Winter 2009 Vol. VII, No. 2

Alumni Happenings

WAAAUB NEWS

Dubai and Northern Emirates
More than 800 alumni and friends from Dubai and the Northern Emirates held their annual gala dinner on November 27, 2008, at the Al-Bustan Rotana Hotel. Chapter President Yasser El Hajj welcomed the crowd and introduced the guests of honor, President Peter Dorman and AUB Trustee Nabil Chartouni. Commenting on the gala’s theme, “Yesterday’s Success, Tomorrow’s Promise,” President Dorman said, “I strongly believe that yesterday’s success can best be seen in our alumni—in the lives of thousands of men and women who transform the communities in which they live and work.” Trustee Chartouni spoke eloquently about how AUB alumni connect with one another and reach out to help others in need. He said that he had found supporting education to be gratifying, challenging, and rewarding, and urged the audience to “give of yourselves, give of your time, give of your money, give of your energy; you are needed.” A number of people in the audience responded—as they have done so often in the past, contributing more than $470,000 during the raffle, art auction, and the AUB scholarship auction that followed. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Dubai alumni, the association raised enough money to fund thirty-six $10,000 scholarships for AUB students. The crowd celebrated the evening’s success by dancing the night away to the music of Lebanese artist Guy Manoukian. Thanks to a great organizing committee: Yasser El Hajj (president), Najat Zarour, Raja Trad, Amer Bibi, Fida Asfour, Roula Hamzeh, Rabih Hamzeh—and to MC Ricardo Karam.

NORTH AMERICA

Atlanta
AUB alumni and members of the Atlanta Lebanese-Arab community got together for an Oriental Night on November 7, 2008, at Zaya Mediterranean Restaurant—a wonderful spot in the Highlands area of Atlanta, Georgia. The evening, which was one of the first events of the season the Atlanta Chapter has organized, featured a Lebanese dinner, belly dancing, and a performance from our own Ramzi Bouhamda, a Studio el Fan graduate, who enchanted everyone.

Michigan
In October, Michigan alumni partnered with the NAAMA (National Arab American Medical Association) for a cancer walk benefiting local women’s health education and awareness programs. AUBites and their families braved the bitterly cold weather to walk the one-mile course at the Detroit Zoo in support of this important cause.

The chapter also hosted AUB’s Ibrahim Salti, MD, professor of medicine and head of Endocrinology and Metabolism on November 7, 2008, at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Dr. Salti spoke on the prevalence of obesity in Arab countries, the associated health issues, options for obesity management, and benefits of moderate weight loss. The chapter presented Dr. Salti with AUB/WAAAUB-inscribed masbaha beads and a locally made Motawi tile in recognition of his dedication to his students, patients, and colleagues.

Northern and Southern California
In November 2008 President Dorman visited California to meet with the northern and southern California alumni chapters. He traveled first to San Francisco where he attended a reception at the historic St. Francis Hotel in downtown San Francisco on November 15. The following day, AUBites from southern California braved the wildfires to enjoy brunch with Dorman at the Phoenicia Restaurant in Glendale. At both events, President Dorman shared some of his personal impressions of Beirut and AUB.

Alumni Recently Published

2022
(Arab Scientific Publishers, Inc., 2008) by Ghassan Chebaro (MA ’67)
Chebaro’s novel, published in Arabic, warns of the impending global environmental crisis through the story of a Lebanese environmental activist who stands up to a “greedy” businessman who will stop at no environmental misdeed to expand his enterprise. The novel addresses the Arab youth in order to raise awareness about climate change and environmental crises.

Nahj al-I’tidal Al-‘Arabi: Mudhakkarat Siyasiyya 1991-2005
(Dar An-Nahar, 2008) by Marwan Muasher (former student, 1972-76)
This is the Arabic translation of the author’s original work The Arab Center—The Promise of Moderation (Yale University Press, New Haven and London 2008). Muasher uses his experience as a Jordanian diplomat to discuss the importance and need for moderation in the Arab world, arguing that moderation is the main way to achieve peace in the region.

Solved Problems in Analysis: A Companion to Math Majors
(http://www.futureintech.net/books) by Badih N. Ghusayni (BS ’78, MS ’80)
This book is for math majors of all levels, covering undergraduate classical analysis, graduate real and complex analysis, functional analysis, and nonharmonic fourier series. It also includes 525 problems and their complete solutions.

How to Step into the Lebanese Glam Lane
(Turning Point Books, 2008) by Anissa Rafeh (MA ’99)
Rafeh taps into her experience as a journalist and woman of the world to provide a guide to the divine and bewildering world of Lebanese women. Miss Guided answers plenty of questions about how to survive and thrive in the Beirut jungle. Tips on looking glamorous, finding Mr. Right, and dealing with the family are masterfully complemented by the cartoon illustrations of Benoit Debbane.

Montreal and Ottawa Chapters
Members of the Montreal and Ottawa Chapters’ Alumni Executive Committees attended a reception at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Montreal organized by the Lebanese General Consulate in honor of Lebanese President Michel Suleiman during his visit to Quebec to participate in the Francophonie Summit on October 19, 2008.

Ohio Valley
More than 40 alumni and friends from Columbus and Cincinnati turned out on November 29, 2008, to enjoy Lebanese food and karaoke at a holiday party at Swaim Lodge in Montgomery, Ohio.

Toronto
More than 100 Toronto alumni gathered at the Imperial Room of the Fairmont Royal York on October 25, 2008 for the chapter’s annual gala dinner and the chance to hear Rami Khouri, director of AUB’s Issam Fares Institute of Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI), and Ibrahim Gedeon, alumnus and chief technology officer of the Canada-based telecom giant, Telus Communications. Chapter President Maha Zabaneh welcomed the evening’s guests, which included the Honorable Bob Rae, former premier of Ontario and member of parliament for Toronto Centre, and Daniel Burns, former deputy minister in the Ontario government. In his speech, Gedeon shared his “recipe for success” with the young professional alumni in the audience: "Don’t be afraid to be who you are." Gedeon delighted the audience with his story of how it is that hummus is now offered at all Telus executive meetings. (It turns out that it all started when Gideon used to pack hummus from home every day.) Chapter Vice President Lina Badih presented Gideon with an inscribed AUB medallion. Rami Khouri captivated the crowd with his insightful analysis of the regional and global challenges that the Arab world faces—from media bias to youth unemployment. (You can read more about IFI at www.aub.edu.lb/~webifi/). With the speeches over, alumni and their guests took to the dance floor inspired by the beat of Arabic pop and dabke. The Toronto Chapter is thankful for generous donations from alumni Ibrahim Gedeon, Teddy Abdo, and Nada Tamim that made the evening possible.

Learn more about these and other activities at http://www.waaaub.org/news.html

WAAAUB Elections 2009:

Make your voice heard!
The second Worldwide Alumni Association Elections will be held this May and June 2009. Our thanks to all those who heeded the call for nominations and sent in names of potential candidates to run for the Board of Directors and Council positions.

Now it’s important that you participate and VOTE! Ballots will be sent by email and paper in May 2009 to alumni worldwide. Results will be announced July 2009.

For WAAAUB 20009 Election details go to: http://www.waaaub.org/election.html

WAAAUB fever!
There are now two new chapters: in Cairo, Egypt, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. For news on the Cairo Chapter, contact Samar Sallab (samarsallab@yahoo.com). For information about the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Chapter, email Nasri Kawar (nskawar@yahoo.com). Are you interested in establishing a WAAAUB chapter in your area? Contact waaaub@aub.edu.lb