News
21, Dec 2010
AUK's Student Government Host Members of Kuwait National Football Team
The Student Government Association (SGA) at the American University of Kuwait held an event at the AUK Liberal Arts Auditorium, where they invited several members of the Kuwaiti National Football team, to share their experiences and victory with the AUK Community. The Auditorium was packed with AUK students eager to meet the players, Hussein Fadhil, Bader Al-Mutawa, Jarah Al-Ateeqi, Yousef Nasser and AUK student Abdulaziz Al-Mashaan.
Students packed into the auditorium where they asked the players questions and took pictures with the Gulf Cup winners. The players expressed their happiness with this honoring and promised the students that they will aspire to do even better in the future. "This is the result of good coordination and cooperation between the team's administrators and players," said Al-Mutawa.
"I am happy to be with you here. This is only the beginning and expect better results in the future, especially with all of this support that we have from the Kuwaiti public," said Jarah Al-Ateeqi.
Hussein Fadhil said that he is proud of this win and it's a gift to the Kuwait public, while Yousef Nasser added that this victory wasn't about any one player, it was the result of great team work.
SGA President Khalid Al-Abdulghafour congratulated the national team for this historic win on behalf of SGA and the AUK student body.
Students packed into the auditorium where they asked the players questions and took pictures with the Gulf Cup winners. The players expressed their happiness with this honoring and promised the students that they will aspire to do even better in the future. "This is the result of good coordination and cooperation between the team's administrators and players," said Al-Mutawa.
"I am happy to be with you here. This is only the beginning and expect better results in the future, especially with all of this support that we have from the Kuwaiti public," said Jarah Al-Ateeqi.
Hussein Fadhil said that he is proud of this win and it's a gift to the Kuwait public, while Yousef Nasser added that this victory wasn't about any one player, it was the result of great team work.
SGA President Khalid Al-Abdulghafour congratulated the national team for this historic win on behalf of SGA and the AUK student body.
Several members of the Kuwaiti National Football team shared their experiences and victory with the AUK Community
Awarding the player
Group photo of SGA members with some members of the Kuwaiti national football team
20, Dec 2010
AUK Students Commemorate Muharram
A group of AUK students organized a modest event in remembrance of the month of Muharram, wherein they offered Vimto drinks, warm lentils soup and hot milk for students, faculty and students of AUK. The event was held on December 13, 2010 which coincided with the 7th day of Muharram. A total of twelve students set up three tables early in the morning, starting from 8am and wrapped black cloth around the polls found in the main hallway of the campus. This event was meant to spread awareness to the AUK community regarding a month in the Islamic Calendar, that is considered a month of mourning for Muslims who valued Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussain (PBUH).
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A group of AUK students organized a modest event in remembrance of the month of Muharram
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15, Dec 2010
AUK's Dr. Farrin Authors New Book on Classical Arabic Poetry
American University of Kuwait Assistant Professor of Arabic, Dr. Raymond Farrin, has authored a new book of classical Arabic poetry titled Abundance from the Desert to be released Spring 2011 by Syracuse University Press.
The book provides a comprehensive introduction to classical Arabic poetry covering the period roughly of 500-1250 CE. It features original translations and illuminating discussions of a number of major classical Arabic poems from a variety of genres. The poems are presented chronologically, each situated within a specific historical and literary context. Together, the selected poems suggest the range and depth of classical Arabic poetic expression; read in sequence, they suggest the gradual evolution of a tradition.
Moving beyond a mere chronicle, Dr. Farrin outlines a new approach to appreciating classical Arabic poetry based on an awareness of concentric symmetry, in which the poem's unity is viewed not as a linear progression but as an elaborate symmetrical plot. In doing so, the author presents these works in a broader, comparative light, revealing connections with other literatures. The reader is invited to examine these classical Arabic works not as isolated phenomena-notwithstanding their uniqueness and their association with a discrete tradition-but rather as part of a great multicultural heritage.
The book provides a comprehensive introduction to classical Arabic poetry covering the period roughly of 500-1250 CE. It features original translations and illuminating discussions of a number of major classical Arabic poems from a variety of genres. The poems are presented chronologically, each situated within a specific historical and literary context. Together, the selected poems suggest the range and depth of classical Arabic poetic expression; read in sequence, they suggest the gradual evolution of a tradition.
Moving beyond a mere chronicle, Dr. Farrin outlines a new approach to appreciating classical Arabic poetry based on an awareness of concentric symmetry, in which the poem's unity is viewed not as a linear progression but as an elaborate symmetrical plot. In doing so, the author presents these works in a broader, comparative light, revealing connections with other literatures. The reader is invited to examine these classical Arabic works not as isolated phenomena-notwithstanding their uniqueness and their association with a discrete tradition-but rather as part of a great multicultural heritage.
14, Dec 2010
Gulf Studies Center Host 2nd Diwaniah
The American University of Kuwait's Gulf Studies Center hosted its 2nd Diwaniah for AUK directors and faculty in the Camel Racing Club in Kuwait. The program started with the arrival of Shiekh Duaij Ibrahim Al-Sabah, the representative for His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, followed by traditional Arabic style lunch. There were six rounds of robot camel racing and after each round there were Arabic dance performances. After the races, winners were announced and camel riding was made available for the attendees.
Appreciation Award presented to the Gulf Studies Center (Ms. Jill H Allgier and Dr. Mohammad Akbar)
AUK faculty and directors gather together to have lunch in traditional Arabic style
Dr. Mohsen Bagneid and his family enjoy themselves during a camel ride
Professor John Rutland
Diwaniah
Dr. Mohammad Akbar and Dr. Marjorie Kelly
Professor Hosseini from GUST University joined us in the event
Professor Rizwan Ahmad riding the camel with his daughter
Arabic Dancing
Group photo with Shiekh Duaij Ibrahim Al Sabah
13, Dec 2010
French Embassy Honors AUK Students
The French Embassy in Kuwait and the Voltaire Institute, the Official French Language Institute in Kuwait, honored four AUK students on November 6 at 7 pm at a ceremony in the Lycée Français de Koweït in Salmiya.
AUK students Faye Al Obaid, Monica Matta, Fawaz Al Yagout and Hala Botros were prepared by AUK's Instructor of French Language Joseph Fiannaca last semester for the DELF examinations. The DELF is a proficiency test, similar to the English TOEFL, and offers various levels. The students receive an official certificate delivered by the French Ministry of Education and the European Union. Mr. Fiannaca said, "It's very positive for the program to see students' efforts rewarded at such a high level and it will definitely encourage more students to continue in their learning of French or even study for a minor in French. A minor in foreign languages (French and Spanish) is in the development process."
AUK students Faye Al Obaid, Monica Matta, Fawaz Al Yagout and Hala Botros were prepared by AUK's Instructor of French Language Joseph Fiannaca last semester for the DELF examinations. The DELF is a proficiency test, similar to the English TOEFL, and offers various levels. The students receive an official certificate delivered by the French Ministry of Education and the European Union. Mr. Fiannaca said, "It's very positive for the program to see students' efforts rewarded at such a high level and it will definitely encourage more students to continue in their learning of French or even study for a minor in French. A minor in foreign languages (French and Spanish) is in the development process."
Images from the ceremony
12, Dec 2010
Student Government at AUK Screens Gulf Cup final
The Student Government Association (SGA) at the American University of Kuwait held a screening of the Gulf Cup final between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia where over 700 students showed up at the Liberal Arts Auditorium to cheer for the Kuwait National Team. Kuwait won 1-0 to claim their 10th Gulf Cup win and SGA would like to congratulate the National team and the rest of the Kuwaiti public for this historic win.
Images from the event
09, Dec 2010
AUK places 3rd in Annual Public Speaking Competition
The American University of Kuwait team won 3rd place in the 10th Inter College Environmental Public Speaking Competition held in Dubai. It was a research-based competition about the environment and was divided into 4 categories that attracted 63 universities from the GCC countries. AUK had one team and we competed in one category: Intelligent Use of Water: Conservation or Management? Seventeen different universities competed in our event with AUK student Nour El-Ariss as the speaker, Samantha Combs, assistant and Intensive English Program Senior Instructor Don Prades as the faculty advisor/coach. AUK students performed well under pressure gaining the respect of other universities and the organizers of the event which was held under the patronage of His Highness Shiekh Nahayan Bin Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the UAE. This was our 4th appearance in this annual competition twice placing in 3rd and twice winning 1st.
(left to right): Assistant and Intensive English Program Senior Instructor Don Prades, AUK students Samantha Combs & Nour El-Ariss
09, Dec 2010
AUK Professor, Ghazi Nassir Authors New Book
Associate Professor of English Language and Literature at the American University of Kuwait Dr. Ghazi Nassir has authored a new book titled 'Culture and Customs of Iraq' to be released January 31, 2012 by Greenwood Press.
The book, made of eight chapters, provides an overview but concise look at the history, religion, education, economics and government of the Iraqi people. It also surveyed the roles of literature, media, cinema, fine arts, architecture, music, and dance as well as discussed Iraqi cuisine, traditional dress, gender, marriage, family, social customs and lifestyles. This volume is written from what might be called a double perspective; Iraq is viewed both from the outside and from within. It describes, and analyzes its history, people, religions, and social systems, and how these systems are shaped by traditional factors. It seeks to provide students and other readers essential, accurate, and solid information to understand the Iraqi people and their culture. Particular attention is devoted to the land and the people who make this culture, their backgrounds, vital rituals and central beliefs, practices, and moral values.
Culture and Customs of Iraq comes in at a crucial juncture in history. The Iraqi culture stems from three main sources: family, religion (Islam), and language (Arabic). To understand Iraqis, one must understand these three sources adequately. The kinship trait includes a set of group interactions that are built around the family. Each Iraqi family member is responsible for the integrity of his or her family and for the behaviour of other members. Their religion is an ultimate expression of the idealism of the Iraqis. Iraqis generally are moderately a religious and conservative people, and religious principles (Islamic or non-Islamic) are quite noticeable in their daily lives. Their language exerts tremendous influence on their personal interaction and emotional tone. For the Europeans in general and the Americans in particular, this is a must to understand Iraqi culture and customs, especially important at present because it can provide a basis for our own interactive behaviour with Iraqis as well as a basis for interpreting their behavioural characteristics.
The book, made of eight chapters, provides an overview but concise look at the history, religion, education, economics and government of the Iraqi people. It also surveyed the roles of literature, media, cinema, fine arts, architecture, music, and dance as well as discussed Iraqi cuisine, traditional dress, gender, marriage, family, social customs and lifestyles. This volume is written from what might be called a double perspective; Iraq is viewed both from the outside and from within. It describes, and analyzes its history, people, religions, and social systems, and how these systems are shaped by traditional factors. It seeks to provide students and other readers essential, accurate, and solid information to understand the Iraqi people and their culture. Particular attention is devoted to the land and the people who make this culture, their backgrounds, vital rituals and central beliefs, practices, and moral values.
Culture and Customs of Iraq comes in at a crucial juncture in history. The Iraqi culture stems from three main sources: family, religion (Islam), and language (Arabic). To understand Iraqis, one must understand these three sources adequately. The kinship trait includes a set of group interactions that are built around the family. Each Iraqi family member is responsible for the integrity of his or her family and for the behaviour of other members. Their religion is an ultimate expression of the idealism of the Iraqis. Iraqis generally are moderately a religious and conservative people, and religious principles (Islamic or non-Islamic) are quite noticeable in their daily lives. Their language exerts tremendous influence on their personal interaction and emotional tone. For the Europeans in general and the Americans in particular, this is a must to understand Iraqi culture and customs, especially important at present because it can provide a basis for our own interactive behaviour with Iraqis as well as a basis for interpreting their behavioural characteristics.
Dr. Ghazi Nassir
06, Dec 2010
AUK Hosts 4th Annual Homecoming Week
The American University of Kuwait's Division of Student Affairs hosted its 4th Annual Homecoming Week with events catering to every segment of the AUK community. From 'Dinner with the President' for Freshmen, to the Annual Reception for Alumni the week also featured a Staff/Faculty vs. Students soccer game.
Homecoming kicked off with AUK's Pride Day on November 28th where the Office of Student Life gave out AUK giveaways during a Barbeque that featured a male and female Staff/Faculty vs. Students soccer game where Staff/Faculty came out winners in both occasions. In addition, there was a Dribble, Shoot and Score competition and in the evening students came out to participate in a Karaoke event.
The second day, Big Day Out, saw many different activities including painting, board games and carnival games, where the winners received a prize. Approximately 206 students showed up to partake in these activities. In the evening the Office of Parent Relations and Alumni Affairs (OPRAA) hosted 'Dinner with the President' an event that gives Freshmen students and their parents a chance to meet and talk with AUK President Dr. Winfred Thompson. The event was attended by more than 40 Freshmen and IEP students, their parents and faculty members. Also in attendance were Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dr. Nizar Hamzeh and Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Carol Ross-Scott.
On the last day OPRAA hosted the Senior Launch where Seniors gather for the traditional roll call, collection of their AUK Senior T-shirts followed by the festivities of blasting confetti to launch their senior year. The event took place outside near the soccer field and was attended by 94 seniors and their friends and faculty who enjoyed this fun event which included a barbecue, music and a raffle. The raffle prizes were three gift vouchers from Starbucks and one iPod Nano courtesy of Digits.
The week's events were capped by the 5th Annual Alumni Reception, which gathered AUK Alums from the classes of '06, '07, '08, '09 and the most recent class of 2010. More than 160 alumni attended as well as AUK President and the Deans of the College and Student Affairs as well as faculty and staff. The event included three raffle prizes, an iPod Nano from Digits, a roundtrip ticket to Dubai and a roundtrip ticket to Beirut courtesy of Wataniya Airways.
Homecoming kicked off with AUK's Pride Day on November 28th where the Office of Student Life gave out AUK giveaways during a Barbeque that featured a male and female Staff/Faculty vs. Students soccer game where Staff/Faculty came out winners in both occasions. In addition, there was a Dribble, Shoot and Score competition and in the evening students came out to participate in a Karaoke event.
The second day, Big Day Out, saw many different activities including painting, board games and carnival games, where the winners received a prize. Approximately 206 students showed up to partake in these activities. In the evening the Office of Parent Relations and Alumni Affairs (OPRAA) hosted 'Dinner with the President' an event that gives Freshmen students and their parents a chance to meet and talk with AUK President Dr. Winfred Thompson. The event was attended by more than 40 Freshmen and IEP students, their parents and faculty members. Also in attendance were Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dr. Nizar Hamzeh and Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Carol Ross-Scott.
On the last day OPRAA hosted the Senior Launch where Seniors gather for the traditional roll call, collection of their AUK Senior T-shirts followed by the festivities of blasting confetti to launch their senior year. The event took place outside near the soccer field and was attended by 94 seniors and their friends and faculty who enjoyed this fun event which included a barbecue, music and a raffle. The raffle prizes were three gift vouchers from Starbucks and one iPod Nano courtesy of Digits.
The week's events were capped by the 5th Annual Alumni Reception, which gathered AUK Alums from the classes of '06, '07, '08, '09 and the most recent class of 2010. More than 160 alumni attended as well as AUK President and the Deans of the College and Student Affairs as well as faculty and staff. The event included three raffle prizes, an iPod Nano from Digits, a roundtrip ticket to Dubai and a roundtrip ticket to Beirut courtesy of Wataniya Airways.
Mr. Meshal Al Ali (on the left), Co-Founder and Vice Chair, Board of Trustees and Dr. Winfred Thompson, the President of American University of Kuwait with AUK Mascot during the homecoming barbecue.
Other images from the homecoming Barbecue
Images from the male and female Staff/Faculty vs. Students soccer game
Images from the senior launch
Images from the 5th Alumni reception
Collective photo of AUK Alums
05, Dec 2010
Young Women from Kuwait and the U.S. Find Common Ground as Computer Science Majors
By: Dartmouth student Tiffany Pollack '10
It was 9:15 a.m. in Hanover and 4:15 p.m. in Kuwait City on October 21 when two groups of young women - one at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) and one at Dartmouth, talked about the reasons they chose to major in Computer Science. Facilitated by the Dartmouth College - American University of Kuwait Project, the Institute for Security, Technology, and Society (ISTS) and the Women in Science Project, the conversation took place in real time using videoconferencing technology in the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL), and the Information Technology Department and the Library at American University of Kuwait (AUK).
The videoconference highlighted a growing list of activities that take place as part of Dartmouth's relationship with AUK, now in its seventh year. One aspect of that relationship, the AUK Faculty Fellows Program, brings AUK scholars to Dartmouth to work with counterparts in Hanover. AUK Assistant Professor of Computer Science Amir Zeid visited Dartmouth in summer 2010 to work with George Cybenko, the Dorothy and Walter Gramm Professor of Engineering. Struck by the relatively low proportion of women studying Computer Science at Dartmouth and elsewhere in the United States - in sharp contrast to AUK, where a high percentage of Computer Science majors are women - Zeid approached Denise Anthony, Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology and Research Director at ISTS - with the idea of launching joint research on the issue, beginning with the October videoconference.
"I began my formal research on how cultural issues affect women's enrollment in Computer Science academic programs in May 2010, using Kuwait as a case study," said Zeid. 'The videoconference was a great learning experience for all of us, and I hope it leads to a long term research collaboration with Dartmouth".
"All of us truly felt that we were sitting in one room," added Rehab El Bahey, who moderated the conversation in Kuwait. "The flow of the discussion and the similarities in thoughts and experiences eliminated all time, place, and cultural barriers". El Bahey is a coordinator in AUK's Arabian Heritage Project. She was assisted during the videoconference by Christina Chen '10, a Dartmouth student in Kuwait for the fall term as an intern at AUK.
One Dartmouth participant, Shloka Kini '13, observed both similarities and cultural and educational differences between her undergraduate experience and that of the women who attend AUK. "It would be mutually beneficial to keep in contact [with this group]," she said, "not only to continue the conversation but to build bonds with other women for future collaboration." She described the session as "an undeniable connection," adding, "Perhaps in the future, we will all have changed the world with this conversation about girls in Computer Science.
"The lack of gender diversity among computer scientists, as in math, engineering and science more generally, is a significant concern in the United States, and here at Dartmouth," said Denise Anthony. "Collaborations like this provide an incredible opportunity for women in Computer Science to learn from, and support, one another. We hope this will turn into an ongoing conversation."
Videoconferencing between AUK and Dartmouth has become a continuing aspect of the institutional collaboration. Web technology allows participants on both sides of the world to erase the physical distance between them. Previous sessions have involved the institutions' respective Writing Programs, a joint session of a Dartmouth Anthropology and an AUK Comparative Literature class, and a student-to-student presentation at Dartmouth's first Student Conference on Global Learning, sponsored by the Dickey Center for International Understanding.
The American University of Kuwait, established in 2003, is a liberal arts institution, based on the American model of higher education. Dartmouth has worked with AUK since its founding under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding that involves faculty, students, and staff in both locations. Dartmouth experts in engineering, information technology, library sciences, communications, governance, and other areas routinely visit Kuwait while students, faculty, and staff from Kuwait travel to the United States to work with their counterparts at Dartmouth. Since the relationship began, the two institutions have steadily deepened and expanded their partnership, creating a dynamic, evolving, and unique cross-cultural collaboration.
AUK students who participated in the videoconference:
Rawan Al-Sughayer '11
Wadha Al-Dalama '12
Dalaa Al-Qhatani '12
Danah Buqrais '12
Aysha Al-Rowaished '09
Hajer Nothary '13
Sally Saleh '09
Zainah Alrujaib '10
Modi A Al-Mohareb '10
Dalal H Al-Obaidly '11
Dartmouth students who participated in the October 21 videoconference:
Emma N. Smithayer '12
Divya A. Gunasekaran '11
Shloka R. Kini '13
Kelsey M. Harris '11
Rebecca H. Shapiro, GR (graduate student)
Grace F. Dowd '11
It was 9:15 a.m. in Hanover and 4:15 p.m. in Kuwait City on October 21 when two groups of young women - one at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) and one at Dartmouth, talked about the reasons they chose to major in Computer Science. Facilitated by the Dartmouth College - American University of Kuwait Project, the Institute for Security, Technology, and Society (ISTS) and the Women in Science Project, the conversation took place in real time using videoconferencing technology in the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL), and the Information Technology Department and the Library at American University of Kuwait (AUK).
The videoconference highlighted a growing list of activities that take place as part of Dartmouth's relationship with AUK, now in its seventh year. One aspect of that relationship, the AUK Faculty Fellows Program, brings AUK scholars to Dartmouth to work with counterparts in Hanover. AUK Assistant Professor of Computer Science Amir Zeid visited Dartmouth in summer 2010 to work with George Cybenko, the Dorothy and Walter Gramm Professor of Engineering. Struck by the relatively low proportion of women studying Computer Science at Dartmouth and elsewhere in the United States - in sharp contrast to AUK, where a high percentage of Computer Science majors are women - Zeid approached Denise Anthony, Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology and Research Director at ISTS - with the idea of launching joint research on the issue, beginning with the October videoconference.
"I began my formal research on how cultural issues affect women's enrollment in Computer Science academic programs in May 2010, using Kuwait as a case study," said Zeid. 'The videoconference was a great learning experience for all of us, and I hope it leads to a long term research collaboration with Dartmouth".
"All of us truly felt that we were sitting in one room," added Rehab El Bahey, who moderated the conversation in Kuwait. "The flow of the discussion and the similarities in thoughts and experiences eliminated all time, place, and cultural barriers". El Bahey is a coordinator in AUK's Arabian Heritage Project. She was assisted during the videoconference by Christina Chen '10, a Dartmouth student in Kuwait for the fall term as an intern at AUK.
One Dartmouth participant, Shloka Kini '13, observed both similarities and cultural and educational differences between her undergraduate experience and that of the women who attend AUK. "It would be mutually beneficial to keep in contact [with this group]," she said, "not only to continue the conversation but to build bonds with other women for future collaboration." She described the session as "an undeniable connection," adding, "Perhaps in the future, we will all have changed the world with this conversation about girls in Computer Science.
"The lack of gender diversity among computer scientists, as in math, engineering and science more generally, is a significant concern in the United States, and here at Dartmouth," said Denise Anthony. "Collaborations like this provide an incredible opportunity for women in Computer Science to learn from, and support, one another. We hope this will turn into an ongoing conversation."
Videoconferencing between AUK and Dartmouth has become a continuing aspect of the institutional collaboration. Web technology allows participants on both sides of the world to erase the physical distance between them. Previous sessions have involved the institutions' respective Writing Programs, a joint session of a Dartmouth Anthropology and an AUK Comparative Literature class, and a student-to-student presentation at Dartmouth's first Student Conference on Global Learning, sponsored by the Dickey Center for International Understanding.
The American University of Kuwait, established in 2003, is a liberal arts institution, based on the American model of higher education. Dartmouth has worked with AUK since its founding under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding that involves faculty, students, and staff in both locations. Dartmouth experts in engineering, information technology, library sciences, communications, governance, and other areas routinely visit Kuwait while students, faculty, and staff from Kuwait travel to the United States to work with their counterparts at Dartmouth. Since the relationship began, the two institutions have steadily deepened and expanded their partnership, creating a dynamic, evolving, and unique cross-cultural collaboration.
AUK students who participated in the videoconference:
Rawan Al-Sughayer '11
Wadha Al-Dalama '12
Dalaa Al-Qhatani '12
Danah Buqrais '12
Aysha Al-Rowaished '09
Hajer Nothary '13
Sally Saleh '09
Zainah Alrujaib '10
Modi A Al-Mohareb '10
Dalal H Al-Obaidly '11
Dartmouth students who participated in the October 21 videoconference:
Emma N. Smithayer '12
Divya A. Gunasekaran '11
Shloka R. Kini '13
Kelsey M. Harris '11
Rebecca H. Shapiro, GR (graduate student)
Grace F. Dowd '11
Dartmouth faculty and students participating in a videoconference with their counterpart at the American University of Kuwait (Joseph Mehling '69, Dartmouth College Photographer)
