Sharon Wilterdink Moses (former student 1967–68) writes, “I came to AUB for my junior year shortly after the 1967 war. My year at AUB opened my eyes to the world beyond the US and continues to inform my life. In Washington, DC, I held management positions in marketing and finance for AT&T and other companies, later moving to Boise, Idaho. In 2019 I returned to Lebanon for a visit with my husband. It was very moving to see Main Gate and the College Hall bell tower, wander around the beautiful campus, and to visit the Outlook office, where I had spent many busy hours.”
Sossi Nercessian Boladian (MD ’71) celebrated her 50th class reunion during Reunion 2022. (Because of the pandemic, there was no class reunion in 2021.) She writes, “My dreams finally came true when, in June 2022, I was honored with my classmates from the School of Pharmacy on the 50-year anniversary of our graduation. The feeling was great. It took us back to our youth on campus, the hard work to pass exams, and the long hours of laboratory experiments—all done with lots of fun, and great expectations, for a bright and successful future.” In June 2022, Sossi earned an MA in interdisciplinary gender studies from LAU—an occasion witnessed by her husband and children, “who rushed from the US, Dubai, and Geneva” to be there. She is currently working on women’s rights issues as part of the National Commission of Lebanese Women, to which she was appointed 24 years ago.
Rita Mufarrij (BA Psychology ’77, MA Psychology ’81) writes, “I defended my PhD dissertation in psychology at the Lebanese University in September 2022 and was granted the degree after a five-year journey
of research. My dissertation is titled ‘The Psycho-Social Dimensions of Extremism: Self-perception and the Perception of Others.’”
Tala Hussein Suleiman-Haidar (BA English Literature ’91, TD TEFL ’92, MA English Literature ’92) writes, “I am married and the mother of two young men (one recently graduated from AUB with a business degree; the other just graduated from Evangelical School). I currently reside in Tyre, where my husband works with UNIFIL. I have been teaching since 1991 at different universities and schools and have been a permanent public school teacher since 2009. I published my first novel last year, Ahlam Mosteghanemi Meets Paolo Coelho in Beirut. It is available at the AUB library and at bookstores in Beirut. I am now working on my second book.”
Waddah Olabi (BBA ’94, MBA ’96) writes, “I am currently a PhD student and researcher at Montreal University. I have worked in the Lebanese banking sector for 24 years and was most recently general manager of Sogelease Liban, a financial leasing company owned by SGBL Group. As an AUB student, I was the vice president (1994–95) and treasurer (1995–96) of the AUB Business Society. I believe we, as alumni, should all support AUB in every possible way, and thus give future generations the chances and privileges we once had at our beloved alma mater.”
Badria Shehab Bayoun (BA English Language ’97, TD ’99) celebrated her 25th class reunion during Reunion 2022. She writes, “Wow! Wow! Wow! It was, by far, one of the best celebrations I’ve ever attended! Every single thing that was done induced a regal feeling to be savored. Thank you AUB for turning a special day into a memorable moment. My heart will always be filled with beautiful memories of this unique day! Long live AUB!” Badria lives in Beirut, where she has been teaching English for more than 23 years.
Rafka Bou Habib (MD ’97) celebrated her 25th class reunion during Reunion 2022. She writes, “I was part of that memorable reunion and was happy to be there. I encourage everyone to participate for the personal joy it brings you. The Honoring Ceremony was great and made me feel 25 years younger.” After earning her MD degree, Rafka did a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at AUBMC. She has been in private practice since 2001. Her most recent interest is cosmetic gynecology. She and her husband, Dr. Anis Wanna, have two children, both in secondary school. She sends her “best wishes to the place that made it possible for me to fulfill my dreams of serving the community.”
Sylvie Maalouf Kassouf (BS Computer Science ’03) writes, “After receiving my BS degree, I worked for a banking software company in Lebanon for almost a year. I quickly realized that a life of programming was not what I saw in my future. So, I moved to the US, where I obtained an MA in international economic policy from George Washington University in 2007. I moved to Doha, Qatar, in 2010. Since 2020, I have been working at the Qatar Foundation, where I am the programs manager for the Policy Hub within the CEO Office. On a more personal note, after my diagnosis with type-1 diabetes, I cofounded the National Diabetes Organization–DiaLeb in Lebanon in 2011.”
Maya Tawil (BS Environmental Health ’07) had accumulated more than 10 years of environmental consultancy experience before moving to Veolia Group, the world leader in ecological transformation and optimized resource management. She is currently managing the industrial business development of Veolia in the United Arab Emirates. Maya works with heavy industries, mainly in the oil, gas, and nuclear sectors, to achieve sustainable growth by proposing tailor-made solutions in energy efficiency, water, and waste management.
Ryan GhusayniI (BS Biology ’13, MD ’17) recently completed a four-year neurology residency at Duke University, where he is now doing a neuromuscular fellowship.
Georges Mourad (BE ’10, ME ’13) writes, “In addition to my degrees from AUB, I earned an MBA from IE Business School in July 2021. I worked for DAR as an electrical engineer in Beirut and the UAE, then joined AECOM in 2017 as a senior electrical engineer, before returning to DAR in 2019 as a senior projects coordinator. I have been living with my family in Abu Dhabi since 2017 and recently became a father of two. With everything that is happening around, I try my best to always find time for sports and outdoor activities. I am eager to meet and/or catch up with friends and classmates whenever possible.”
Sarah Boukhari (BBA ’12) writes, “It’s been quite an exciting journey since graduating in 2012! I started my career with PwC for five years and then pursued my MBA degree at INSEAD, which was a whirlwind of an experience that took me around Europe and Southeast Asia. Post-graduation I moved to London for three years, also in the financial services sector but focusing on investment banking data analytics. I recently moved to the UAE and have joined the family business, which specializes in construction contracting.”
Ziad Rabih Ghandour (MA ’12) writes, “On February 7, 2022, I successfully defended my PhD thesis titled “Quality Competition in Regulated Markets” with high distinction from the School of Economics and Management at the University of Minho, Portugal. The journey resulted in three publications in international peer-reviewed journals. I am currently working as an economist at the Portuguese Competition Authority.”
Manal Rahal (MSBA ’19) writes, “I was part of the very first Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) cohort at AUB and feel lucky to have had the chance to study data science at such a prestigious university. I am currently working as a PhD researcher at Karlstad University. My research is focused on investigating the application of machine learning in synthesis and analysis of innovative therapeutic drugs. I hope I advance in my research to collaborate with researchers from AUB on unlocking the promising potential of machine learning in making life better for future generations.”
Israa Azzam (ME Mechanical Engineering ’21) writes, “I was selected to work for Dr. Farid Breidi as a visiting scholar at the School of Engineering Technology (SOET) at Purdue University. I have conducted research on digital hydraulics, digital twins, and mixed reality for engineering education. I have also published three journal papers and six conference manuscripts, collaborated with well-known industrial firms, and joined Purdue’s Fluid Power Club, where I participated in the Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge. Given my rewarding visiting scholar experience, I applied and was accepted for a PhD position in mechanical engineering technology at Purdue University, where I will be working under the supervision of Dr. Breidi.”
Partnerships for AUB: The Rami Bitar Scholarships
“We believe in the important role that AUB has played and is still playing in forming leaders who are capable of impacting and shaping a better future for our beloved country and the region,” says alumnus Rami Bitar (EMBA ’08). Bitar recently partnered with AUB to establish the Rami Bitar Scholarships, which benefit undergraduate and medical students who excel academically and come from underprivileged families. The selection criteria of candidates are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal for Gender Balance, giving preference for female candidates to help bridge the gender gap in scholarship opportunities. The managing partner at Bitar International in Lebanon, and founder of Tawfeer Supermarkets, Bitar explains that the decision to establish a scholarship at AUB is part of his company’s corporate social responsibility efforts, which “are mainly directed at areas in which we operate and aim to empower women by giving them equal access to education and opportunities in order to meet our Sustainable Development Goal for Gender Balance.”