improve the qualityof education the university canoffer, increase the number ofscholarships based on academicexcellence and financial need, aswell as recruit high-quality faculty.The campaign has gone beyond its$100 million target, raising almost$125 million, of which more thanhalf went to the establishment ofAUC New Cairo.

Alumni played an active role inthe campaign. The number ofalumni donors amounted to4,342, contributing more than$46 million. This represents thelargest constituency in thenumber of donors, which totalled6,830, and the second largest inthe total amount donated.Seventy-one percent of thedonors came from Egypt,followed by North America.There were also donations fromthe Gulf and other countries.

Capital CampaignRaises $125 Million

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AUC Launches Three New Schools

In two separate ceremonies held at AUC New Cairo, theuniversity launched its new School of Global Affairs and

Public Policy (GAPP) and the School of Business (BUS), aswell as the Graduate School of Education (GSE). Althoughthe three schools have been operational since last fall, theceremonies marked the official launch, and were attended byEgyptian and international dignitaries.

GAPP is composed of three academic departments: law,public policy and administration, and journalism and masscommunication. The school also includes five researchcenters and programs covering a wide range of topicsincluding gender and women’s studies, electronic journalism,Middle East studies, American studies, as well as migrationand refugee studies. Highlighting the importance of theschool’s programs, Ambassador Nabil Fahmy ’74, ’77,founding dean of GAPP, noted that in today’s world, theglobal community needs to “empower itself with inclusivemultidisciplinary thinking, tolerance for others and a globaloutlook to the policy issues it faces.”

BUS is made up of three departments: economics,management and accounting. It also includes theManagement Center, as well as multiple executive education

and research centers. In 2006, the school receivedaccreditation by the Association to Advance CollegiateSchools of Business International, making it one of only 5percent of all business schools in the world to receive suchaccreditation. “The School of Business is extremelyambitious, and our goal is to claim a rank among the world’stop 100 schools,” said Sherif Kamel ’88, ’90, dean of BUS.

GSE offers professional educator diploma programs in fiveareas: educational leadership, early literacy education, teachingdiverse learners, integrated educational technology forclassroom teachers and teaching for non-education majors.The school also offers parenting courses to Egyptian families,and a master’s program in international and comparativeeducation will begin in Fall 2010. In addition, the school’sMiddle East Institute of Higher Education targets research,policy dialogue and capacity building for post-secondaryinstitutions worldwide. “With this school, we have anopportunity to bring the best education research, practicesand perspectives in the world to Egypt,” said AUC ProvostLisa Anderson.

To watch the events on YouTube, visitwww.youtube.com/auc.

Amre Moussa Delivers Nadia Younes Lecture

As part of the annual Nadia Younes Memorial Lecture, in remembrance of NadiaYounes who tragically lost her life in 2003 while serving as the chief of staff for

the special representative of the UN secretary-general in Iraq, Amre Moussa, secretary-general of the League of Arab States, delivered a public lecture on international service.Explaining the risks and challenges facing the United Nations, Moussa spoke about theinstrumental role international organizations and international law must play inalleviating the conflicts in the region, such as the war in Iraq and the Arab-Israeliconflict, as well as in combating global crises like climate change, food security andwater shortage.

“It is detrimental to stability to marginalize the United Nations,” Moussa noted. “In the Middle East, we continue to feelthis marginalization, especially in the failure of the UN Security Council to seek a just solution to the Arab-Israeli conflictand the rights of the Palestinian people.” Because the United Nations serves as a vehicle committed to fairness, justice andinternational principles of human rights, Moussa urged students to champion its cause. “As days pass by, I feel more and morethat my generation will not be able to solve this conflict,” he said. “You need to know what awaits you. We have failed timeand again, and it’s because of the marginalization of the United Nations.”

To watch Amre Moussa’s lecture on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/auc.

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AUC engineering students received first prize at the11th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference

on Computers and Accessibility for their project onassistive technologies for individuals on the autismspectrum. The project, part of the Affective Computingresearch group at the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology’s (MIT) Media Laboratory, creates a wearablesystem designed to recognize a person’s emotions throughanalyzing facial expressions in a video.

The project was co-authored by Abdelrahman Mahmoud,AUC computer engineering senior; Youssef Kashef, AUCelectronics engineering senior; and Mish Madsen, graduatestudent at the MIT Media Laboratory. The project wassupervised by Rana El Kaliouby ’98, ’00, who currentlyholds a research scientist position at MIT.

The three-year project at MIT is funded by the U.S.National Science Foundation and aims to develop a

wearable social-emotional systemto help autisticindividualsimprove theircommunicationabilities bydetecting the socialcues of others. It iscurrently being piloted at theGroden Center, a school forautism spectrum disorders in theUnited States. “[The research] ishuman centered so it is not justabout computers and machines.People actually benefit from it,”said Kashef.

Students Awarded First Prize for Emotion Recognition Project

Hagar Ibrahim, computer science junior in AUC’s Leadership forEducation and Development program, received the Moataz Al Alfi

Award for Excellence in Civic Engagement and Philanthropy. Offered by Al Alfi Foundation for Human and Social Development,

the award was established by prominent philanthropist, business leader and Vice Chairman of AUC’s Board of TrusteesMoataz Al Alfi to recognize an undergraduate junior who balances academic achievement with leadership inphilanthropy and service to the broader community. The award, which has both a financial and a mentoring component,requires candidates to submit a proposal identifying a key issue in society and provide a potential solution or campaign.Ibrahim’s project is to develop a software engineering company, where she will employ 20 students from local publichigh schools as interns to provide them with training in computer programming.

“To be a good programmer in Egypt is not an easy thing; it is a very competitive field,” said Ibrahim. “I was hoping tofind the place where I can develop my skills and gain the knowledge and experience to become a professionalprogrammer. I want to provide public school students this opportunity because I believe they all have high potential ifguided in the right direction with proper training and experience.”

In addition to community-service work on campus, Ibrahim also participated in off-campus activities, includingvolunteering with Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Suzanne Mubarak Women’s International Peace Movement. She wasalso secretary-general of the Alexandria International Model United Nations, a speaker and moderator at the Islamicconference youth forum, and a study-abroad student at Portland State University in the United States.

LEAD Student Receives Moataz Al AlfiAward for Philanthropy

Kashef and Mahmoud

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As part of its outreach to the Arabic-speaking community, AUC launched anew Web site in Arabic. The site will serve as the communication hub for

all Arabic content, including the biannual magazine, In Arabic, which includesArabic articles covering topics such as faculty research, alumni achievementsand community outreach. This new initiative and AUC’s Arabic Facebookpage allow Arabic speakers to gain access to information about academic andresearch activities, cultural events and university news.

Describing the importance of this initiative, Moataz Al Alfi, vicechairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, noted, “Despite the pivotalrole that AUC has played throughout the years in education and service, itsconnection with the Arabic-speaking community needed endorsement. Therefore, it was imperativeto find a channel of communication between the university and the different constituents of the Arabic-speakingcommunity because AUC is a vital bridge between East and West, connecting Egypt and the region with the world at large.”

The Arabic Web site includes pages currently available on the English version of the AUC Web site that are relevant to theArabic-speaking community. The site will also promote public events that are in Arabic or feature Arabic translation.

AUC Launches Arabic Web Site, Magazine

The Rare Books and Special Collections Library recentlyreceived a 20,000-volume book collection from

philosophy professor Father Pierre Riches. An Italian priest, Riches was born in Alexandria, Egypt.

Describing his affinity with the city, he noted, “I feel veryconnected to Alexandria, belonging and a product of thatvery particular place that Alexandria was from approximately1880 to 1945 or so –– insulated, cosmopolitan, veryparticular and non-repeatable.”

Having completed his studies at Victoria College, Richesacquired his master’s in philosophy from CambridgeUniversity and his doctorate in theology from the PontificalLateran University in Italy. Riches held visiting professorshipsat Loyola University, at both the Chicago and Romecampuses, and at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester,Massachusetts. He has also lectured in the philosophydepartment of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

The assorted works, which come in a variety of languages,represent numerous genres including rare and first-editionbooks and manuscripts; books signed by their authors;political and historical tracts; pieces on fine arts, cinema andphotography; as well as thousands of novels, short stories,plays, philosophical treatises and books of poetry. “The

wealth of this collection from an intellectual perspectivealone demonstrates the absolute boon it will be to AUCstudents, faculty and researchers,” said Philip Croom,associate dean of the rare books library. “These worksrepresent a real treasure trove.”

Riches’s extensive collection is the combination of worksthat he has collected throughout his life, including gifts fromwell-known literary friends and books bequeathed to him byfamily members. Explaining why he chose AUC, Richesnoted, “They have enough books in Europe and not enoughin Egypt, so I hope these books have an educative effect.”

AUC Trustee Sadek Wahba ’87, managing director of theU.S.-based Morgan Stanley who donated the shipping costs,explained the importance of such a collection to theuniversity. “This gift attests to the important intellectual roleAUC plays in the region, bridging cultures and providing thestudents with a true liberal arts education.”

Sharing the same viewpoint, Catarina Belo, assistantprofessor of philosophy at AUC, added, “This extraordinarilygenerous gift, for which the philosophy department is mostgrateful, will significantly boost the library holdings inphilosophy and greatly assist our faculty, students and visitorswith their academic work and scholarly interests.”

Library Receives 20,000 Volumes of Rare Books Collection

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Provost Starts New Lecture Series

Provost Lisa Anderson established a new series of lectures at the universitythat will provide AUC professors with the opportunity to showcase their

research and scholarship to faculty and students, as well as the Egyptiancommunity at large. Anderson noted that AUC’s faculty includesprominent scholars from around the world and that much of the researchtaking place by faculty members is being recognized globally. “We hopethat this begins a series of dialogues with the bigger society which weare part of,” said Anderson. “We would like it to be reciprocal, so thatpeople would not only get the chance to see our faculty, but theywould also be able to follow up with their research.”Each semester, the provost will host four lectures –– three in

English and one in Arabic. Translation will be provided for alllectures. For the Spring 2010 semester, Ali Hadi, vice provost and professorof mathematics and actuarial science, will deliver a lecture on May 5 titled“Visualizing Data Beyond Three-Dimensions: An Introduction to theVisualization of Massive, High-Dimensional Data.” Other facultymembers who gave lectures this semester include Ambassador NabilFahmy ’74, ’77, dean of AUC’s School of Global Affairs and PublicPolicy; Galal Amin, professor of economics and renowned author; andSalima Ikram, professor of Egyptology and leading scholar in Egyptianfunerary archaeology.

To watch the Provost’s Lecture series on YouTube, visitwww.youtube.com/auc.

Ambassador Nabil Fahmy

Professor Galal Amin

Professor S

alima Ikram

Vice Provost Ali Hadi

AUSACE Conference Draws Prominent Media Scholars

Under the theme Innovative Media in a Changing Middle East, AUC hosted the 14th annual Arab-U.S. Association forCommunication Educators Conference (AUSACE). The main objective of the conference was to provide a forum for

communication educators, students and media professionals throughout the Middle East, the United States and the rest ofthe world to discuss the innovation of media and its ongoing, uneven impact on a changing region.

“This is a valuable opportunity to share ideas and exchange lessons and to encourage and promote cross-cultural,intellectual and scientific dialogue,” said Naila Hamdy, chair of AUC’s journalism and mass communication department andAUSACE president.

The conference was attended by a large number of media academics and scholars from different Egyptian and Arabinstitutions, including AUC, as well as Cairo, Ain Shams, Suhag, Kuwait, Lebanese, Sharjah and Algeria universities. It wasalso attended by media professors from the United States, Europe and Asia.

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Community Catalyst

Salah Arafa named Man of the Year for

Environment and Development

Salah Arafa, physics professor atAUC, has been selected Manof the Year for Environment

and Development by the Society ofWriters on Environment andDevelopment. Arafa researches howto utilize natural resources to createeco-friendly communities in ruralvillages, which will develop capacityand competency for residents of ruralareas. One of Arafa’s projects, Basaisa,has gained wide recognition as amodel for successful sustainabledevelopment projects in Egypt.

Established in 1996 by renownedEgyptian journalist Salama AhmedSalama, the Society of Writers onEnvironment and Developmenthonors experts who had an impact onenvironmental development. Thesociety’s goal is to develop thecapabilities of journalists working inthe environmental field and to raiseawareness on environmental issues.“Professor Salah Arafa is the leadingpioneer in environmentaldevelopment in Egypt,” said SusanZaki, the society’s secretary-general.“The society honors him for hisdistinguished role in achievingsustainable development in ruralEgypt. He was the first to use solarenergy and recycling in rural areas,

and was the first to develop thecapacity of young people living inrural areas and to empower ruralwomen through offering appropriatetraining and job opportunities that arecompatible with their way of life.”

In 1974, Arafa decided to gobeyond the boundaries of a universityand work in a small village in theSharkia governorate. At the time, hewas working alone without funds orsupporters. Every Friday, he wouldtravel to this remote village, Basaisa,to work with residents on improvingliving conditions. By utilizing localresources and engaging all of theresidents of the village, Arafa createdan “integrated approach todevelopment.” His program includedtraining sessions in agriculture,efficient use of natural resources,literacy, group collaboration, creativethinking and community building.Today, as a result of Arafa’s efforts,Basaisa has been transformed from apoor and marginalized village to aneco-friendly community forsustainable development.

Through open dialogue anddedication, Arafa was able toencourage the residents of Basaisa towork with him to reduce illiteracyrates, educate women, as well as

guide youth and farmers. After acouple of years of workingindependently, AUC students, friendsand colleagues joined Arafa in thismission. “When people started tolearn about what I was doing inBasaisa, they became enthusiastic andwanted to participate so that theycould direct their efforts towardsustainable development,” Arafaexplained. “In the end, everyonefound something to contribute and away to share in the responsibility ofthis project.”

Arafa also started a project in 1992in New Basaisa, a small desertcommunity in Ras Sudr, South Sinaigovernorate. “When we went to thenew village, we introduced newtechnologies, such as recycling ofagricultural waste to produce biogas,and solar energy for producingelectricity and heat,” Arafa said.“With 28 young men, we were ableto create a new eco-desertcommunity that is ecologically andenvironmentally friendly. It wasdifficult, but possible.” ❒

By Doaa Farag

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Graduates and faculty members

honored at AUC’s 87th

commencement ceremony

Photos by Ahmad El-Nemr

of SuccessA Celebration

12 AUCTODAY Spring 2010

Hassan Azzazy, chair of the chemistrydepartment, receiving the Excellence inTeaching Award

Georges Abi-Saab, professor emeritusof international law at the GraduateInstitute of International Studies inGeneva, speaking at the graduatecommencement

Nadine Hagar, biology major, recipientof the President’s Cup

Center: Mahmoud El Lozy ’76, ’79receiving the Excellence in Researchand Creative Endeavors Award;bottom: Mohamed Shafik Gabr ’73receiving a plaque from AUCPresident David D. Arnold

Held in AUC New Cairo’s ARTOC SportsCourt, the university celebrated its 87thundergraduate commencement ceremony with

the presentation of 411 bachelor’s degrees.Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Prime

Minister Ahmed Nazif, Minister of Higher Education andMinister of State for Scientific Research Hany Helalfocused on the role of AUC in promoting science and

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technology in Egypt. “We are all expecting that AUC will continue itscontribution to develop the leaders that Egypt needs,” he said. “In research,AUC is a catalyst and partner in science and technology, engaged in a new kindof cultural diplomacy.”

AUC Trustee Ahmed Zewail, U.S. science envoy and member of PresidentBarack Obama’s Council on Science and Technology, also briefly offered adviceto the new graduates. “On your way up the ladder of success, do not forgetthose who cannot climb the ladder,” said Zewail. “Be prepared to help yourselfand your family with passion and love, and be prepared to help the world atlarge with devotion.”

Faculty members recognized during the ceremony were Medhat Haroun,dean of the School of Sciences and Engineering, who received the Excellencein Academic Service Award; Hassan Azzazy, chair of the chemistrydepartment, who received the Excellence in Teaching Award; andMahmoud El Lozy ’76, ’79, professor of performing and visualarts, who was granted the Excellence in Research and CreativeEndeavors Award.

AUC also recognized the achievements of the graduatecommencement speaker, Georges Abi-Saab, who was awarded anhonorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for his work as aninternationally recognized jurist and legal scholar. In addition,Mohamed Shafik Gabr ’73, chairman and managing director ofARTOC Group for Investment and Development, received aspecial plaque in recognition of the ARTOC Sports Court.

Addressing master’s degree candidates, Georges Abi-Saab,professor emeritus of international law at the Graduate Instituteof International Studies in Geneva and former chair of theappellate body of the World Trade Organization, focused on thebenefits of a university education, explaining that along withtangible benefits like increased knowledge, AUC graduates haveupgraded their intellectual profile by learning how to reason anduse good judgment. He added, though, “That is not enough ifthe framework is wanting. You must develop an idea of whatshould be done for your country, speak it, stand for it and, ifnecessary, fight for it.” ❒

By Henry Agbo

Medhat Haroun, dean of the Schoolof Sciences and Engineering,receiving the Excellence in AcademicService Award

Center: Ingy Attallah, businessadministration major, with theParents Association Award;bottom: Dina Abu-Seif,sociology-anthropology major,speaking on behalf of master’sdegree candidates

Maha Khalil, biology major,winner of the Ahmed H. Zewail

Prize for Excellence in theSciences and Humanities

Minister of Higher Education andMinister of State for Scientific ResearchHany Helal addressing bachelor’sdegree candidates

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14 AUCTODAY Spring 2010

Propelled by a love of journalism, Ethar El-Katatney ’07 is the 2009 winner in theeconomics and business category of CNN’s

Multichoice African Journalist of the Yearcompetition. El-Katatney was selected for her article“The Business of Islam,” which is currently beingturned into a documentary. She is the first Egyptianto win in the competition, which started in 1995and recognizes excellence in African journalism.

“This is a complete and utter privilege, and it ismaking me more determined to go back home,work even harder and get the message across to mycolleagues [journalists] that what we’re doing isgreat; we’re on the right track,” said El-Katatneyduring the award ceremony held in South Africa.

International recognition is not new to El-Katatney, who entered AUC at the young age of15. She is the winner of the press category in the2009 Annah Lindh Mediterranean JournalistAward, which she received from Prince Albert III,the prince of Monaco, for her article “IdentityCrisis 101.” She also won second place in 2008 inan investigative journalism program by theInternational Center for Journalists in New Yorkand the Arab Reporters for InvestigativeJournalism in Jordan for her article on thehepatitis C virus, “Dangerous Blood.”

El-Katatney graduated from AUC with highhonors with a bachelor’s in business administrationand a minor in Arab and Islamic civilizations, andwas the student representative at her graduation

A ReporterWithoutBorders

At 22, Ethar El-Katatney ’07

has been recognized

internationally for

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During the 2009 CNN African Journalist of the Year award ceremony held in South Africa

Alumni Profile

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ceremony. She realized her passion forjournalism when she became editor inchief of Dimensions, the StudentUnion newspaper. When shegraduated, El-Katatney knew whereshe was heading: a career injournalism. Currently, she works as astaff writer in Egypt Today and BusinessToday magazines and has beenfeatured in several newspapers andlocal television programs.

“I love being a journalist because Ibelieve I can deliver a message,” saidEl-Katatney, who is currently pursuingdual master’s degrees at AUC intelevision and digital journalism and inbusiness administration. “I write featurestories, not news stories. I like toprovoke thought, provoke debate. I donot write to inform. I write on issuesthat are interesting to help my readerslearn something new.”

Besides her journalistic career, El-Katatney is active in local andinternational cross-cultural dialoguinginitiatives. She is a member of theMuslim Leaders of Tomorrow, and hasattended conferences in the UnitedArab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey,Norway and Denmark. She is also awriter for Muslimah Media Watch, a

Web site that critiques how Muslimwomen are represented in the media.

In addition, El-Katatney has authoredseveral books. The first, 40 Days and 40Nights in Yemen, details her experiencesin a Sufi school in Yemen, which willbe published this year in the UnitedKingdom. Diaries of a Mujaddida, also tobe published this year in both Arabicand English, describes her experiencetraveling around the Arab world as aparticipant in Mujaddidun, an Islamicreality TV show headed by Egyptiantelevangelist Amr Khaled. The showfeatures 16 participants from nine Arabcountries chosen out of 250,000applicants. Traveling to Lebanon, Jordan,Egypt and Sudan, the participants takepart in missions aiming to tackleproblems the Arab world faces. Everyepisode, one participant leaves the show,with the winner at the end receiving100,000 Euros to create a developmentproject in his or her country.

El-Katatney’s third book is based ona videoconferencing course she tookat AUC, through which she madefriends with a student from New YorkUniversity. The book includes e-mailsexchanged over the course of theirfriendship, with the aim of portraying

how two people from differentcultures and backgrounds grew close.“I feel I am representative of mygender, my faith and my country, andit is my responsibility to deliver theright message with any language,” El-Katatney said.

During her time at AUC, El-Katatney was an active student. Shewas a member of several community-service clubs and worked inDimensions as a reporter, Englisheditor, columnist, photographer andproduction editor. As a member of theBussy student club, which aims toempower women, she acted in twotheatrical productions to promotewomen’s rights in Egypt. “Thediversity at AUC and the wide varietyof activities helped me createconnections with different peoplearound the world, and it opened mymind to different ways of thinking,”she said. “Education alone is notenough to make you a well-roundedcharacter. You need skills. If you do nottake advantage of what AUC has tooffer other than classes, then you havecheated yourself out of amazingopportunities and experiences.” ❒

By Doaa Farag

“I like to provokethought, provokedebate. I do not writeto inform. I write onissues that areinteresting to help myreaders learnsomething new.”

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El-Katatney filming a story in Nahya villagefor her master’s in TV journalism

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THEAGE

GOLDENOn its golden jubilee, the AUC Press

celebrates five decades of achievements

When AUC Press was first established in 1960,it began as a one-room operation, beset bychronic shortages of paper and ink, as well as

outdated equipment. In the early years, the press publisheda limited number of scholarly and educational books,focusing on AUC’s own academic activities. The very firsttitles published were in 1961, with K.A. Creswell’s ABibliography of the Architecture, Arts, and Crafts of Islam,followed by Otto F. A. Meinardus’s Monks and Monasteriesof the Egyptian Deserts, an AUC Press bestseller.

Today, on its 50th anniversary, AUC Press has emerged asthe leading English-language publisher in Egypt and theMiddle East, with a backlist of more than 1,000publications, a new distribution center, five bookstores andan extensive international publishing program that coverseight areas, including Arabic literature in translation.

By Henry Agbo

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The Naguib Mahfouz EraIn the 1980s, the press began toinnovate, showing a growing interestin Arabic literature in translation, as itcourted one of the best known Arabicauthors at the time, Naguib Mahfouz.“I went to see Naguib Mahfouzregularly with a colleague of mine,”recalled Mark Linz, director of AUCPress. “We had already published sixof his works, and we hoped to preparea comprehensive program with himto publish all of his works over time.”

In 1985, the press signed anagreement to be the primarypublisher for all of Mahfouz’s worksin English and to be his worldwideagent for all of his translation rights.

A few years later, in 1988, whenMahfouz became the first writer inArabic to win the Nobel Prize inliterature, nine of his books wereavailable in AUC Press English-language translations. As Mahfouzwrote after receiving the Nobel Prize,“It was through the translation ofthese novels into English . . . thatother publishers became aware ofthem and requested their translationinto other foreign languages, and Ibelieve that these translations wereamong the foremost reasons for mybeing awarded the Nobel Prize.” Todate, the press has translated andpublished 38 of Mahfouz’s 40 booksand has licensed more than 500foreign-language editions of his worksin 40 languages.

Through the critical acclaim andcommercial success of Mahfouz, thepress has been able to scout otherwell-known Arabic writers fromEgypt and the region, like TahaHussein and Yusuf Idris, and nascenttalents such as Hamdi Abu Golayyel,winner of the Naguib Mahfouz Medal

for Literature in 2008, and MekkawiSaid, shortlisted for the InternationalPrize for Arabic Fiction, and Saudiauthor Yousef Al-Mohaimeed.

The press has also launched thecareers of some notable Arabicauthors, like Alaa Al Aswany, who hasnow been translated into 26 languagesand whose critically acclaimed debutnovel, The Yacoubian Building,published by the press in 2004, hassold 1 million copies worldwide. “Heburst onto the world literary stage ina way that has never happened beforeto an Arabic author,” said Linz.

In the field of Arabic literaturealone, one of the most expansive of itspublishing programs, AUC Press nowfeatures more than 150 novels.

In line with its commitment tomake Arabic literature and culturemore accessible to Western readers,the press established in 1996 theannual Naguib Mahfouz Medal forLiterature, an independent award torecognize and promote talentedwriters of the Arab world, given tothe best Arabic contemporary novel ofthat year. To date, recipients of themedal include nine Egyptians, twoPalestinians, one Lebanese, oneAlgerian, one Moroccan, one Iraqiand one Syrian writer.

As AUC Press continued to expandover the decades, its facilities were attimes stretched. Neil Hewison,associate director for editorialprograms, recalled his experience asthe only editor in the 1980s. “Inthose days, there was no computertechnology, but we did have onecomputer in the press –– a pre-MacApple that had two floppy diskdrives, which we used for keeping ageneral record of publications,”Hewison said.

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Bigger is BetterThe 1990s and beyond saw increasedgrowth and prominence for the press.Technological advances allowed fordrastic upgrades in equipment andpromoted efficiency. The Internet hadan increasingly dominating presence,which the press utilized to augmenttraditional bookselling services,launching its online shop in 2007. Inaddition, it strengthened partnershipswith other university presses andpublishing companies throughout theworld, trained and expanded itsworkforce, and published a mix ofgeneral interest and scholarly works byEgyptian, Arab and Western authors.“We were doing so well in the 1990sthat we decided to double our existingprogram from 20 to 40 and then to 80books a year,” Linz noted.

By then, the press had expanded itspublishing program in Islamicarchitecture and the arts, travelliterature and guidebooks, history andbiography, as well as archeology and

ancient Egypt.Today, it publishesannually up to 100 books in eightsubject areas including languagestudies, politics, economics, socialissues and religious studies. Inaddition, through its bookstores andinternational distributors and agents,it distributes annually more than500,000 books, and has licensedmore than 500 foreign editions ofArabic literature in 40 languages. Itnow operates five full-serviceinternational bookstores throughoutCairo, including its new bookstoredowntown, officially inauguratedearlier this year.

Cognizant of the challenges inherentin the publishing business, AUC Pressstaff members find satisfaction witheach new published title. “Every bookwe publish is different, so even withinevery project, there are challenges andrewards,” Hewison said. “The bigreward, though, is seeing a book offthe press and getting the first copy of it.” ❒

Alaa Al Aswany, author of The Yacoubian Buildingand Chicago, with international actor Omar Sharifduring AUC Press’s 50th anniversary celebration

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Golden Jubilee

AUC Press held a ceremony atAUC’s downtown Cultural Center incelebration of its 50th anniversary.The event was attended by a numberof prominent figures includingmembers of the university’s Board ofTrustees; Egyptian Minister ofCulture Farouk Hosni; MargaretScobey, U.S. ambassador to Egyptand Abdel Azim Wazir, Cairogovernor. Other distinguished guestswere Zahi Hawass, secretary-generalof the Supreme Council ofAntiquities, and award-winningEgyptian author Alaa Al Aswany.

During the event, internationallyacclaimed Egyptian actor Omar Sharifread Games, a short story from FriendlyFire, by Alaa Al Aswany. This wasfollowed by a recital by Egypt’svirtuoso pianist Ramzi Yassa, whoplayed Chopin compositions.

Other events surrounding thisgolden jubilee included theinauguration of the new Margo VeillonGallery of Modern Egyptian Art atAUC Downtown. Operated by AUCPress, the gallery preserves and exhibitsthe permanent collection of MargoVeillon, the prolific and independentartist who lived and worked in Egypt,and showcases historic retrospectives of20th-century Egyptian art.

AUC Press Bestsellers 1960 – 2010

1. Monks and Monasteries of the Egyptian Deserts, by Otto Meinardus, 1961

2. Cairo: The Practical Guide, compiled by Aleya Serour, 1975

3. Khul-Khaal: Five Egyptian Women Tell Their Stories, by Nayra Atiya, 1984

4. Gods and Myths of Ancient Egypt, by Robert Armour, 1986

5. The Cairo Trilogy, by Naguib Mahfouz, 1989

6. Egypt Yesterday and Today: Lithographs and Diaries by David Roberts, 1996

7. Whatever Happened to the Egyptians?, by Galal Amin, 1999

8. The Illustrated Guide to the Egyptian Museum, introduced by Zahi Hawass, 2001

9. Secrets from the Sand: My Search for Egypt’s Past, by Zahi Hawass, 2003

10. The Yacoubian Building, by Alaa Al Aswany, 2004

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AUC has launched a newCenter for Translation Studiesthat aims to foster

collaborative outreach programs as wellas research in translation studies inorder to enhance interaction andcooperation between AUC, Egyptian,regional and international institutions.

The Center for Translation Studieshas set an ambitious agenda including alecture series called In Translation thatfeatures prominent English-Arabictranslators; a yearly internationaltranslation studies conference;workshops and seminars for researchers,students, faculty members andprofessional translators; a translator-in-residence program that will hostdistinguished translation theorists andpractitioners each semester; and a yearlybilingual journal showcasing the best instudent translation. Eventually, thecenter plans to offer a one-yeardiploma and a two-year master’sdegree, both in translation studies.

“We will focus on interdisciplinarywork and will encourage the freeexchange of ideas to promote

translation as a cultural political practicethat can enable innovation and generatenew spaces for the development ofindividual societies and cross-culturalconversation,” said Samia Mehrez,professor of Arabic literature at AUCand the center’s director.

The center’s lecture series hasfeatured some of the most prominentEnglish-Arabic translators in the world,such as Denys Johnson-Davies, who hastranslated the works of Egyptian Nobellaureate Naguib Mahfouz, Yusuf Idris,Tawfik Al Hakim, Yahya Hakki andothers; Humphrey Davies, whotranslated the acclaimed The YacoubianBuilding by Alaa Al-Aswany and theArab Booker Award-winning novelSunset Oasis by Bahaa Taher; as well asKhaled Al Khamissi, author of the best-selling novel Taxi, and his distinguishedtranslator Jonathan Wright. In hisaddress, Denys Johnson-Daviesexplained that “nothing moves withouttranslation,” emphasizing the criticalrole that translators play as mediators ofdifferent cultural and literary worlds. ❒

By Henry Agbo

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AUC’s newly

established Center

for Translation

Studies provides a

forum for leading

Arabic-English

translators to

promote outreach

programs in the

literary field

BEYOND

BOUNDSITERARYL

Denys Johnson-Davies with Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz (left) and speaking at AUC (center); Wright and Al Khamissi at AUC

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As the lights went out signifying the start ofthe play, the giggles came to a halt. Thechildren, who were seated right up at the

edge of the black box stage near the actors, turnedexcitedly to watch. The play employed simple,brightly colored props, and the actors were dressedin black, wearing add-on jackets and gowns asappropriate to the scene. As an interactive children’stheatre, actors sometimes spoke directly to thechildren during the performance, asking them fordirection, help or input. And the children joined inthe fun, shouting out comments, pointing indifferent directions and jumping with excitement asone scene led to another.

ACTOneBy Dalia Al Nimr

Dalia Kholeif ’05, Ali Nasser ’07,Ramsi Lehner ’05 and Amina Khalil ’09in Marmalade Gumdrops

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The newly formed Alumni Community Theatre

group is setting the stage for good-quality

theatre at AUC and in the Egyptian community

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The play, Marmalade Gumdrops, wasthe second production put on by thenewly formed Alumni CommunityTheatre (ACT) group last winter. Thebrainchild of Leila Saad ’66,performing and visual arts professor atAUC, Nimet Naguib ’71 and the lateSophie Sarwat ’70, the group wasofficially founded in 2009. It ismanaged by alumni and is supportedby the university’s alumni office andperforming and visual artsdepartment. ACT is currently madeup of 40 members, mostly theatremajors, but also graduates of degreesranging from biology to businessadministration. As a community-theatre group, ACT presents good-quality theatre to the public whilegiving alumni an outlet to expresstheir talent.

“University productions naturallycater to students, so we thought offorming a group for alumni of all ageswho want to give back good theatreto the AUC community and theEgyptian community at large,” said

Saad, explaining the purpose behindACT. “We are all pros and are givingit 110 percent.”

The commitment is apparent. Thegroup meets once a month, andauditions for a play take place at AUCNew Cairo in the evenings, aftereveryone is finished with their work.“When I began my new job,” saidAmina Khalil ’09, assistant producerfor Karma Edutainment, “I told myboss about ACT and that I do notintend to miss any auditions ormeetings, and I didn’t, which meantthat during peak times at work, Isometimes came home at 6 am.”

But Khalil has no regrets. “When Ihave a night of auditions,” sheexplained, “I go to work the next daywith a huge smile on my face. ACTbrings out the best in me. It keeps megoing and keeps the fire in my life. It’sa place, home and family for everyonesharing a passion for theatre. It givesyou space to follow your dreams.”

Ali Nasser ’07, who works at a bankin Giza, said that despite having to

drive from work all the way to AUCNew Cairo and stay in rehearsals until9 pm, the trouble is all worth it. “Isometimes feel like I lead two separatelives,” he said. “The nature of my jobis highly demanding and I have to beserious and formal with clients, so Ineed to let loose at times. Somepeople might prefer going to the gymor watching a movie at home, but forme, ACT is the most appropriateoutlet. I am able to leave myemotional and professional luggagebehind and come with a totallydifferent agenda ––– one that ischallenging and demanding, yet fun.We’re all in it together, driven by acommon drive and passion for theatre,and the sense of camaraderie andmutual respect keeps me going.”

ACT’s inaugural production,Celebration and Party Time, held inOctober 2009, was written by NobelPrize-winning playwright HaroldPinter and directed by Hani Sami ’08.The two one-act plays focused on thedysfunctional relationships that can

Warming up before the show

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“Some people mightprefer going to thegym or watching amovie at home, but forme, ACT is the mostappropriate outlet.”

characterize the human experiencein a complex and sardonic way. Thetwo plays depict different situations:one in which an unhappily marriedcouple celebrated a weddinganniversary at an elegant restaurant,and one about a gala party whereelites discussed an unknownoccurrence taking place outside.

For its second production, thegroup turned to a light-hearted playfor children. “It was pretty jarring atfirst,” said Nasser. “The Pinter playshad heavy themes and a specific styleof performance, but we went into thechildren’s play with an entirelydifferent mindset. The children alsohelped a lot in making theperformance much more lively thanduring the rehearsal days.” Thegroup’s third production, Oleanna byDavid Mamet, is scheduled for April2010. The play is about the powerstruggle between a universityprofessor and his female student, and

addresses the issue of sexual politicson campus.

It’s not just about performance. Allaspects of the creative process arecompletely managed by alumni, fromthe design of stage props, costumes,posters and programs to sound, lightand production management.Backstage, the stage manager —sometimes referred to as the magicianbehind the show — is responsible forall logistics, acting as a liaisonbetween the director and actors, andkeeping everything runningsmoothly. For Yasmine Riad ’07, aprofessional ballet dancer whospecialized in stage management as anundergraduate, working as a stagemanager with ACT is more fulfillingthan the type of work she did duringher university years. “As a student,everything was ready for you, buthere, you have to do things fromscratch,” she said. “At the end, whenyou see all your efforts come to

Luke Lehner ’05 and Reem Kadry ’08

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fruition on stage, you feel a great dealof pleasure and self-confidence.”

ACT is made up of severalcommittees, including fundraising,special events, a reading committee,which is responsible for readingdifferent plays and selecting the oneto be performed by ACT, and aworkshop committee, which providestraining for schools and individuals.Luke Lehner ’05, head of theworkshop committee who conductedseveral theatre sessions in the UnitedStates, said that, initially, the groupplans on approaching schools to givestudents theatre and improvisationworkshops. “We want to reach out tothe community, slowly at thebeginning, then having bigger andmore solidified work later on,” saidLehner, adding that one of the mostjoyous things about ACT is beingwith AUC graduates. “Working withsuch a like-minded group who sharethe same ambitions and outlook on

life is really a great opportunity.” His brother, Ramsi Lehner ’05, an

actor, director, writer, composer anddrama instructor, also likes the idea ofhaving a professional relationshipwith AUC graduates and professors.“As students, we had rapport withour professors who performed withus at times, but still, there was thisfeeling that this is my professor,” heexplained. “With ACT, we’re all hereto create theatre without the pressureof an academic environment.”

Working with ACT does not comewith a paycheck, but it does give itsmembers an avenue through whichthey can keep the spirit of theatrealive. As Bassma Matta ’08, thegroup’s assistant stage manager, put it,“I love theatre. I know it can’t be mymoney-making job, but I can’t livewithout it.”

To become a member of ACT,contact Yasmine Riad ’07 [email protected]. ❒

“We want to reach outto the community,slowly at the beginning,then having bigger andmore solidified worklater on.”

Luke Lehner ’05, Amina Khalil ’09, Reem Kadry ’08, Hani Eskander ’03 and Tamer Guirgis ’10 (standing)

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A Career of Firsts

Nevine Loutfy ’74 is the first woman in

the Arab world to head an Islamic bank

Nevine Loutfy ’74 doesn’tseem perturbed by theglobal financial crisis that

brought the international bankingindustry to its knees last year. Sittingin her immaculate office indowntown Cairo, the managingdirector and chief executive officer ofthe National Bank for Development(NBD) is confident in her plan toreform the ailing bank and transformit into a fully Islamic sharia-compliant institution, with new,modern products and customer-oriented services.

Loutfy graduated from AUC with abachelor’s in economics. With 32 yearsof experience in financial capitals,working with Citigroup and travelingfrom New York to London, Loutfy iswell-prepared for her currentchallenge being the first female CEOof an Islamic bank in the Arab world.Loutfy also held several top positionsin banks in Europe, the United Statesand Egypt.

In 2007, as part of the government’sprivatization program, the CentralBank of Egypt sold a 49 percent share

of NBD to the Abu Dhabi IslamicBank, which began rebranding thenon-performing institution. Loutfyset off to restructure the bank’soperations to comply with Islamicsharia banking practices; reform itscustomer, commercial, and small andmedium-enterprise sectors; as well asimplement debt repayment andemployee training programs. “Thebank is in a loss situation,” she said.“We aim to take it to profitabilitythrough new products, new servicesand new customers.”

Loutfy finds herself on the rightside of a turbulent industry.According to her, in the last fewyears, Islamic banking has explodedacross the Middle East and in Egypt.“There is a very healthy appetiteamong the Egyptian public andcorporates for Islamic bankingproducts and Islamic finance,” Loutfyexplained, adding that the globalfinancial crisis has forced the financeindustry to reform its policies.“Everybody is reconsidering whatthey’ve been doing so far and facinga totally new reality, and you’ve got

to adjust to it. It’s an eye opener thatthings don’t go well all the time, andyou’ve got to be protected and readywhen there’s a downturn.”

As a woman, it hasn’t been easy forLoutfy blazing the trail. She recalledwhen she first asked for aninternational posting at Citigroup 28years ago. “It really shockedeverybody because they thoughtwomen wouldn’t request aninternational assignment,” she said.“My boss then asked, ‘What will wedo with your husband?’ And Ireplied, ‘You never ask a man whatyou will do with his wife.’” Loutfywas then posted in Italy, making herthe first woman at the time toreceive an international assignmentfrom the bank.

For young generations, Loutfy hasone lesson to share, “If you want itbad enough, you will get it.” Themost gratifying part of her job? “Self-fulfillment and the ability to getthings done, but my biggestachievement in life are my two sons,”she said with a smile. ❒

By Sarah Topol

Alumni Profile

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Facelift revives

Tahrir Square

legacy as

cultural hub

Following the university’smove to its campus in NewCairo, AUC’s campus in

Tahrir Square continues to serve as alandmark in the heart of downtownCairo. The campus, which includesthe palace, Hill House and Falaki,has been remodeled and renovatedto create AUC Downtown.

Historic PalaceThe palace, which constituted theadministration building of the MainCampus, was built in the 1860s forthe Minister of Education KhairyPasha. The structure is fashioned inneo-Mamluk style and has been

designated a historical monument bythe Egyptian Supreme Council ofAntiquities, which made remodelingthe property a great challenge. “Aconsultant from the SupremeCouncil of Antiquities approvedevery alteration followinginternationally recognizedconservation standards to ensure thepreservation of the historic space,”said Hesham Abdel Aziz, associatevice president of AUC Downtown.

In November 2009, a downtownCultural Center opened in thepalace, which now includes a newbookstore, the Margo Veillon galleryand two permanent exhibition

By Sarah Topol

26 AUCTODAY Spring 2010

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WHAT’SUP WITH

DOWNTOWN?

spaces. Ewart and Oriental hallscontinue to host lectures and publicevents held by the university, andmay be rented for outside events.

The new bookstore, which wasdesigned by noted architectAgnieszka Dobrowolska, displayssome of the best offerings from AUCPress on two expansive floors with anopen face to Sheikh Rihan Street. Italso includes a café, opening out ontoa garden, as well as terraces andfountains. Inside the bookstore, onecan find an extensive Arabic literaturein translation section; scholarly worksin Middle Eastern studies, politics,economics and social theory; as well

as classical literature, self-help andchildren’s books –– more than20,000 titles. Books can also bepurchased on order.

Building a two-story bookstore inone room of the palace wascomplex. University engineers couldnot build up due to the designationof the building as historic, so theyinnovated and dug 1.5 meters down.Due to the age of the structure,drawings of the site were unavailableand unforeseen happeningsabounded. “During one of ouractivities, we found out thatunderneath the bookstore was an11,000-kilovolt cable, and we had to

cut it. It turned out later that thiswas a cable feeding the Ministry ofInterior,” Abdel Aziz said.

The Margo Veillon gallery, inhonor of Egyptian painter MargoVeillon, opened on her 96th birthday.The gallery maintains a permanentcollection of 100 of Veillon’smasterpieces, as well as some 5,000of her watercolors, drawings andgraphics. The gallery will also presentlarger retrospective shows focusingon modern Egyptian art.

In addition to the downtownCultural Center, all offices andmeeting rooms in Hill House wereturned into classrooms.

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Falaki Academic Center In early 2009, the old Falakibuilding was torn down andtransformed into a landscaped sittingarea. The 10-story Falaki AcademicCenter, built a decade ago, was keptto ensure adequate space for thestudent population. It houses theSchool of Continuing Education,which makes up the largestcomponent of AUC Downtown;Management Center; andEngineering and Science Services,all of which cater to 65,000 studentseach year.

28 AUCTODAY Spring 2010

Old Falaki demolished and space now serves as a sitting area

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Top left: The new, two-story bookstore hasbeen designed by noted architect AgnieszkaDobrowolska; top right: The Margo VeillonGallery includes a permanent collection of100 of Veillon’s masterpieces, as well assome 5,000 of her watercolors, drawingsand graphics

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The Greek Campus will be sold, in addition to the Rare Books and Special Collections Library and 33 Mohamed Mahmoud Street

Greek Campus Purchased by the university from theGreek community in 1964, the GreekCampus was the hub of social activityfor students. It housed the library,Social Science Building, JameelCenter and School of ContinuingEducation (previously known as theDivision of Public Services).

Plans are currently underway to sellthe Greek Campus as well as theRare Books and Special CollectionsLibrary. Meanwhile, 33 MohamedMahmoud Street, which used tohouse AUC Press, has been sold to anEgyptian joint stock company and alocal business. The building will beused for administrative purposes.

The downtown renovations offeran opportunity to celebrate AUC’slegacy in the downtown communityand look forward to its future as abeacon of culture and education inthe heart of historic Cairo. Theuniversity aims to blend the pastwith the future by presentingmodern cultural programs in historicspaces. “AUC has a rich tradition ineducation and outreach to thecommunity dating almost to itsfounding,” said AUC PresidentDavid D. Arnold. “It is importantthat AUC retain its presence andcontinue to be a major contributorto the intellectual and cultural life ofdowntown Cairo.” ❒

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To sign up for Inside AUC, visit alumni.aucegypt.edu

Speaker’s Corner“I have great memories of the old campus, and my last visit was in2003, which tells me that it is time to visit again soon!

I saw an interesting contest in Inside AUC, and I have asuggestion for making the campus a focal point for all. If a Speaker’sCorner could be created in the central courtyard, we could create atheme for each week, and all people visiting the campus could sharetheir thoughts on the theme. This could be interspersed with brief talksfrom people on their memorable moments during their time on campus.All of this can be streamed on the AUC Web site and will be watchedwith great interest by the online community.

Keep up the good work and hope to meet up with all of yousometime soon.”Balakrishnan Sethuraman Manjeri (MA ’80), United Arab Emirates

Demolish Science Building“If I were to return to visit AUC and see the Tahrir Square campus,I would love to visit the old Main Building with its beautifulArabesque meeting rooms, but please tear down the science/mathbuilding that was on the corner near the student center.That thingwas a nasty eye-sore from the beginning.”

Nicole Bovey Alhakawati MA ’94, Jordan

Preserving History “I read about therenovation project at the oldcampus that would transformit into a ‘downtown culturalcenter’ that includes a bookstoreand café! You have asked for ourinput regarding this venture. I understand yourintention to involve the Cairene community in this historiclocation. But I have my fears that this beautiful campus mightlose its character and turn into a social club and meeting place.I hope you have plans to limit access to times of special events.I also hope that you intend to preserve the beautiful OrientalHall and its foyer exactly as is. This is history and art in onespot, and it is full of memories for generations of students. Thewater fountain under the huge tree in the central yard is alsovery precious to our hearts and is inseparable from the artworkof Oriental Hall. This part of the old campus is the one partthat, in my modest opinion, should be left untouched.

Thank you for allowing us to share our opinions, and Ihope that they would be taken into consideration.”

Rafida Shukairy Saadi ’66, ’70, United States

Below areentries from themonthly contestthat ran in InsideAUC, the alumni

e-newsletter,where alumni gave

ideas for remodelingAUC Downtown

InsideAUC

FROM

A

Monthly Newslette

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32 AUCTODAY Spring 2010

DISCOVERINGA FOREIGN

LAND

By Henry Agbo, as told byDalia Abdel Ghany

AUC student Dalia

Abdel Ghany recounts

her study-abroad

experience in Japan

The place known as Japan inEnglish, I affectionately callNihon, which means “the

sun’s origin.” For me, the island countrylives up to its name because, like therising sun, it invokes positive memories,eye-opening experiences, countlessadventures and opportunities that I hadnever imagined before I left Egypt.While I knew that spending a year asan exchange student at Kansai GaidaiUniversity in Hirakata, Osaka, Japanwould allow me to discover a uniqueand interesting culture completelyforeign and different from anything elseI had known, I could not have

anticipated my caring and close-knithost family, my struggle to masterwritten and spoken Japanese, or theexcitement of my travels with a fellowAUCian and close friend, Allia Shahin.These experiences, while disparate, givea portrait of my time in Japan that, likethe sun, has a trajectory rising from thefirst speck of light over the horizon atdawn to its descent in the evening.

When people ask me the inevitablequestion of why I decided to spend ayear as an international student in theAsian Studies Program at Kansai GaidaiUniversity, I give them my well-rehearsed, but completely genuine reply

that I wanted to discover a unique andspecial place. When I decided to studyabroad, I was allured by the prospect ofliving in London or Los Angelesbecause I had heard stories from friendsabout their remarkable experiences inthese places. After being accepted to asemester-long program in London,though, I decided I wanted to extendmy exchange for a whole academicyear and began looking for anotherprogram that could cater to that wish. Ischeduled a meeting with theInternational Programs Office to discussmy search, and received informationabout schools that matched my

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requirements: one for a university inCanada and another for this programat Kansai Gaidai in Japan. I wenthome that night and anxiously readthrough the brochures, but I foundmyself lingering for a lot longer onthe Japan booklet. Perfect, I thought.

As the time for my departure toJapan drew near, I became excited. Afriend of mine from AUC, AlliaShahin, had also decided to go toJapan, and in the weeks leading up toour departure, we downloaded a fewJapanese language lessons to prepareourselves for Hirakata.When wearrived in Japan, however, we realizedthat very few people spoke orunderstood English. We were instantlyinundated with signs advertisingJapanese products, street signs incharacters we barely recognized and acompletely foreign city, which we hadno idea how to navigate. Those firstfew weeks involved a lot of handgestures as we struggled to pick upfragments of the language and learnedhow to get around our new homebase. Luckily, everyone in the town isaccustomed to foreign studentsbecause of the internationaluniversity, and they were neverreluctant to help when they saw usstaring bewilderedly in the middle ofan intersection or grocery store. The

gentle kindness and radiant warmthof the people definitely reminded meof Egypt, and I felt good knowingthat I was in safe hands.

As my time wore on and the glowof the sun began to encompass me,the feeling of being welcomedincreased dramatically. My host family,in particular, went to great lengths toensure that I was enjoying my time.Although I share a room with Allia inthe dorms, once or twice a month, Ivisit a Japanese family living an hourand a half away in the city of Nara. Iplay Nintendo Wii with the two boyswhile they ask me questions aboutmy family, interests and life in Egypt.Soon after the start of this program,they began demanding that I comeover more often than once a month,and I was happy to oblige them. Thedaughter of the family, Mari,constantly encourages me to speak inJapanese, allowing me to learn thecolloquialisms and informal version ofJapanese that people my age oftenuse. I even had the opportunity to seea traditional Japanese householdwhen we went to visit theirgrandmother, who is a marvelouscook and who made me rethink myinitial aversion to Japanese food.

Studying in Japan has also allowedme to take advantage of opportunities

33

“When we arrived inJapan, however, we

realized that very fewpeople spoke or

understood English. Wewere instantly inundated

with signs advertisingJapanese products, streetsigns in characters we

barely recognized and acompletely foreign city.”

At a park near the dormitory in Japan Abdel Ghany with her host family

In front of the Osaka Castle

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34 AUCTODAY Spring 2010

of traveling within the country andthroughout the continent to see apart of the world that I had neverseen before. One of my first stops wasits capital city, Tokyo, where Allia andI became incredibly lost while tryingto find our bus, which was parked infront of one of many Staabacksu (yes,that is Starbuck’s Coffee). I also wentto Kobe, the only city in the Kansaiarea with a mosque; Kyoto, to attendthe moon and fire festivals; andNagano, to go skiing in the citywhere Japan hosted the 1998 WinterOlympics. Next semester, I hope tosee Hiroshima and Nagasaki, whereatomic bombs were dropped duringWorld War II. Outside of Japan, I havebeen to Thailand and Malaysia, and inthe spring, I have plans to visit China,South Korea, Indonesia and maybealso the Philippines and Vietnam.

With all these chances to discovernew places and learn about Japaneseculture outside of the classroom, it is awonder that one of my most valuableexperiences is the academiccomponent of studying abroad. In thefall, I took five classes: SpeakingJapanese, Reading and Writing inJapanese, Chinese and Japanese BrushPainting, Religion in Japan and thePsychological Applications of Yoga,Buddhism and Taoism. All of these

courses taught me an incredibleamount about topics that might beharder to discover in Egypt. Thisspring, I am taking some businessclasses for my major in businessadministration and marketing, but theones here will use Japanese businesscase studies as a model for learning.Beyond just the classes, though, I havebeen able to interact with manyJapanese students who are in theEnglish language program at KansaiGaidai, as well as the plethora ofinternational students from NorthAmerica and Western Europe. Weconstantly intermingle so I feel likeeven though I did not go to theUnited States or the UnitedKingdom, I am still learning aboutthose cultures as well.

With a few more monthsremaining, the end of my time inJapan is quickly approaching. While Iam still here, though, I have vowed topush myself further out of mycomfort zone in the hopes that I willlearn something transformative aboutmyself. I want to work hard toimprove my Japanese, enroll in akarate class, and continue to learnfrom and spend time with my hostfamily. Ultimately, I want to make themost out of my time abroad beforethe sun sets on this experience. ❒

At the Kansai International Airport

Top: Abdel Ghany (right) at the Royal Palace inBangkok, Thailand; center: At the Fushimi InariShrine; bottom: With friends at a Sushi restaurant

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Sharifa Mohamed Al Lamki ’56 graduated with a BA in economics andwas the first Omani alumna to graduate from AUC. While in Egypt, she

succeeded in establishing a radio station that broadcast in Swahili, which wasparticularly important at the time due to the increasing number of Swahili-speaking Omani students in Cairo. Al Lamki later became an announcer. In

1957, she married Sheikh Nasser bin Saif Al Bualy, who later became Oman’s ambassador to England. InEngland, Al Lamki worked as a math teacher for more than 10 years, during which she also served asheadmistress. The first alumna to open her home to AUC and an avid supporter of all alumni activities in Oman,Al Lamki received the Distinguished Alumni Volunteer Award.

Around the World

Bahrain

Gathering bringstogether alumni from Bahrain

and Saudi Arabia Adel El Labban ’77, ’80, group chief executive officer and managing director of Ahli United Bank in Bahrain, andAUC President David D. Arnold; Alumni from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Alumni gather at the residence of Adel El Labban ’77, ’80 and his wife Nihal Taher in Manama, Bahrain

Oman

Alumni gathering in Oman’s Al Bustan Palace Hotel; B. Boyd Hight, chairman of AUC’s Board of Trustees, hiswife Mary K. Hight and Sherry Arnold at the event

35

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36 AUCTODAY Spring 2010

Connecting Alumni and Students Team gathering in December 2009

Egypt

Gathering in November 2009 in the Alumni Loungeat AUC New Cairo to celebrate the victory of theEgyptian national soccer team in the final roundqualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2010

Alumni catchsoccer fever

Alumni trip to Fayoum in November 2009

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More than 100alumni celebratedecade reunion

Decade reunion reception held in November 2009 in AUC New Cairo for Class of ’80 to ’90

United Arab Emirates

Alumni gathering at Westin Mina Seyahi in Dubai in November 2009

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’52Helene Moussa, curator of St. Mark’sCoptic Museum, is celebrating themuseum’s most recent publication,Marguerite Nakhla: Legacy to ModernEgyptian Art. The book is designed byLillian Hanna ’00, who worked as aCaravan writer at AUC, and printed byPrintology, whose vice president isIman Demian-Nasralla ’95. The bookis sold at AUC bookstores. Moussa is afreelance researcher and writer, andwas a faculty member at AUC from1955 to 1957.

’74Mona Sabry-Montens (MA ’80),along with Hoda Fahmy ’73, ’79,wrote to AUCToday: “On January 29,2010, a gentle, noble woman of greatstrength and integrity, our dearestfriend Saneya Saleh ’71, ’76 passedaway. For a person so full of vitalityand determination, the word death issimply irrelevant. When referring to aperson who had the ambition,determination and perseverance towork hard and move from a stay-at-home wife and mother of two, toaffiliate professor awarded Order ofExcellence of the First Degree by theEgyptian president, one can only speakof movement. Saneya had thededication to move mountains toachieve the goals of a better, morefulfilling life, not only for herself or herloved ones, but for society at large,especially the underprivileged and theneedy. Saneya Saleh moved on fromthis world to a better one.”

’81Ola Hammouda wrote the originalscreenplay for the romance movieWalad w Bent (A Boy and a Girl), whichwas featured in Egyptian cinemas. Sheis working on another movie, Telk Al-Ayam (Those Days), a political psycho-

drama, in cooperation with AhmedGhanem ’88 as director. Hammoudawould like to get in touch with AUCgraduates who have ventured into thefilm industry as writers. She would alsolike to hear feedback about the moviesthrough [email protected] [email protected].

’87Dalia Hassouna has been working asan announcer at Radio Cairo sincegraduation. Recently, she joined theIndustrial Modernisation Centre(IMC) as media adviser, working withAdham Nadim ’86, executive directorof IMC. Hassouna would be happy tooffer advice to anyone who needs helpin the field of radio broadcastingthrough [email protected].

’95Germaine Demian is a freelancepublic relations and communicationconsultant (PRecise Consultancy) inLondon, Canada. Demian would liketo contact other AUC alumni living inthe same city [email protected].

Shima Barakat (MBA ’98) acquired aPhD from the University ofStrathclyde in Scotland, after which shelectured for two years at the Universityof Manchester before setting up acompany with her husband. Theircompany is called Value in Enterprise,providing solutions to helpmanagement overcome the problemsthey face as they try to become moreenvironmentally and sociallyresponsible. Barakat is also teaching andresearching at the Judge BusinessSchool, University of Cambridge.

’96Moushira Al Abiad (MA ’09)recently received her master’s inteaching Arabic as a foreign language

from AUC. She is now a part-timeteacher at AUC’s Arabic LanguageInstitute and hopes to reconnect withher university friends from around theglobe through [email protected] [email protected].

’98Ihab Shoukry moved to Geneva andis looking forward to meeting otherAUC alumni in the area.

’00Mariam Al Maskary considers AUCa turning point in her life. She receiveda scholarship to study at AUC andenrolled in the university with minimalEnglish and computer skills. Today, sheworks as director of the InformationResource Center at the AmericanEmbassy in Oman.

’04Rania Saleh (MA) is celebrating withjournalist and cartoonist Amr Okashaher first satirical book, Mozakkarat ZoogMaqhour w Zoga Makhno’a (Memoirs ofa Hen-Pecked Husband and a Fed-UpWife), 2010, Cairo, Shabab Books.Saleh is writing on behalf of all wiveswhose husbands drive them crazy, andOkasha is writing on behalf of menwho get tired of their wives. The bookis in Egyptian colloquial Arabic.

Class Notes

SEND US YOUR NEWS

[email protected]@aucegypt.edu

Alumni Online Communityalumni.aucegypt.edu

Fax20.2.2792.3383

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’06Nesreen Abu El Ezz (MPA) is a self-development consultant for teens andwould like to offer her expertise toalumni with teenage children [email protected].

Special Programs

Lisa Caugherty Hahn (YAB ’79)works at the U.S.-based CaughertyHahn Communications, Inc., helpingbusinesses build their brands. She isimpressed with the networkingactivities offered at AUC New Cairo.

Austin Sher (ALU ’03) worked for areal estate developer and manager inBoston, Massachusetts since graduatingfrom New York University in 2007.Sher is interested in connecting withfellow alumni in the Boston area, aswell as alumni who work in real estatedevelopment and investment [email protected].

In Memoriam

Hilmi Ibrahim ’54 died in July 2009.

Saneya Saleh ’71, ’76, facultymember at AUC’s sociology,anthropology, psychology andEgyptology department and at theSocial Research Center, died inJanuary 2010.

Tawhida El Askary (MA ’96),who has worked for many years asthe associate director and the wasbackbone of North America’salumni chapter, died in December2009. El Askary received her master’sfrom AUC in teaching Arabic as aforeign language.

Since age 4, family and friendssurrounding Gala El Hadidi ’05,

’07 noticed her strong voice and talentin imitating tunes. “I have been singingfor as long as I can remember,” said ElHadidi. “My mom used to listen to alot of music when she was pregnant, soI grew up with a musical ear.”

Today, El Hadidi, the youngestsinger to join the Cairo OperaCompany, is studying for a Master ofMusic degree at Yale’s School ofMusic and has performed as a soloartist in Italy, Germany, Finland,Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt andthe United States. “I did not trainmyself to be an opera singer; it wasjust natural,” said El Hadidi, who is afluent speaker of Arabic, English,German, French and Italian.

At age 10, El Hadidi became a choirmember in her German school. Fiveyears later, she qualified to enter avoice competition in Turkey for allGerman-school students. It was thenthat her family discovered that ElHadidi is not just a regular singer, butan opera singer. She joined the CairoOpera House’s Talent DevelopmentCenter, and sang in Egypt’s dubbedDisney movies as well as in smallconcerts at the Cairo Opera House. Aweek before entering AUC inSeptember 2001, 18-year-old ElHadidi had signed a contract as asoloist with the Cairo Opera House,becoming their youngest singer.“When people started telling me that Ihave an opera voice, it enticed me toenter the field and break thestereotype of opera singers being staticand old, especially that opera singingin the world is now following in thefootsteps of a Hollywood style.”

At the university, El Hadidi

maintained a highacademic record,graduating withhigh honors. Aftergraduating fromAUC with abachelor’s inphilosophy and aminor in music, El Hadidi went on topursue a master’s in English andcomparative literature. She wrote herthesis on “Carmen: Debating theFemme Fatale,” where she used herknowledge as a musician to talk aboutliterary influence on music, solidifyingher knowledge in the field. “After sixyears at AUC, I became more securein my art,” she said, adding that whatshe loves most about music is itsability to unite people together fromall backgrounds.

In 2005, El Hadidi received ascholarship to attend the InternationalBach Academy in Stuttgart, Germany.The mayor of Stuttgart also invitedEl Hadidi to sing in honor of Egypt’sFirst Lady Suzanne Mubarak whowas receiving her citizenship of thecity. In 2008, she was awarded anoutstanding achievement prize andrecognition by Egypt’s Ministry ofCulture. In 2010, she was given anEncouragement Award by theMetropolitan Opera NationalCouncil auditions as a New Englandregional finalist.

El Hadidi’s most memorablemoments, however, are Christmasconcerts. “As they are repeated everyyear, the audience can see me growup in front of them,” she said. “I feelhuge amounts of love from the fans,my AUC professors and my parents,who were always there for me,supporting me all the way.”

Hitting a High Note

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Akher Kalam

Akher Kalam is an open forum for members of the AUC community. We invite you to share your thoughts on any topic of your choice.Submissions should be sent to [email protected] and may be edited for length and clarity.

Doing WEL:Lessons on Leadership

I was overcome with shock and disbelief when I firstlearned that I was selected to be a participant in theGoldman Sachs 10,000 Women Entrepreneurship

and Leadership (WEL) program at AUC. It was a verygratifying experience for me. I have learned how toeffectively put theory into practice as an entrepreneur,developed a network of businesswomen who could serveas friends and contacts, and saw myself developing into aleader in ways that I had never imagined.

When I started running Bodyshake, a comprehensivehealth and fitness center for women in Cairo, my goalwas to help women lead better, healthier and more activelives. Due to my background in the medical field, I wasable to offers customers advice about healthy habits likediet and exercise with confidence and expertise. Whatwas missing, though, were business skills that could helpme promote my enterprise to interested customers,expand my services and implement general managementprocedures that would help increase my profit marginswhile keeping customers and employees satisfied.

The WEL program helped fill this gap. It taught mehow to think better when it came to business principlesand allowed me to develop a strategy to improve thestrength of my business. First, I needed to decreaseexpenses while maximizing my labor force so I decidedto amend the working hours to reflect the times whenmost of my customers were able to come. Then, I startedbelly-dancing classes as a fun and exciting alternative tojust pure aerobics. That turned out to be a hit! Now, afterpurchasing the vacant space next to my studio, I havebegun offering dermatological services.

Having successfully applied theories about innovation,operations, management and marketing that I learned inthe program, I know my work is still not done. Theworld is constantly moving, and as a business owner, Ihave to make sure that I remain flexible to adapt to itsfluctuations. Particularly now as the global economystruggles to rebound, the challenges facing businesses likemine are proliferating. To respond to that threat andensure that I am constantly learning new strategies formy business, I keep in contact with other WELparticipants from my cohort. We are able to share bestpractices and offer advice to one another.

The WEL program not only made me a betterbusinesswoman, but also gave me the confidence andsupport to be a real business leader. I want to stand as arole model for other women in Egypt and throughoutthe region to show them that we can be economicallyand socially empowered, and that we can put ourcompetencies in many different realms to work. For me,that means transforming Bodyshake into the premierspecialty center for body reshaping and health. Thankyou Goldman Sachs, the WEL program, AUC andeveryone who is helping bring my dream to life.

Gihane Refaat is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership (WEL) program. TheWEL program is a joint partnership between AUC and theWharton School of the University of Pennsylvania withfunding from Goldman Sachs Inc. to teach businessmanagement skills to women entrepreneurs.

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