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FOCUSThe Alumni Newsletter of the AMIDEAST Fulbright Foreign Student Program
Winter 2004 Edition
Apply Now!
Applications are now beingaccepted for the second round ofthe Academic Year 2004/2005Alumni Development GrantCompetition.
The United States Department ofState will award grants of up to$2,500 each for Fulbright alumni toattend a professional conferenceor seminar, complete a short-termtraining program, conduct acollaborative research project orparticipate in a professional visitwith colleagues in their field.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be alumni of theFulbright Foreign Student Programfrom one of the following areas:Egypt, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon,Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, the WestBank, Oman, Bahrain or Yemen.Applicants must have fulfilled theirJ-1 visa two-year home residencyrequirement. Proposed grantactivity must occur between April1, 2005 and September 30, 2005.
Application Process
Applications received on or beforeFebruary 11, 2005 will be reviewedby representatives of the UnitedStates Department of State andAMIDEAST. For a list of grantguidelines, eligibility requirementsand to apply, please visit:https://www.amideast.org/programs_services/exchange_programs/fulbright/grants/guidelines.htm.
You are encouraged to submit yourapplication electronically via ouronline application. If you have anyquestions, or would like to requesta paper application, please contactMara Kronenfeld at:[email protected].
in this issue...
The U.S. State Department and AMIDEASTRecognize the Centenary of the Birth
of J. William Fulbright“Fulbright is responsible for the greatest movement of scholars acrossthe face of the earth since the fall of Constantinople in 1453.” Ronald McCallum, 1963
At the centenary of Senator J.William Fulbright’s birth, to becelebrated April 9, 2005, his visionfor America and its place in theglobal community is as relevant asit was during his term in the U.S.Senate (1945-1974). Called toaction by the world events thatdefined the past half-century andthe heyday of his career, namelythe destruction resulting fromWorld War II and the hostilities ofthe Cold War, Fulbright sought“to bring a little more knowledge,a little more reason and a littlemore compassion into worldaffairs.” Senator Fulbrightencouraged dialogue, diplomacy,and cross-cultural learning overwhat he perceived as a tendencytoward dominance and war.
The Fulbright Program developedout of these goals, passingthrough the U.S. Senate withoutdebate in 1946. “I have thoughtof everything I can think of,”stated Senator Fulbright, “and theone thing that gives me somehope is the ethos that underliesthe educational exchangeprogram. It’s possible…thatpeople can find in themselves,through intercultural education,the ways and means of livingtogether in peace.” Since itsfounding, the Fulbright Program
has provided over 265,000grantees across a range ofprofessional fields, levels, andnationalities the opportunity tostudy in the U.S. and abroad.
Senator Fulbright passed awayon February 9, 1995 at the age of89 at his Washington, DC home.The U.S. State Department andAMIDEAST look forward tohonoring the centenary ofSenator Fulbright’s birth.
Powell Hosts Iftar 2
Finding Meaningful Employment 3
AMIDEAST Field Office Updates 4
Alumni News & Notes 6
Update on YES and PLUS 10
Winter 2004 Alumni Profile 11
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OFSTATE AND AMIDEAST
AWARD OVER $12,000 TO SIXFULBRIGHT ALUMNI
Last November, in an effort to support theprofessional development of Fulbrightalumni from the Middle East and NorthAfrica (MENA) region, the Bureau ofEducational and Cultural Affairs of theU.S. Department of State and AMIDEASTannounced six new recipients of theFulbright Alumni Development Grant.
Daisy Attieh (University of North Texas,Non-degree student/Psychology, 2001-2002) attended the 21st AnnualAssociation for Play TherapyInternational Conference in Colorado lastOctober. Daisy teaches art therapyclasses to nurses at the InstitutUniversitaire de la Sainte Famille inLebanon, showing them how to planprojects and games to help hospitalizedpatients—especially children—maintaincontact with the outside world, keep theirbodies active and their minds alert. Inaddition to sharing her newly expandedknowledge of play therapy with hercolleagues, she plans to incorporatefindings from the conference into herresearch toward an MA at the LebaneseUniversity in Beirut.
This March, Maysoon Al-Nahar (ArizonaState University, PhD/Archaeology, 1995-1997) will travel to Arizona to take part ina collaborative research project involvingscientists from the U.S., Spain andJordan. The project, funded by a grantfrom the National Science Foundation,will undertake a five-year study on thelong-term consequences of human landuse on Mediterranean landscapes.Maysoon will be responsible forfieldwork in Jordan, where she is aprofessor at the University of Amman.The project, which spans theMediterranean and covers over 6,000years of history, will eventually helpcommunities make more responsible andeffective decisions about land use today.
Fulbright Focus
continued on PAGE 10
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GUESTS FROM ACROSS THE MUSLIM WORLD ATTENDNOVEMBER IFTAR HOSTED BY
THEN-SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL
Last fall, then-Secretary of StateColin Powell welcomed Muslimstudents, professionals, clerics anddiplomats from across the Muslimworld to an Iftar celebration at theState Department. He said thatAmerica strives to embraceRamadan’s spirit of hospitality andconcern for others.
“As the Iftar welcomes all in a spiritof brotherhood, so America has beenopen to all, welcoming to all — as wecan see in the diverse and thrivingMuslim community in Americatoday,” Powell told his guests.
Powell noted that new securitymeasures have inconveniencedmany people wishing to travel to theUnited States but said, “I want toassure all of you here this eveningand all who may watch this or hearthese words, that we’re doingeverything we can to make sure thatwe strike the right balance betweenour security and our openness.”
Powell spoke of the United States’many efforts to play a positive andhelpful role in the Muslim world. Hementioned the U.S. military’sengagement to protect and assistMuslim populations in Africa, theBalkans and the Middle East and toremove tyrannical regimes inAfghanistan and Iraq.
He also recalled President Bush’ssupport for an independent state ofPalestine and reaffirmed the
President’s commitment to worktoward peace in the Middle East.
The former Secretary spoke of U.S.efforts to support and encouragepeople within the Muslim world whoare working to realize greater freedomand democracy. “We believe thatreform will ultimately be successfulbecause freedom and democracy arepowerful universal values, not justWestern or American values,” he said.
Powell mentioned several programsrelated to the Group of Eight’s (G8’s)newly established Forum for theFuture and the State Department’sMiddle East Partnership Initiative,which open academic and professionaltraining opportunities to people fromnumerous Muslim countries. The G8includes Canada, France, Germany,Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, theUnited States and Russia.
“Many unkind, and untrue, things aresaid about the United States in theMuslim world by some people. But Ithink the facts speak for themselves,”Powell said. “The truth is that Americawishes all people well.”
He added, “America will be with thosein need around the world, regardless ofrace or religion.” [This article has beenexcerpted from the U.S. StateDepartment website. For full text visit:http://usinfo.state.gov/sa/Archive/2004/Nov/05-157967.html]
Winter 2004 Edition
Finding Meaningful Employment After theFulbright: Tips from Tunisian Alumnus Jamel Jemni
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Mr. Jamel Jemni, a Fulbright alumnus fromTunisia, recently completed non-degreeresearch in the field of American Studies atthe University of South Florida (USF).Upon his return to Tunisia, he and his wifefounded the Wanderlust InternationalLanguage Center (WILC) in Sfax, Tunisia.In a recent email interview, we asked Jamelabout the center and if he had any advice forrecent Fulbrighters looking for rewardingemployment in their respective homecountries.
What is your current occupation andhow does it relate to the research youcompleted under the auspices of yourFulbright grant?
I am currently an Assistant LanguageInstructor at the Higher Institute ofLanguages in Gabes, Tunisia. I amstill finalizing my PhD dissertation onracial politics in America after havinggathered all the data I need whilecompleting my Fulbright year at USF.
When did you and your wife firstcome up with the idea to start aninternational language center?
We came up with this idea four orfive years ago. Before we establishedthe language center, we organizedhome-stay programs for teenagers(aged 14 to 18) from Denmark,Hungary, Spain, Russia and Italyduring summer vacations. After oursuccessful programs with teenagers,we were able to convince all of thepeople we know of the necessity offounding a center like WILC.Eventually, we saved enough moneyto finance the project.
What languages are taught at yourinstitution?
Our center offers the possibility formotivated learners to study anylanguage they want. For the time
being we are teaching English, French,German and Italian.
Why do you think your languagecenter will be different from otherlanguage centers in Tunisia?
WILC is the first language centerestablished by a Tunisian in thehistory of Tunisia. In addition, it isdifferent from other language centersin its design, the services it offers andthe varied objectives it aims toachieve. For example, although ourcore area of activity is teachinglanguages, WILC also provides thefollowing services:-Organization of linguistic andcultural programs, conferences andseminars to exchange linguistic,scientific and cultural knowledge-Assistance in university registrationfor Tunisians interested in studyingabroad-Home-stay programs for Tunisiansabroad and for foreign students herein Tunisia-Preparation for standardized testssuch as TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, IELTS,etc.
Can you provide recommendationsto other Fulbright alumni on how tosecure rewarding employment in thefield of TESOL after completing theirFulbright grants?
I think that depending on everyone’sgoals and objectives in their lives, theFulbright grant is a school in itself,and I am sure that other alumni couldcome up with their own ideas abouthow to find rewarding employmentthat fits their particular interests andgoals. Teaching and translation arefields that may attract Fulbrightalumni, because they know that inour global community if someonedoes not master language and is notgood at translation, he or she will notbe able to succeed in a world that isbecoming increasinglyinterconnected. I also recommendthat Fulbrighters establishpartnerships with Americaninstitutions and individuals whilethey are on their grants — that’s veryimportant. I have already establishedthe bases of future mutual exchangeprograms with colleagues at USF andwith other American friends withwhom I share similar ideas and goals.
Any other information you want toadd?
What the center aims for in the longrun is to bridge barriers (linguistic,cultural, psychological) betweenTunisians and those outside of Tunisiaand to establish a betterunderstanding between peoples theworld over. We already saw thebenefits of exposing teenagers to newcultures in the past five yearsthrough our home-stay programs,and we believe that it was not only aworthwhile investment, but the idealway to contribute to internationalunderstanding. Younger generationsrepresent a genuine source of hope forour desperate world. I findinvestment in this field veryrewarding.
Wanderlust International Language Center
AMIDEAST Field Office/US Embassy UpdatesAMIDEAST Field Office/US Embassy UpdatesAMIDEAST Field Office/US Embassy UpdatesAMIDEAST Field Office/US Embassy UpdatesAMIDEAST Field Office/US Embassy Updates
Fulbright Focus
4
Egypt
Julie Gelsinger, Fulbright ProgramOfficer (AMIDEAST/HQ), met with theFulbright Commission andAMIDEAST field office staff in Cairothis past December. While there,Julie, AMIDEAST staff, and theCommission coordinated on the neworganization of the Egypt FulbrightProgram; AMIDEAST will now play amore direct role in the administrationof the Egypt program, includingconducting nominee placement. Thisyear, the Fulbright Student Programhas signficantly increased thenumber of nominees (18 total), so wehope to increase the number of actualgrantees as well.
Syria
Kate DeBoer, Fulbright ProgramCoordinator (AMIDEAST/HQ), andMara Kronenfeld, Fulbright Program
Syrian Fulbright Nominees
Officer, met with eight new SyrianFulbright nominees at the Damascusfield office of AMIDEAST andanswered their questions about theplacement process. They had lunchtogether at the Orient House withAMIDEAST/Syria Country DirectorBarbara Al-Nouri, Educational
Advisor Rasha Rayes and AMIDEASTEnglish Language Coordinator SteveHanchey.
Morocco
In September, Mara Kronenfeld led apost-nomination/placementorientation in Rabat with Fouzia ElAzhari, Educational Advisor(AMIDEAST/Morocco). Seven of theeight nominees were able to attendthe orientation.
Moroccan Fulbright Alumni
While in Rabat, Mara attended thefirst general conference of theMoroccan Fulbright AlumniAssociation (MFAA). Attendeesincluded some 150 MoroccanFulbright alumni as well as honoredguests Mohammed Boutaleb,Moroccan Minister of Energy andMines, Dr. Wail Benjelloun, Presidentof MACECE (Moroccan-AmericanCommission for Educational andCultural Exchange), and Thomas T.Riley, U.S. Ambassador to Morocco.In addition to listening to a keynoteaddress entitled “The Imperative forCurriculum Development in anUncertain Age” and participating in apanel discussion on sustainabledevelopment, alumni elected the new
governing board of the MFAA for thecoming year. Finally, alumni sharedideas about activities they would liketo participate in as an association.Ideas mentioned included mentoringnew Fulbright nominees; setting upvolunteer activities fordisadvantaged Moroccans; hostingsocial functions and networkingparties; and setting up joint,interdisciplinary projects with oneanother to help serve their country.
The conference was an unqualifiedsuccess! We are hoping the work ofthe MFAA will inspire Fulbrighters inother countries to establish AlumniAssociations of their own.
Tunisia
Mara Kronenfeld led a post-nomination orientation for tenTunisian Fulbright nominees lastSeptember.
Tunisian Fulbright Alumni
Mara also met with over twentyTunisian Fulbright alumni. Theydiscussed ways for the alumni to“extend their Fulbright experience”
Winter 2004 Edition
New Faces atNew Faces atNew Faces atNew Faces atNew Faces atAMIDEAST/HQAMIDEAST/HQAMIDEAST/HQAMIDEAST/HQAMIDEAST/HQ
Since our Summer 2004newsletter, we have added twonew faces to the Fulbright staff atAMIDEAST.
Julie Fitzgerald andMalika de Silva recently startedtheir new positions as ProgramAssistants.
Julie joined the Fulbright staff inOctober 2004. She assistsProgram Officer Sarah Belangerwith the placement andsupervision of grantees fromJordan, Bahrain, Oman andYemen. Prior to joining the staff,Julie received a B.A. in PoliticalScience from Stanford Universityand spent a summer studyingArabic at Yarmouk University inJordan.
Malika recently joinedAMIDEAST and helps ProgramOfficer Mara Kronenfeld with theplacement and supervision ofgrantees from Lebanon, Moroccoand Tunisia, as well as thedevelopment of Fulbright alumniprojects. She comes to theFulbright team at AMIDEASTafter internships at the Academyfor Educational Development andInternews Network. She alsospent a semester at the AmericanUniversity in Cairo studyingMiddle Eastern politics andliterature. Malika recentlyreceived her B.A. in InternationalRelations from Duke University. Luckily, we do not need to saygoodbye to former ProgramAssistant Hadi Annous. He hasbeen promoted to the position ofProgram Officer for theAdministration of Justice SupportProject in Egypt.
5
by sharing what they learned on theirgrants with friends, family andcolleagues in Tunisia, as well as othermembers of their communities. Thealumni are interested in establishinga Tunisian Fulbright AlumniAssociation and will determine whatadministrative steps need to be takento accomplish this.
Yemen
In December, Sarah Belanger,Fulbright Program Officer(AMIDEAST/HQ), met withAMIDEAST/Sana’a staff and led a pre-departure presentation for the 2005Fulbright nominees slated to begintheir academic programs in January.There were six grantees total – five forthe spring and one who was delayedfrom last fall. Najeeb Al Sharafi (AMIDEAST/Sana’a)gave Sarah a tour of Yemen, includingthe souk, Old Sana’a, the Imam’sPalace and Kawkaban. TheAMIDEAST/Sana’a office hosted aparty that included a women’s qatchew and a Fulbright cake.
Najeeb Al Sharfi admires a view of Sana’a
Lebanon
Mara Kronenfeld and Hala Kaadi,Coordinator for Educational andScholarship Programs (AMIDEAST/Beirut), conducted a post-nomination/placement orientation for 12 Lebanese
Fulbright nominees—the greatestnumber of Lebanese Fulbrightnominees to date. The nominees comefrom various regions in Lebanon(from Sidon to Beit Chebab to Beirut)and have very diverse interests:landscape architecture, dramatherapy, public health education andcomputer science, to name a few.
West Bank/Gaza
There are 14 nominees from the WestBank this year and ten from Gaza —some of our largest numbers yet! Thenominees will study in a variety offields including public health,engineering, literature, and finance.
POST UPDATES
Bahrain
The Fulbright Program in Bahraincontinues to expand with 14 newnominees this year. These veryqualified applicants will pursuehigher education degrees in fieldssuch as business administration,international law, film andinformation technology.
We would like to welcome Ms. SamarHasan to the Fulbright Program. Shejoined the U.S. Embassy in Manamaas the Educational Advisor inJanuary and will be responsible forcoordinating the program withAMIDEAST.
Oman
This year, 20 nominees were selectedfrom Oman -- the largest group todate. These nominees, including sixPhD candidates, will be placed ingraduate programs for Public Policy,Molecular Pharmacology, Economics,Information Technology and Nursing.
alumni news & notesFulbright Focus
6
JORDAN
Sima MANGO (2001-2004) Sima extended her Fulbrightgrant for an additional six months after being accepted asa UN-Fulbright Fellow. She had previously studied at theUniversity of Akron-Ohio, earning her MBA inInternational Business. With the help of otherFulbrighters, Sima is working to establish the JordanianFulbright Alumni Association.
Issa SASA (1992-1995) Issa received his Pediatric DentistryCertificate and MS while a Fulbright student at theUniversity of Iowa. Since graduation, Issa has beenappointed Head of the Pediatric Dentistry Department atTawam Hospital in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, thelargest tertiary care hospital in the UAE.
Shada WADI-RAMAHI (1998-2000) After completing herPhD in 2003 in the field of Medical Physics, Shadareturned to Jordan where she has been working as aMedical Physicist in the Radiation Oncology Departmentat the King Hussein Cancer Center. Shada attended RushUniversity Medical Center in Chicago where she receivedseveral honors, including the Excellence in ResearchAward from the Graduate College in 2003 and aCertificate of Recognition for Scientific Achievements; shealso took first place in the Young Investigator’scompetition for the American Association of Physicists inMedicine (AAPM) in 2001. Finally, she has publishedarticles in the Medical Physics Journal and has publishedseveral research abstracts for the annual AAPM meetings.
LEBANON
Pauline AAD (2000-2001) As a Fulbright grantee (non-degree), Pauline conducted research at Oklahoma StateUniversity (OSU) in Reproductive Physiology. Pauline iscurrently finishing her MS degree in Animal Science andwill soon start a doctorate in Breeding and Reproductionalso at OSU. She is a member of the American Society forAnimal Science (ASAS) and the Society for the Study ofReproduction (SSR). Pauline has published peer-reviewedarticles in Peptides and Domestic Animal Endocrinology; herresearch interests include the hormonal control of ovarianfollicular development through gene expression analysis.
David EL CHARIF (2002-2003) See Alumni Profile (Page 11)
Bassil EL-MASRI (2002-2003) Bassil was a non-degreeFulbright student at Ball State University; he has sincegone on to pursue an MA in Geography at the sameinstitution. He is also currently a Research Assistant inthe Department of Geography where he studiesenvironmental issues using both remote sensing tools andGeographic Information Systems (GIS).
Makram GEHA (2002-2003) After completing his year as anon-degree scholar at the University of Nebraska in latespring 2003, Makram returned to Lebanon where heserved his tour of duty in the Lebanese Army as aLieutenant at the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture.Makram now works as the Manager and NationalCoordinator of chicken sales for Zartech Limited, a largepoultry company in Nigeria.
Youssef HADDAD (2000-2001) Youssef spent his Fulbrightyear as a non-degree student in the Department ofEducation (Curriculum and Instruction) at the Universityof Texas at Austin. Currently, Youssef is pursuing a PhD inLinguistics at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
MOROCCO
Layla BARRIT (2000-2001) Layla spent her time as aFulbright grantee at Case Western Reserve where sheearned an MS in Computer Science. She now works as aSoftware Project Manager at Hightech Payment Systemsin Casablanca.
Houria EL FIGUIGUI (1996-1998) Houria is currently aPhD candidate in Information Science and Technology inthe School of Information Studies at Syracuse University.While a Fulbright student, Houria completed her MS inInformation Management at Syracuse. An article she co-authored, “Motivational Aspects of Information LiteracySkills Instruction in Community College Libraries,” waspublished in May 2004 in The Journal of College and ResearchLibraries. Houria writes that “the article was accepted withno revisions upon reviewers’ recommendations.” Houriaalso notes that she has been selected for inclusion in the2005 edition of Who’s Who Among Students in AmericanUniversities and Colleges.
Winter 2004 Edition
Majda attended Howard University and earned her MAdegree with honors in African American Literature lastAugust. Her studies covered all periods and literarygenres in the field of African American literature: theliterature of slavery and freedom, the literature of theReconstruction, the literature of the Harlem Renaissance,the literature of realism and naturalism, the literature ofthe Black Arts Movement and contemporary AfricanAmerican Literature (since 1970).
Majda’s interest in African American literaturedeveloped in a course at Damascus University taught bya visiting American Professor to Syria, Elizabeth
Krekeler. Majdasays thatreading ToniMorrison’snovel Beloved inDr. Krekeler’scourse changedthe direction ofher academiccareer.According toMajda, “I got soinspired byMorrison’sworks that Idecided todecline a fullscholarship tothe UnitedKingdom, applyfor the FulbrightScholarship, and
travel, instead, to the United States in order to studyAfrican American literature…Professor Krekelerencouraged me because she perceived how much Iloved and enjoyed studying African American literaryworks. Now I can say that Professor Krekeler’s advicewas the best guidance I have ever received.”
When asked whether she is happy living in Washington,DC, Majda says yes and tells us that she considers it abeautiful city and one rich in culture and diversity. Whenasked about how she viewed relations between differentethnicities in Washington, DC, she responded: “Although Ihave not been in this area for a long time and myexperience is specific to Howard University, a majorinternational institution, I can say that ethnic relationsare positive. People tend to cherish a mutual respect forethnic and cultural differences here. [In addition,] Ihave noticed that there is a strong andinteresting tendency to assert similarity and unitybetween African American culture and Arab culture.Some of these connections may have come about becauseof historical interactions between Arabs and Africans inNorthern Africa.”
The literary and pedagogical significance of Majda’s MAthesis was acknowledged and celebrated in two paperspresented by Professor Eleanor Traylor (Head of theEnglish Department at Howard University): one, at theSecond International Conference on New Directions in theHumanities (convening in Prato, Italy), and the other atthe Furious Flower Conference at James MadisonUniversity in Harrisonburg, VA. Majda is currentlypursuing doctoral studies at Howard University andconducting research in Caribbean literature.
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Abdallah MALKI (1993-1996) As a Fulbright student,Abdallah studied at the University of Indiana atBloomington, where he obtained a PhD in the Semiotics ofTheater. As of March 2004, Abdallah is the Assistant Deanof the School of Arts and Humanities at the University ofIndiana, where he is responsible for the Department ofStudent Affairs, Scientific Research and Cooperation. Hehas several publications in progress including an articleon Moroccan semiotics to be published in Semiotica, anarticle on the semiotics of theatre buildings in Moroccoand a translation of a book on Umberto Eco.
SYRIA
M. Jawdat AUDEH (2000-2002) Jawdat is currentlyworking as an English Lecturer at King Saud University inRiyadh, Saudi Arabia. He attended Georgia StateUniversity in Atlanta where he earned his MA in AppliedLinguistics.
Hazem IBRAHIM (2000-2002) At California StateUniversity-Sacramento, Hazem worked towards his MAin Intercultural Communication. Following his studies atSacramento, Hazem volunteered as a CommunicationOfficer at the Aga Khan Development Network in Syria, agroup of international private development agencies. Asof mid-December, he has taken a new job as Informationand Culture Assistant at the Delegation of the EuropeanCommission to Syria.
TUNISIA
Sadok BOUHLILA (1989- 1990) Sadok spent his Fulbrightyear as a non-degree student at UCLA. He now teaches atthe Department of English at La Manouba University inTunis and has recently been promoted to maitre deconferences, the equivalent of Associate Professor.
focus on: Majda ATIEH from Syria
alumni news & notes continued. . .
Fulbright Focus
8
Karim SOUIDI (2003-2004) Karim studied WaterResources as a non-degree student while under hisFulbright grant at the University of California-Berkeley.
WEST BANK
Ziad ABDALLAH (1983-1985) Ziad spent his Fulbrightyears at Iowa State University where he received his MSin Sociology. He has recently joined a private consultingfirm, AGRICONSULTING S.p.A, in Rome, Italy as a SeniorFacilitation Expert in the Food Security TechnicalAssistance Programme funded by the EU through theEuropean Commission Representative Office in Palestine.
Saleh AL-TAKROURI (2003-2004) At Rutgers University,Saleh earned an MA in Electrical Engineering and hasrecently returned home to the West Bank. He continues hisstudies in the West Bank by writing joint papers with hisformer professors: one, which was presented at aconference in Hawaii last August, and another, based onhis thesis, which he hopes will be accepted at a conferencein the Czech Republic in July 2005. Saleh is looking topursue his PhD and received a scholarship to study inAustralia.
Muna K. SHIKAKI (2003-2004) Muna is one of threecorrespondents for Al-Arabiya TV for the Washington, DCbureau. She has been working at Al-Arabiya since May2004, after graduating from Columbia’s Graduate Schoolof Journalism, and has covered the U.S. Presidentialelections and the Democratic National Convention, inaddition to daily news features in Washington, DC andNew York City.
GAZA
Jehad EDWAN (2000-2002) As a Fulbright grantee, Jehadpursued an MS at Creighton University in Omaha, andrecently earned a PhD from the Department of MedicalMicrobiology and Immunology at the same university.The title of his dissertation was “Immunomodulation ofAllergic Airway Inflammation by Flt3-Ligand.” Jehadcurrently works as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the
Department of Biomedical Sciences at CreightonUniversity School of Medicine.
Abdallah KURRAZ (2000-2001) Abdallah earned his MA inArts, Modern English and American Literature fromIndiana University of Pennsylvania, and is now DeputyHead of the English Department at Al-Azhar University inGaza where he teaches in the field of Literature andLanguage Skills. Abdallah will be defending his PhD (acomparative intertextual study on Eliot’s mythopoeticaleffects on Al-Bayyati’s poetics) in Egypt this May. He alsowrites poems about current world issues and events andhopes to produce his next poetry collection in April.
YEMEN
Mokhtar ALZURAIKI (2002-2004) Mokhtar returned hometo Yemen recently and, in October, was appointed as anAssistant Lecturer at Aden University. He currentlyteaches academic writing for English majors at the SabirCollege of Education. Mokhtar completed his Fulbrightgrant at Georgia State University in Atlanta where heearned an MA in Applied Linguistics and ESL.
Khaled ISHAQ (2001-2003) After earning his MA inInternational Studies from the University of Oregon,Khaled returned to the UN Information Centre in Sana’a.As Chair of the UN Theme Group, his responsibilitiesincluded overall management of all operational andoutreach activities, coordination of UN agencies in Yemenon information-related matters and the development of aninter-agency framework for communication. In April2004, Khaled joined the UN Development Programme asCommunication Officer, providing strategic advocacy forthe more than 20 development projects on communicationand media relations.
Abdullah MODHESH (2002-2004) Abdullah was awardedhis MA in July 2004 by Oklahoma State University andhas been admitted to their PhD program in ProfessionalEducation. Abdullah and his wife, who had been living inYemen, were recently reunited in the U.S. and celebratedtheir marriage with a small wedding in a local mosque.
Winter 2004 Edition
9
Winter 2004 Edition
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR FULBRIGHT ALUMNI
The Fulbright Association is the private, nonprofitmembership organization of Fulbright Program alumniand friends. The Association is dedicated to promoting theFulbright Program, enriching the experiences of visitingFulbright students, teachers, and scholars, and fostering aglobal network of Fulbright alumni.
The Fulbright Association works to ensure that U.S.government funding for the Fulbright Program willcontinue so that future generations of students, teachers,
and scholars can participate. The Association keeps members informed of the status oflegislation and other issues that may affect the program and mobilizes its members to supportthe program through media, public education, and grassroots information campaigns.
For more information or to become a member, please go to: http://www.fulbright.org/join.
The Fulbright Academy of Science andTechnology is an independent non-profitorganization based in the United States.This organization receives support fromselected Fulbright alumni groups,businesses, institutions, organizations,foundations, and individuals interested indeveloping an international network ofleaders in science and technology.
The Fulbright Academy of Science &Technology uses the expertise of itsnetwork of Fulbrighters and leaders inscience to address critical problems ineducation, scientific innovation andeconomic development. The FulbrightAcademy’s database has over 10,000Fulbrighters and scientists around theworld.
For more information pleasecontact the Fulbright Acad-emy:
The Fulbright AcademyPO Box CC-284
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107-0284United States of America
Tel: 1-207-799-3098Fax: 1-207-767-4306
Toll free: 1-866-327-4448
http://www.fulbrightacademy.org.
Arafat Al-Dweik (Cleveland StateUniversity, PhD/Engineering, 1997-1999)plans to present his research in digitalcommunications at the Third InternationalConference on Sciences of Electronics,Technologies and Telecommunications inTunisia this March. Originally from theWest Bank, Arafat now teaches at theEtisalat College of Engineering in the UAEand hopes that the dialogue generated byhis efforts to increase the efficiency ofcommunications networks will improve hiswork and inspire other research projects.
Originally from Yemen, Aziz Saeed (BallState University, MA/Applied Linguistics/TESOL, 1990-1992) teaches English, aswell as sociolinguistics, language andculture, phonology, and translation atSana’a University. In December, Azizattended the 5th Annual Convention ofEGYPTESOL in Cairo with the aim ofbringing back new ideas for teaching andresearch to his colleagues and students.He believes it is important for teachers touse interesting reading materials, carefullydesigned activities and group work tocreate an atmosphere “where students feelthe need to learn.”
In January, Hala El-Khozondar (NewMexico State University, Non-degreestudent/Electrical Engineering, 1993-1995)joined the organizing committee for theEgyptian Materials Research Society’s2005 Conference to choose topics andplan future activities and workshops.Conference topics included Hala’s maininterests: studying photonic materials anddeveloping optoelectric devices, whichhave applications in high performancecomputers and telecommunications. Hala,who has a PhD in Physics and has donepost-doctoral work at the Max PlankInstitute for Nuclear Physics in Germany,teaches at the Islamic University of Gaza.
In her work as a nematologist at theUniversity of Jordan, Luma Al Banna(University of California, Davis, MA/Agriculture, 1990-1992) studies parasiticworms, or nematodes, to develop non-chemical methods of pest control. ThisFebruary, she is planning a collaborative
visit to Dr. Patricia Stock’s laboratory atthe University of Arizona in Tucson whereshe will learn more about the taxonomyand biology of entomopathogenicnematodes (parasites of soil-dwellinginsects) and their potential as bioagents incontrolling insect pests. Luma will use thisknowledge to carry out a study of thisparticular type of nematode in Jordan.
Partnershipsfor LearningUndergraduateStudiesProgram(PLUS)
PLUS is a highly competitive regionalscholarship program funded by the U.S.Department of State’s Bureau of Educationaland Cultural Affairs. PLUS targetsundergraduate liberal arts students fromunder-served and under-representedcommunities who demonstrate academicexcellence and leadership potential. Studentscome to the United States for up to sixmonths of intensive English language andpre-academic training and enroll in U.S.universities to complete the final two years oftheir bachelor’s degree. Students arenominated in each country by AMIDEAST,Fulbright Commissions, or U.S. Embassies.
The second cohort of PLUS students hasbeen selected and students are nowpreparing to come to the United Statesthis spring to begin their pre-academicprogram. In this second cohort, PLUShas increased to 100 students from theMiddle East and North Africa, as well asfrom the newly included South Asiancountries of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,India and Nepal. In addition,AMIDEAST expanded its partnership ofuniversity-based English languageinstitutions to 13 in this growingprogram.
The 71 PLUS students from the firstcohort represent 11 countries in theMiddle East and North Africa. In Augustthe students successfully completedtheir intensive English language andpre-academic training at nine
universities across the United States. They are now enrolled in their academicprograms under the administrativeresponsibility of the Academy forEducational Development and arekeeping a busy schedule as they worktoward BAs intheir chosenmajors.
Youth Exchange and Study (YES)
YES program scholarships, funded by the U.S.Department of State, give secondary schoolstudents in many Arab and Islamic countriesan opportunity to study at American highschools and live with American host familiesfor one academic year. Students are enrolled ina full academic year of high school study in theU.S., attending classes, labs and extracurricularprograms with their American classmates. YESstudents also participate in special enrichmentactivities, including community service, youthleadership training, a civics education program,and other activities that will develop a well-rounded understanding of American culturethrough interaction with diverse groups ofAmericans. Likewise, participating studentsserve as cultural ambassadors to their Americanhost communities, becoming invaluableresources for Americans whose contact withYES students will provide them with anopportunity to learn about the rich and vibrantcultures of the Middle East and North Africa.
The YES selection process for the 2005-2006 academic year is winding down, with240 students expected to be selected fromthe Middle East, North Africa and Pakistanby February 15.
The first group of YES alumni (academicyear 2003-2004) have been active infounding chapter clubs in their respectivecountries. Alumni have made numerouspresentations in their schools and homecommunities, sharing their experiencesfrom their year abroad in the UnitedStates. Many have initiated communityservice projects including foundingtutoring clubs at secondary schools andspeaking with departing exchangestudents to answer questions aboutintegrating into American culture. TheKuwait chapter club is planning a tsunamirelief effort to inform their peers ofvolunteer opportunities and to help thevictims of the natural disaster.
Fulbright Focus
...Continued from page 2
10
UPDATE ON YES AND PLUS
Winter 2004 Edition
ALUMNI PROFILE: DAVID EL CHARIF KEEPS THEFULBRIGHT CONNECTION ALIVE
David El Charif is a Fulbright student fromLebanon. He was awarded a FulbrightScholarship in 2002 to conduct studies inthe field of Dispute Resolution at theUniversity of Missouri-Columbia. He iscurrently pursuing a Canadian CommonLaw degree at the University of Ottawawith an anticipated graduation in 2006.Living in Canada’s diverse capital, Davidfocuses on public policy issues that are ofincreasing interest to Canadians such asimmigration laws and equal rights for same-sex partnerships. In his free time, hemoderates the Fulbright Listserv “FulbrightStudents and Alumni around the World.”This listserv is a virtual forum that helpsFulbrighters stay in touch, communicateand exchange opinions. We asked him totell us more about it.
What is listserv? When was theFulbright Listserv founded?
Listserv is a mailing system thatallows a person to email allsubscribers of a given group throughone email address. The FulbrightListserv is a virtual discussionenvironment for issues that are ofimportance to Fulbrighters. It wasfounded in 1993 by Christos Siopis, aFulbright alumnus from Greece. Itook charge of it in 2002 and willmoderate it until 2007.
How many subscribers have signedonto the Listserv and where are theyfrom?
There are 1250 subscribers from 72countries and 5 continents. We areaiming to expand membership toevery country with the FulbrightProgram. The number of subscribersfrom each country varies a lot.Germany has more subscribers thanany other country and in terms ofcontinents, Europe has the mostmembers.
As for the Middle East and NorthAfrica, we have members fromLebanon, Syria, Jordan, Gaza,Morocco, Egypt and the West Bank.
How do you think the Listserv can beuseful to Fulbright students andalumni?
The Fulbright Listserv is acommunication network betweennew grantees and their peers. Priorto their departure and placement inthe States, Fulbright students can relyon other Fulbrighters who took thesame path before to ask themquestions and share their concernsand experiences. Whether they arewondering about accommodation ina certain city or at a university, orwhether they have questions abouttaxes, immigration, education or anyother topic, they will always findsomeone able to advise them fromhis/her own experience and help themupon their arrival.
The Fulbright Listserv is alsoappropriate for discussions that cantake advantage of the uniquemulticultural background of thesubscribers to this list. In this sense,the Fulbright Listserv offers thepossibility of having a standing,virtual, global round-table discussionthat would be hard to implement inthe real world.
What kind of email flow do youreceive daily and what are the mosthotly debated topics?
We have an average daily flow of twoemails. In heated debates, thisnumber can go up to 40 emails perday. The most debated and discussedtopics are:-Political issues such as U.S. foreignpolicy, the war in Iraq, peace in theMiddle East and U.S. elections-Social issues such as same-sexmarriage, abortion, Islam andwomen’s rights-Educational issues such as academicprograms, PhD opportunities, jobfairs and enrichment seminars-Fulbright-related issues such astaxes and the 2-year home residencyrequirement
Can you give us examples ofparticularly interesting interchanges?
When you have this diversity ofsubscribers, it is always interestingto join the debates or just watch theinteraction between people fromvarious backgrounds. The war inIraq, defended by many members, isseen by most Arab subscribers asunnecessary and baseless. On theissue of same sex marriage, whichmore then 70% of the list membersare in favor of, many Fulbrighterswith strong religious beliefs wrotethat they are against it. Thisparticular exchange can sometimes beemotional with gay Fulbrighterscoming out about their struggle foracceptance. The issue of abortion isalso a hotly-debated topic withfeminists on the list who advocate fora woman’s right to control whathappens to her own body. Othertopics such as the Holocaust and theIsraeli/Palestinian conflict attract alot of attention because they aremarking points in our history.
Anything else you want to add?
I have noted that Fulbright alumnicontinue to “live the Fulbrightexperience” after they finish theirprograms. With all the differences inopinion, they have shown solidarityin difficult moments. For instance, Iremember all the condolence emailssent to Americans after theSeptember 11 events, to Spanishmembers after the train bombing andrecently to Asian Fulbrighters afterthe tsunami disaster.
How do interested Fulbrighters jointhe list?
To join the list, send me an email tothe following email addresses:[email protected] [email protected].
11
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EGYPTVirginia Carley, Acting Country DirectorNo. 23 Musadak Street, Dokki, CairoMail: PO Box 96,Magles El ShaabPhone: 20-2-337-8265 Fax: 20-2-795-2946, U.S. (202) 776-7117Internet: [email protected]
JORDANMichael Clark, Country DirectorRodeo Plaza Building, 3rd FloorNuh Al-Rumi Street, Sweifiyeh, Amman (across from Café La Noisette)Mail: P.O. Box 1249, Amman 11118Phone: 962-6-581-0930 Fax: 962-6-581-4020Internet: [email protected]
LEBANONBarbara Shahin Batlouni , Country DirectorBeirut Central District, Bazerkan Building, First Floor, Nijmeh Square,Next to the Parliament, Beirut, LebanonMail: PO Box 11-2190, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107 2100Phone: 961-1-989901 Fax: 961-1-989901 ext. 100 U.S.Internet: [email protected]
M O R O C C OJoe Phillips, Country Director35, Zanquat Oukaimeden, Agdal, RabatPhone: 212-03-767-5081, 767-5082, 767-5075Fax: 212-03-767-5074, U.S. (202) 776-7110Internet: [email protected]
SYRIABarbara Al Nouri, Country DirectorAhmed Mrewed Street. Next to Nadi Al Sharq. Nahas Building No. 3Mail: PO Box 2313, Damascus, Syrian Arab RepublicPhone: (963) 11-331-4420 and 331-5316 Fax: (963) 11-245-2407Internet: [email protected]
AMIDEAST FIELD OFFICE CONTACTS:TUNISIAH.L. “Lee” Jennings, Country Director22, Rue Al Amine Al AbbassiCite Jardins, 1002 Tunis-BelevedereMail: B.P. 351, Tunis-Belvedere 1002, TunisiaPhone: (216-71) 790-559; 790-563; 841-488Fax: 216-71-791-913Internet: [email protected]
WEST BANK/GAZAChris Shinn, Country DirectorJerusalem Office:Slak Building, 3rd Floor, Next to Palestinian Counseling Center, Khalil As-Sakakini St. Beit Hanina, JerusalemMail: PO Box 19665, Jerusalem 91193Phone: 972-2-583-5647 Fax: 972-2-583-5912Internet: [email protected]
Gaza City Office:Shaheed Raja St. No.8/704Bseiso Building, 8th FloorOpposite the Arab bank of RimalAl Jondi Al Majhool, Rimal NeighborhoodMail: P.O.Box: 1247, Gaza City, PalestinePhone: 972 (or 970)08-282-4635Fax: 972 (or 970)08-283-8126Internet: [email protected]
YEMENSabrina Faber, Country DirectorAlgiers Street, #66 (near the Sana’a Trade Center), Sana’aMail: PO Box 15508 Sana’a, Republic of YemenPhone: 967-1-206-222, 400-279, 400-280Fax: 967-1-206-942 U.S. (202) 776-7115Internet: [email protected]
