Some 100 alumni, including WAAAUB Board and Council members, attended our second international convention, which coincided with the Inauguration of President Peter Dorman. The convention provided a great opportunity for WAAAUB members to meet face to face to assess progress, draw plans, brainstorm key topics and get immediate feedback on initiatives. Throughout the three days, separate and joint meetings took place around the clock between the Board, the Standing Committees of the Board, and the Alumni Council. Two general assemblies were held to launch and wrap up the three-day convention, which also included a leadership summit, a gala dinner and an alumni awards ceremony.Most importantly, the discussions were very candid, constructive and fruitful.
While we hoped to have more attendance and stronger alumni presence, especially from Lebanon, I and other participants were very pleased with the commitment and dedication of WAAAUB members and alumni attendees. With the calibre of volunteers we have and with your support, I can truly say that WAAAUB is well on its way to realizing its mission of reuniting alumni with each other and with their Alma Mater. For more information about the convention, visit waaaub.org.
The WAAAUB 2009 elections began on May 15 and will end on June 10. Results will be announced on July 1. By now, you should have received your electronic or paper ballot to vote and elect 7 Board and 35 Alumni Council members to replace those whose term of service will end in 2009.
We were pleased to receive more than 100 nominations to these positions. The WAAAUB Nominations Committee met in Beirut on March 27 and carefully reviewed the biographies of the candidates. The committee finalized the slate based on a number of key criteria that included but was not limited to experience with and service to AUB and other not-for-profit organizations. The Committee also took into consideration each candidate‘s professional experience, personal statement and overall accomplishments.
I would like to take this opportunity to urge you to participate by casting your vote to ensure WAAAUB‘s Board and the Alumni Council continue to represent and act upon the needs, desires and aspirations of AUB alumni worldwide. Visit waaaub.org and click on "WAAAUB Election 2009" for frequently asked questions pertaining to these elections.
On a final note, I would like to say that I am very proud of what WAAAUB has achieved to date. Consider this third issue of Al Jame‘a prepared by the Outreach Committee; the three successful regional meetings in Washington DC, Jordan and Bahrain, organized by the Chapters Committee; and the launch of the WAAAUB Alumni Award program by the Programs Committee. These are only but a few examples of some of the activities undertaken by WAAAUB members.
I look forward to reporting to you on other activities and on the results of the 2009 elections in future issues of Al Jame‘a. In the meantime, have a great season and keep AUB close to your hearts and minds.
Message from the Editor
Dear fellow alumni,
Al Jame‘a is part of WAAAUB‘s efforts to reach and engage alumni everywhere around the world; may these efforts continue unabated. We will try to reach all those who wish to be reached through this e-Newsletter, though much remains to be done to expand the list of recipients. If this missive popped in your In-Box please take a moment and think of your AUB friends, not only around you but anywhere in the world, who do not receive it and encourage them to join the AUB On-Line Community. Alternatively they can send a message to the Director of Alumni Relations in Beirut or New York. see in the following pages, more chapters are accreting around those eager individuals who step forward to start the process of creating new chapters. Examples of such engaged and engaging alumni are everywhere from Cairo to Halifax and Seattle. Elections have been held in many chapters and we continue to receive stories and pictures of varied activities.
In this e-Newsletter, you will meet a Chief Technology Officer of a major telecom company in North America, Ibrahim Gedeon, BE. You will also have a glimpse into life on our Campus. You will discover that much continues to be added to the AUB physical structures though the campus will remain forever evocatively familiar. The Hostler Center, a state-of-the art athletic facility, is up and running. AUB‘s emphasis on participation in athletics be it team sports or individual sports, is not new. Included in this issue is a delightful story with pictures from an alumnus about a bus trip to Damascus ending in victory and much hospitality. A futuristic structure, which will house the Issam Fares Institute designed by world known architect Zaha Hadid is to occupy the north end of the Green Oval, where many students were treated at the Gulbenkian Infirmary – no trees will be cut, by the way. But the most important recent event on Campus was the Inauguration of President Peter Dorman and the second WAAAUB Convention in May. A second convention for North American alumni is in the final stages of planning for later in the fall of this year. A rigorous process of soliciting and evaluating proposals was created and can be used as a template for other conventions elsewhere in world.
The current governance structure of WAAAUB continues to evolve. Two years have passed since the elections of the current Council and Executive members had been elected and it is time for new elections. Nominations were solicited and received. Electronic and paper ballots were sent to all alumni with valid address on record. Please, take the time to exercise your right to elect representatives from around the world. The three standing committees – Outreach, Programs and the Committee for Chapters meet regularly through teleconferences.
Finally, this e-Newsletter will soon benefit from the more experienced hands on keyboards of former writers and editors of the beloved campus rag Outlook. To them and to any other alumni who wish to write, I extend a warm welcome – this is our way to stay in touch with the larger community of AUBites. I am not sure when it will be time to have a new editor, but that too will happen. In the meantime, if you have a story to share about your time at AUB, send us a note. Spring is here at the high latitude of Ottawa and we are looking forward to a warm summer picnic for our chapter in the glorious sunshine.
Elie Moussalli, B.S. ’69 M.S. ‘72
WAAAUB eNewsletter editor
emoussalli@rogers.com
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WAAAUB News
WAAAUB 2009 Elections
Make your voice heard!
On May 15, the WAAAUB Board and its Nominating Committee mailed and emailed paper and e-ballots to alumni around the world for voting in the upcoming 2009 WAAAUB elections. These elections are being held to fill the positions of seven board members and thirty-five council members whose terms will expire in 2009. WAAAUB needs your active participation in these elections to ensure that we maintain the calibre of the present leadership and sustain and build upon the momentum realized during the past two years. All e-ballots and paper ballots must be received by 5:00 pm Greenwich Mean Time on June 10, 2009. Results will be announced on July 1, 2009. Please vote and make your voice heard.
Questions should be addressed to nominations-committee@waaaub.org
WAAAUB Second Convention, May 1-3, 2009
As President Makkawi has written, the WAAAUB Board of Directors, Standing Committees, Alumni Council members and Chapter Representatives met in Beirut for the Second WAAAUB Convention May 1-3, 2009. We were joined at many portions of the proceedings by our Alumni Trustees Haykal, Abu Khadra and Trad, as well as other distinguished members of the AUB Board of Trustees who were on campus for the Inauguration Weekend of President Dorman. (See Noteworthy for links and photos from this historic day at AUB, the Inauguration of AUB’s 15th President.)
WAAAUB members accomplished a lot in those three days. In addition, they were able to participate in a number of social events, including some relating to the inauguration of President Peter Dorman. Apart from the business meetings, the Gala Dinner on the 2nd day witnessed the launch of the first WAAAUB Distinguished Alumni and Outstanding Chapter Awards. We will share more news and reports from the Convention in the future; In the meantime, you can read about WAAAUB”s strategies and goals for the coming year – discussed and documented during the convention – on the WAAAUB web site .
Enjoy the following photos from the Convention.
WAAAUB Leadership and AUB Trustees at Opening Ceremony
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Recent Graduates
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Opening Ceremony, Saturday, May 2, Issam Fares Hall
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Outstanding Chapter Award 2009 Presented to Dubai Chapter President
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Members of the Implementation Task Force (ITF) Receive Distinguished Alumni Award for 2009
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President and Mrs. Dorman at the Gala Dinner with Treasurer and Mrs. Doumet
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Ambassador and Mrs. Makkawi at the Gala Dinner
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Reunion 2009: Celebrating Who We Are;
July 3-5 2009
Classes of 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, and 2004
AUB and WAAAUB invite this year‘s celebrating classes to enjoy a weekend full of activities planned especially for you, our alumni. Please refer to the schedule of events for all the fun and festivities on the Reunion 2009 web site.
The weekend will include a ceremony honoring graduates celebrating their 50th and 25th graduation anniversary – to which all attendees are invited. Of course, no Reunion weekend would be complete without a grand night out on the town and this year is no exception as AUBites take over the Buddha Bar in downtown Beirut on Friday evening. There will be a brunch, family activities, an outdoor concert and much more throughout the weekend.
Relax, explore, participate – and celebrate! as you re-discover the people and places of AUB. Register today for your 2009 Reunion!
From the Chapters
The recently approved Philadelphia/Delaware Valley chapter elected its inaugural committee:
President: Nasri S. Kawar, Ph. D., ‘56 B.S., Agriculture; ‘59 M.S., Crop Production
Vice President: Asma Ghannam, M.S., ‘82 B.S., Nursing
Secretary: Khaled Tabbarah, M.D., ‘96 B.S., Physics; ‘00 M.D., Basic Medical Sciences
Treasure: Peter Edde, M.D. ‘96 B.S., Environmental Health; ‘00 M.D., Basic Medical Sciences
Member-at-large: Aref Aref
Member-at-large: Samir Akruk, M.D. ‘65 B.S., Biology; ‘67 M.S., Biology
Elections were also recently held at the following chapters: Ottawa, Southern California, and Northern California. For a complete chapters directory, visit:
http://www.waaaub.org/chaptersdirectory.html
Thanks from the Outreach Committee
WAAAUB's Outreach Committee wishes to thank the following companies and chapters who assisted the committee in updating alumni information by sharing AUB alumni data: CCC, Dar Al-Handasah Company, GE, Nestle, the Greece Chapter and the Paris Chapter.
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In the Spotlight: Ibrahim Gedeon, BE,'86
Ibrahim Gedeon
Chief Technology Officer, TELUS Communications Inc.
As the Chief Technology Officer of one of Canada‘s foremost telecommunications companies, AUB alumnus Ibrahim Gedeon frequently makes headlines at home in Canada and around the world. The past two years he appeared on the cover of the Global Telecommunications magazine and on Billing and OSS World – a remarkable recognition not only for him, his family and company, but also for AUB, its students and graduates.
If you‘ve had the chance to meet Ibrahim, you‘ll know it‘s not the title or the seniority of the position that attracts the media to him. Rather, it‘s the unique skills he has mastered: back office technical wizardly, front office sales and marketing savvy, and the ability to rise above the intricate technical details to focus on strategy and vision. An amazing sense of humour tops it all, making him the ideal speaker at industry and networking events!
At a WAAAUB Toronto Chapter dinner last October, Ibrahim was one of our keynote speakers and he offered career tips and advice to the young alumni in the city, sharing highlights of his career journey, including a brief stint as a restaurateur. Ever so proud of where he comes from, ―"hummos" is frequently served at TELUS‘ executive meetings.
Along with Hassan Eltaher, Ibrahim started the Ottawa/Montreal AUB alumni chapter back in the 90s. He currently sponsors many AUB activities in Canada making it possible for chapters to host speakers and organize events that promote AUB and its alumni in this region. As a strategist with strong loyalty to AUB, Ibrahim thinks long-term when he contributes to his Alma Mater. For the past few years, he annually sponsors about 3-5 AUB engineering students for summer internships with TELUS in Canada. In addition, he is working with the School of Engineering and Architecture to provide TELUS sponsored courseware to the Faculty of Engineering at AUB at no cost. TELUS‘ researchers continually contribute to the curriculum at top Canadian universities to provide students with leading edge technology and practices. AUB will have access to such advanced curriculum by virtue of having Ibrahim Gedeon as an alumnus.
Still, Ibrahim feels there‘s significant room for improvement. ―We as alumni need to do more. Giving is not merely about financial support; it should extend to sharing knowledge and innovation to ensure AUB benefits from the expertise of its alumni and their access to the latest and greatest in their respective fields.‖ For example, ―Doctors can share information about new medical procedures and policy makers can present the latest thought leadership in public administration and policy making.
During his time at Canada‘s telecommunication giant Nortel Networks, Gedeon sponsored a conference at AUB where leading Nortel experts gave keynote speeches.
Mr. Gedeon began his career in telecommunications engineering and research in 1990 when he joined Bell Northern Research designing signal-processing software in the cryptographic systems division. He moved to Nortel Networks in 1994 as a network design engineer, where he provided technical network design expertise to Nortel Networks customer base globally. He was named vice president and director of Data Network Engineering at Nortel in 1996, and vice president of Internet Brand Management in 1999. Ibrahim was appointed senior vice president of Wireless Engineering in 2000 and led the global engineering team responsible for operations, sales support, and systems engineering.
As CTO of TELUS, Ibrahim is responsible for technology strategy, network and services architecture and network support systems. He‘s also responsible for the Wireless-Wireline service and network convergence, enterprise applications and network infrastructure strategies and evolution.
Ibrahim has received numerous professional awards, including IEEE Canada‘s Outstanding Canadian Engineer Award. He graduated from AUB in 1986 with bachelors in electrical engineering and later obtained a Masters in Electronic Engineering from Carleton University.
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Reflections
A memoir from Nadim Kalluf, BS '50 – in celebration of the Charles Hostler Center
It was with great anticipation that AUB students watched the Charles Hostler Center take shape. This much needed world class facility, after its inauguration, matches the high calibre of everything else on campus. Mr. Samer Maamari, Vice President of Facilities at AUB put it well in the March 2009 issue of MainGate: ―There was a definite thirst for this kind of facility and now that it is open, students are hanging out more and more at the Center".
Emphasis on athletics at AUB, however, is nothing new. In fact, as many pictures on the Green Field show, successive generations embraced sports as part of their well rounded experience on and off campus, including post-game revelries. Here‘s a delightfully touching letter from Nadim Kalluf, a 1950 AUB graduate and an athlete who now resides in the U.S.
In his letter, Mr. Kalluf expressed his excitement about the establishment of the center as well as gratitude to Charles Hostler who made it happen. We are pleased to share with you excerpts from his letter:
"We are thrilled to learn of the establishment of a student center with facilities for physical training and sporting games. I believe this center will improve health and level the differences in a sporting spirit…... As an educational institution, AUB surpasses any organization in building bridges of understanding and kindness among peoples & nations…..we are grateful for this important contribution by Mr. Charles W. Hostler.
I was lucky to study in IC and graduate from AUB in 1950, spending around thirteen years as a student and five more years as an assistant pharmacist. During that time, I was into sports. In Elementary, our physical instructor was Mr. Towfic Ataya; in Secondary, Mr. Abdul Wahhab Rifaii; and at AUB, Mr. Abdul Sattar Trabulsi.
During my first year, 1944-1945, the Varsity AUB teams were invited to travel to Damascus and play vs. the Syrian University. It was a memorable trip, accompanied by Mr. Trabulsi, we won in all games and were treated to a lavish evening of food, music and brotherly speeches. In the same year, Ain Toura College invited the varsity volleyball team for a match. We went unaccompanied and lost to their team. The Clergy of the school treated us to an evening of Arouse-blebneh and a bottle of red wine. On our way back, we had to lean on each other for support. During the same year, AUB held intramurals between classes and faculty and we won in volleyball. I still proudly carry the silver medal attached to my key holder.
It is worthy to mention that in March 2008, the FDA in the U.S. published the new Food Pyramid for seniors. The base of this Pyramid is exercise (not a food item). This shift in thought is significant in stressing the value of exercise to our life. All my children attended IC and two of them, Rima and Ziad, obtained their MS from AUB. My son Imad had to continue his studies in the US. Kindly view the pictures attached to this letter.
Nadim Khalluf
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We know there are hundreds of stories out there about your days at AUB, your AUB friends and your professors. Won’t you reflect for a moment and share your thoughts with us? outreach-committee@waaaub.org
Noteworthy!
The Inauguration of Peter F. Dorman 15th President of AUB
May 4, 2009
WAAAUB‘s leadership and alumni representatives joined dignitaries and VIP guests from across the region and the world for this historic day at AUB. WAAAUB President Dr. Khalil Makkawi delivered a speech on behalf of AUB alumni.
The official ceremony marking the inauguration of the 15th AUB President on May 4 was all about embracing a liberal education, freedom of thought, and tolerance—the University's recipe for living life more abundantly. Revived after a 25-year hiatus, the inauguration of President Peter F. Dorman merged tradition with forward thinking.
Following the official ceremony, a campus-wide picnic was held to celebrate the special occasion. The entire month of May has been declared Inauguration Month with a variety of activities held across campus.
Full story: AUB Presidential Inauguration Embraces Liberal Arts Education
Go to http://www.aub.edu.lb/ for transcripts of the President's address and all speakers featured at the Inauguration Ceremony.
The AUB network
The AUB On-line Community – Getting Better and More Connected. NEW FEATURES!
Have you visited the AUB OLC recently? Some new upgrades have been made that we‘re sure alumni will want to take advantage of…so register today if you haven‘t already!
- Photo and Resume Upload
Your home page containing your contact and AUB details can now also include a photo of your choice and you can attach your resume. What quicker way to let your old classmates see what you are up to?
- Facebook Application
The popular social network of Facebook is now directly linked with the AUB On-line Community. This new application allows you to access the OLC through your Facebook account. Here is the link for you to add the application today:
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=36796247114
Career Services
In today‘s job market, alumni everywhere need to have every available resource at their fingertips. The AUB On-line Community is here to help too. The Career Services office at AUB posts jobs every week. You can also view thousands of jobs listed by all the other universities using on-line communities.
Already a successful career tracker? Why don‘t you lend a hand to a fellow alum looking for career advice? In the AUB On-line Community, you can sign up to be a mentor. Share your valuable knowledge about good job resources, cities of interest, networking avenues. Wasn‘t there someone at who pointed you in the right direction once? Become a mentor today.
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AUB News & Views
For more of AUB in the news visit:www.aub.edu/~webinfo/views/
AUB featured on American television program. Watch the video here: http://worldfocus.org/blog/2009/04/28/beiruts- american-university-preaches-tolerance-democracy/5167/
*Watch lectures from campus on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=AUBatLebanon&view=videos
Alumni in the News
*Philip S. Khoury named Chair of the Board of Trustees http://www.aub.edu.lb/news/archive/preview.php? id=93221
*Alumni Haddad and Haykal named to Young Global Leaders list: http://www.startuparabia.com/2009/02/yamlis-habib- haddad-on-world-economic-forums-young-global-leaders-2009-list/ http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp? StoryId=1093238203
*John Makhoul (BE, ‘64) receives prestigious award from The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/ idUS206585+22-Apr-2009+BW20090422
*Carla-Maria Khanjian (BA ‘82, MA ‘86) and Irma Khanjian (BA ‘81) never expected to be leaders in the skin care industry… Read about their success: http://www.lapeauskincare.com/press.php
*George Saliba (BS ‘63, MA ‘65) at Columbia University named 2009 Carnegie Scholar http://www.carnegie.org/sub/news/2009_scholars.html
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