By Elsy Bejjani

The Lebanese American University has been one of the leading academic institutions in Lebanon for decades. Are you an LAU student who doesn’t know why your institution levels this high? Or are you planning to study at LAU and need to know more?  Here is an infographic with 5 encouraging reasons to be part of LAU:

5 reasons to study at LAU

About the author:

Elsy Bejjani

 Elsy Bejjani is a senior at LAU pursuing a B.S. in Management and a B.A. in Journalism.  You can contact her on bejjanielsy@gmail.com

المحاضرون في الندوة

بقلم لارا عيسى 

بيروت- حرم الجامعة:   ستبقى اللغة العربية سببا يوحد كل من يؤمن بأهميتها للحفاظ على حضارة تكاد تختنق من ظواهر العولمة والعصر الحديث. لذلك اجتمع أمس كل من  دكتور اللغة العربية في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت بلال أورفه لي ، مديرة قسم الترجمة د. نوار دياب و أستاذ الأدب العربي د. وحيد بهمردي في ندوة تحت عنوان ” اللغة العربية وتحديات العصر الحديث”. نظّم هذه الندوة نادي الأدب العربي في الجامعة وتنوع الحضور بين طلاب وأساتذة الجامعة  منهم الدكتور سامي بارودي والدكتور نديم محسن.

بداية، ألقى كلمة الافتتاح رئيس نادي الأدب العربي محمد بزيع مشدداً على أهمية اللغة العربية فلغتنا هي “الهوية”  و رحب بالحضور والمتكلمين و ترك لهم المنبر حراً ككلماتهم.

أسباب ضعف اللغة العربية

بحسب د. نوار دياب وموقع المنظمة العربية للتربية والعلوم والثقافة  (2014)   لضعف اللغة العربية أسباب عديدة منها: ازدواجية اللغة العربية، منهج اللغة العربية الذي يتضمن 5-6 ساعات في الأسبوع في مختلف المراحل التعليمية لا تكفي ليلمّ الطلاب جيدا بهذه اللغة، عدم كفاءة مدرسي اللغة العربية، ضعف أساليب التعليم وعدم استخدام الأساليب التكنولوجية التعليمية، ضعف مواضيع كتب اللغة العربية التعليمية والتثقيفية حيث المواضيع المتوفرة ليست مصدر جذب للطلاب،  وتدني مكانة اللغة العربية في المجتمع.

و أكدت دياب أن ضعف الأجيال الناشئة في اللغة “يؤثر سلبا في هويتهم وانتمائهم الوطني واحترام الأجانب لهم حين يجدونهم يقطنون باللغات الأجنبية في حين أن الكثير من المثقفين الأجانب يتهافتون على تعلم اللغة العربية”.

الحلول المقترحة

وما كان من الدكتورة دياب الا وقدّمت خطة تنفيذ للحدّ من هذه المشكلة. أولاً، تطوير وتبسيط اللغة العربية لازالة الفوارق الكبيرة بين اللغة الفصحى والعديد من اللغات العربية المستخدمة في العالم العربي. ثانياً، تأكيد التواصل ما بين المجامع اللغوية في الأقطار العربية لتوحيد المصطلحات العلمية مما يسهل عملية الترجمة من اللغات الأجنبية الى العربية ويزيد من انتشارها، والتنسيق ما بين اختصاصيين لغويين وخبراء في الهندسة وتكنولوجيا المعلومات .

ثالثاً، توحيد مناهج تدريس اللغة العربية والتأكد من الزامية تطبيقها في العالم العربي وزيادة عدد ساعات تدريس اللغة العربية في المراحل الدراسية. رابعاً، استقدام معلمي اللغة العربية من حملة الشهادات الجامعية رفيعة المستوى وذوي الخبرة التعليمية. خامساً، تدريب أساتذة اللغة العربية على أحدث الطرق التعليمية من أجل تقديم للطلاب المعلومات الموجودة بأساليب متطورة.

سادساً، القيام بحملة وطنية تهدف الى تأليف ونشر كتب حديثة لتدريس اللغة العربية تتضمن نصوصاً ادبية معاصرة تشجع ّالطلاب على القراءة . سابعاً، العمل على اذكاء الشعور الوطني والانتماء الى اللغة العربية من خلال التذكير بانجازات العرب الأدبية والعلمية عبر العصور وتأثيرها الفعّال في الحضارة الأوروبية وعلومها. بالاضافة الى شرح أهمية اللغة العربية في سوق العمل نظراً لتنامي الاهتمام العالمي بالعالم العربي. ثامناً، اعتماد اللغة العربية الفصحى المطوّرة المبسّطة في وسائل الاعلام كافة المسموعة والمكتوبة والمرئية وعدم تشجيع البرامج التي تبث باللغة العامية.

تاسعاً، تشجيع ترجمة الكتب الأجنبية في مختلف الاختصاصات الى اللغة العربية حتى لا يلجأ الباحثون العرب الى المصادر الاجنبية. عاشراً، تحفيز المواطنين على استخدام اللغة العربية الفصحى المبسطة في منتديات التخاطب الالكتروني. أخيراً، وضع آليّة تنفيذ من شأنها تحديد المسارات والمسؤوليات والفترات الزمنية المخصّصة لهذه الدروس و متابعة تنفيذها.

“لغتنا العربية هي هويتنا و حقها علينا الحفاظ عليها بل والتباهي بها”، ختمت دياب.

الحضور

اللغة العربية والعصر الحديث

أشار أورفلي إلى أنّ اللغة العربية تغيّرت ودخل فيها عدد كبير من المفردات المولدة والغربية. فهذه اللغة تغيّرت من حيث التراكيب. “اللغة العربية خلّاقة،  ولّادة ، وطييعة يساعدها ميزانها الصرفي وجذرها الثلاثي على تطويع العديد من الكلمات الدخيلة قديماً وحديثا”، أضاف أورفلي.

وبدوره تسائل أورفلي عن السبب الذي يبعد الطلاب عن التعمّق في دراسة الّلغة الأم على الرغم من حبّهم الشديد لها. و أجاب أنّ المشكلة ليست بالعربية انما بالقدرة على ربطها بغيرها من الفنون والعلوم وبالابتعاد عنها وحصرها في مجالاتها التقليدية وبربطها بسوق العمل كي تصير قيمة مضافة لمن يدرسها أو يتقنها. لذلك لا بدّ من ربط الجانب اللغوي بالجانب المادي، ولا بد من تخصيص المنح لمن يريد درس الغة وزيادة عدد الجوائز المرتبطة باللغة العربية و ترجمة الأعمال الأدبية الى لغات أخرى لتصير جزء من الحوار الأدبي.

و ختم  “العربية نفسها بخير و لكن هل يستطيع العرب مجاراة العصر؟”

و بدوره أكد بهرمدي أنّ اللغة العربية قادرة على استيعاب الألفاظ الأعجميّة وهي لغة اشتقاقيّة قادرة على اشتقاق الألفاظ والتراكيب التي تعبّر عن حالات مختلفة ترتبط بدلالة الجذر الفعلي. وأشارإلى أنّ اللغة قادرة على استخدام الألفاظ الأعجمية التي تدخل اليها فتعرّبها وتستعمل نظرية الاشتقاق عليها. فاللغة العربية تنمو ولكنها لا تتطور واذا تطورت ربما لن تتمكن من استيعاب الألفاظ .

.و شدّد على أنّ اللغة العربية قادرة على  استيعاب العلوم الحديثة والتعبير عنها أكثر من أي لغة أجنبية تكتب بها.

“العيب ليس في اللغة العربية  بل العيب في المتكلمين في العربية اللذين لا يقودون الآن التطور العلمي كما كانوا يقودونه في العصر العباسي، ” ختم بهمردي.  

و قد علق  الدكتور نديم محسن على الندوة : ” اللغة تقوى عندما تقوى الحضارة … و اذا أردنا أن تعود اللغة العربية للنبض والحياةعلينا أن نعمل كمجتمعات وحضارة بالسياسة، العلم والفن لنتمكن من الانتاج وبدوره سنتمكن من الانتاج الفكري”.

 Lara Issa is a journalism student minoring in Advertising at LAU. She believes in the power of words and fights for       equality and freedom. She is always smiling. You can contact her via email: lara.issa01@gmail.com  

By Sharen Aoun

Maya Mansour and Sandra Sayej discussing final touches for ‘Street No. 5′ Retrieved from Maya Mansour

Maya Mansour’s 15-minute film, “Street No. 5” got accepted to Cannes.

The senior journalism student, at the Lebanese American University, came up with the screenplay of the movie after turning her short story by the title “An Almost Perfect Circle”, last spring (2015), into a screenplay.

Her short story won second place in Haas Mroue Annual Creative Writing Competition where students show their writing skills and creativity.

From short story to screenplay

Mansour’s short story portrays the detailed pleasures of living in Beirut between what was forgotten in the past, and what is seeked in the future.

“When I was writing the short story, I already had an imagery of scenes and shots,” says Mansour during a phone interview with the Tribune.

After winning the 2nd prize, the idea of making the short story into a screenplay was spontaneous. It was a thought discussed by Mansour’s friend, Sandra Sayej. Mansour, 25, reveals, “I trust Sandra’s approach blindly so I wanted us to experiment.”

Seeing the success of the short story, fixing and creating the screenplay was a thrilling experience.

“We changed the name of the short story because we thought ‘Street No. 5’ portrayed the content of the movie in a better way,” both Sayej and Mansour affirm.

Street No. 5 is born

Drawing of ‘Street Np. 5′ Retrieved from Maya Mansour

‘Street No. 5’ is about Yasmine, a 26 year old Lebanese girl, who goes into concussion and travels into a different time interval in Beirut, leaving her overwhelmed with what the past and the yearn for future have in common. She witnesses a 50 year gap of Beirut, in minutes. Yasmine emotionally hangs among the threads of Beirut’s infamous whirlpools.

The plot of the screenplay got the attention of the promising Lebanese actress Zeina Makki, who read the script via an email sent by Mansour.

Makki was the lead actress in the 15-minute film. “Zeina Makki’s appearance and innocent-looking features matched Yasmine’s insanely,” says Mansour.

The screenplay was created around the end of June, and the crew started to come together, ‘Street No. 5′ was getting born. Sayej was the director of the movie alongside the main writer of the screenplay and producer, Maya Mansour.

Sayej states, “We had music composers from Australia and New York. The beautiful vocalist Aya Njeim gave life to the post production. We also had the talented Corinne Skaff, our dance choreographer, along with the amazing lead dancer Elissa Mansour,”Sayej states.

Jeremy Budjok was the cinematographer and Hassan Salame was the editor.

The way to Cannes

A couple of weeks ago, ‘Street No. 5’ was sent to Festival de Cannes’s Short Film Corner, and the acceptance was sent back 4 days later.

“Getting the acceptance just 4 days later was thrilling! I am so honored and happy to see that my film is being comprehended and appreciated,” reveals Mansour.

‘Street No. 5’ will be screened in one of the Marche du Film theatres in Cannes. The entire crew is waiting for the official selections. The movie was also sent to ‘Cinefondation’ and ‘Official Selection’ of Cannes.

The festival will be held between the 11th of May and the 22nd of May of this year. Mansour and Sayej will take part in a big forum where filmmakers gather and exchange their knowledge through workshops and conferences and much more.

Mansour says, “I feel passionate about creating heartfelt stories, I think that it is what people need the most. Be it a film, a novel, or just a little text… that’s what I care for the most,” she adds. “Journalism lacks heart, lacks emotions and sincerity. I guess that’s what drove me. It’s a whole different approach.”

Related topic شارع رقم5 في الأشرفية

About the author

Sharen Aoun is a 3rd year journalism student at the Lebanese American University. She is also Tony Blair’s Net Bearer in Lebanon. You can contact her on sharen.aoun@lau.edu or via facebook Sharen Aoun. 

By Nay El-Helou

Studying for exams (via Lardbucket)

If you can’t find a place to sit in any of the LAU libraries, then it’s exams week. Students are worrying about the studying they have to do, the papers they have to write, the grades they have to get, and the CGPA they have to save.

From the first day of the semester and up to the last minute of the last exam, many students spend their time worrying about, and working to attain high grades. Sometimes, however, they give their CGPA much more importance than they should.

Grades and academia: GPAs (don’t) matter

Grades and higher education (via startribune)

“To me, grades are really important because they are the only currency that I can use during the first steps of my professional career,” says biology and psychology student Rudy Richa. High grades are needed to “get into a masters or PhD program or even to get a job.”

Both Lebanese and foreign universities require a minimum CGPA of 3.0 for most programs. However, those with higher grades are more likely to be accepted when a graduate program only admits a limited number of students.

“If you want to go to graduate school, then a very high GPA is very important because there is a lot of competition, and universities want the cream of the crop,” explains LAU professor of psychology and education Ketty Sarouphim-McGill, during a phone interview with the LAU Tribune.

“Many universities also want to see in your CV something like community service and references by instructors,” she adds. In this case, a high CGPA is not enough to get you into a graduate program.

Yet, grades don’t really matter for students who “plan to go straight into the workplace and do not want to pursue a higher education,” emphasizes Sarouphim-McGill. Internships and work experiences are what count for employers, not high grades and CGPAs. 

Grades and financials: GPAs (don’t) matter  

Good grades are only one way to get a scholarship (via bdai.org)

Given that tuition fees in private Lebanese universities are expensive, many students look for scholarships and graduate assistantships to reduce their education’s cost. In the Lebanese American University for example, the fees of any graduate program are around $21,000 and those of any undergraduate program are $50,000 or more.

“We offer different kinds of scholarships for school students, many of which are based on grades,” says Ghada Abi Fares, university director of financial aid and scholarships office at LAU. “We take into consideration both SAT scores and school grades. We’re also offering new scholarships based on the scores of the students in the Lebanese and French bacs,” she continues. Abi Fares explains that the higher the students’ scores, the higher the scholarship percentage they receive.

The same is true when it comes to graduate assistantships (GA). According to Hisham Hashash, the senior academic assistant in the school of business at LAU, GAs are given on a merit, not need, basis. “The minimum CGPA required for a GA might change from one semester to the other, but for sure students with higher CGPAs have the higher chance of receiving the assistantship,” he says.

However, grades are not the only criterion when offering scholarships or even graduate assistantships to prospective students. “We do have other scholarships that are talent-based and not grades-based,” says Abi Fares. “These include scholarships awarded to students who win competitions at LAU like the MUN, MAL, Arts and Sciences fair, computer science competition, and sometimes even chemistry and engineering competitions.”

Grades don’t matter, learning does

Learning is what matters (via 9Gag)

Despite their importance, grades do not necessarily reflect the real abilities and effort of the students. “There is a correlation between grades and abilities, but it is not a perfect correlation,” explains Sarouphim-McGill. “There are other factors that play a role like motivation, pressure from parents, and competition with other students.”

“I don’t really care about the grade I get as long as I leave the course having learnt and understood the material,” says Majd Akiki, a civil engineering student at NDU. “I’ve gotten high grades on courses I didn’t learn as well as I wanted, and I’ve gotten lower grades on courses I know very well.”

Indeed, a lot of factors could affect the final grade a student gets. High levels of anxiety, unlike moderate levels, can negatively affect students’ performance during exams. When it comes to term papers, some students hire other people to do their work and end up with an A on the course and an F on actual learning.

“I love the learning experience,” says  LAU communication arts student Maria Bechara. “I believe you should have a balance between good grades, which will help in your masters, and having a social life. Grades do matter but they’re not everything.”

Nay El-Helou is a senior journalism student minoring in psychology at the Lebanese American University. She believes she can make a change, one article at a time. You can reach her on nayelhelou@gmail.com and @nayelhelou

By Lara Issa 

There is always this instructor you remember every time you are asked to mention someone who  influenced you during your academic year. It is normal to have your own perspective and preferences regarding teaching styles. That’s why not all of your colleagues will share the same viewpoints toward your favorite instructor.

On the occasion of teacher’s day, several LAU students across different majors were asked to share their opinions about their favorite instructor with the tribune.

Each student values a certain trait in his instructor.

The knowledgeable instructor

Because of the wide knowledge the instructor has, you become more attached to his thoughts and way of thinking.

“Dr. Wessam El Hussaine’s knowledge and experience astonished and motivated me to work hard so that I become a critical thinker like him,” says Lara Abou Ammar, Business/ Management student.

“I still remember the examples he gives and the way he narrates the story to explain the concept,” she adds.

The guiding instructor

You will find him  “A hero” to save you with his supernatural powers when you are about to fall apart.  

“I’m so grateful for Dr. Mona Knio for guiding me and giving me the best comforting advice and reassurance a student can have. Being fully confident and feeling so much trust in an instructor is exactly what a student needs in his time of unease and that’s what she so kindly and selflessly offers,” says Milya Chehayeb,  a Journalism student.

The friend-like instructor

Your personal life is a must for him. A bit of friendship advices are never a lost.

“My favorite doctor is Dr. Manal Younnes because not only she teaches us the course material but also she is there whenever we need her to guide us through our life experiences,” says Asser Baajour, an ITM student.

The passionate instructor

Passion is his key. He provides you with this key to open your future life door.

“Dr. Rima El-Husseine’s style isall about learning, not merely studying. Her purpose is always to teach us tolerance, awareness, and offer us anew perspective on the world’s most pressing issues, in order to  help us engage in enhancing our community. As for high grades, they come simultaneously,” says Farah Yassine, a Political science/ International Affairs student.

According to Hamida Bzeih, a Social Work student, her favorite instructor is “Dr. Omar Nachabe because he is so passionate about the material and energetic and knowledgeable and he was so fair.”

The changing-perception instructor

You think the major sucks until you meet this instructor.

“After a bad experience with a different instructor, Dr. May hamdan changed a lot of things. I started liking Math and it increasingly became simpler because of her,” asserts Maya Bitar a Civil Engineer student.

The tough-friendly instructor

This instructor is like the cactus fruit; you can enjoy his sweetness after having some prickles.

“ I passed through times in mathematics where I didn’t know the concepts and how should I study them. I went to her [Dr. Layla Issa] office and she was really strict with me. Really harsh. After abiding by her advice, she came and told me the reasons why she did so and how I should really work to reach success in this field. Since then we became friends,” says Mira Abou Saleh, a Math student.

The inspirational instructor

After knowing this person, your life turns upside down. A passionate student is born.

“Dr. Silia Abou Abrid changed my perspective. I started looking at things differently; deep inside. I stopped thinking about thing symbolically because there is something called conceptualism,” says Rand Edilbi, an Architecture student.

According to Yasmena Al Sabeh, a Journalism student, “Joumana Haddad changed me as a student, as a journalist, and last but not least as a human being who dignifies freedom.”

  Lara Issa is a journalism student minoring in Advertising at LAU. She believes in the power of  words and fights for   equality and freedom. She is always smiling. You can contact her via  email: lara.issa01@gmail.com

By Hiba Abou Ghazale

Image via pdammous.com

“It is just getting more and more disgusting by the day,” says Dalia El-Hadi, a 3rd year biology student at LAU. “It takes me around 20 minutes to go around campus from building to building to find a clean toilet,” she adds.

In fall 2015, students at the Lebanese American University noticed the quality of cleaning on campus. Some believed the cleaning company might have changed, since janitors now dress in blue and greys uniforms, contrary to last year, when their uniforms were blue.

3rd-year pre-med biology students at LAU, Hala Mansour and Zainab Al-Saabi, were among the students who observed the change in colour of janitor costumes.

LAU students spoke out about the cleaning service they were getting on campus.

“It is just getting more and more disgusting by the day,” Dalia El-Hadi, a 3rd year biology student at LAU says. “It takes me around 20 minutes to go around campus from building to building to find a clean toilet,” she adds.

According to the director of the hospitality services, Nehmat Aoun, LAU changed its cleaning company.

However, according to the hospitality department, it is the worker’s decision to join the new contracted cleaning company or leave with the old one.

Two cleaning companies have been replaced since LAU began outsourcing the cleaning services in both Beirut and Byblos campuses.

This encouraged LAU’s hospitality department to set certain standards before accepting any cleaning companies.

“Choosing a cleaning company, outside LAU, is based on a bidding process,” says Aoun.

To win the bid, the potential company must meet a certain set of requirements: honesty, commitment, a respectable reputation in the market, well-equipped staff, and an affordable cost.

Universal Services and Maintenance (USM), the cleaning company LAU previously collaborated with, was founded in 1971 by Antoine Kiameh. USM’s reputation in providing basic cleaning services for different spaces is known for its professionalism and accuracy.

Although LAU was punctual in paying its dues to the company, USM workers were complaining of not getting their salary on time for the past two years.

Upon this understanding, the hospitality department at LAU decided it was time to replace it with a new company, and that’s when they held the bid.

29 people made up the cleaning staff at LAU before the new bid: 28 Lebanese workers and their supervisor. 45 foreigners from Operators Facility Management Company joined them.

Operators Facility Management, established in 1998 and owned by Bernanrd Saghbini, is the company that won the bid and was hired on October 1st 2015.

The company is also known for its high standards. It cooperates with local, regional, and international companies to become the best it can possibly be.

Company workers are split into two shifts during weekdays, from Monday to Friday. The first group works from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. and the second group works from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. They also work over the weekend from 7 a.m. until noon.

LAU cleaners work 8 hours per day from Monday to Friday, particularly from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Also, the workers clean on Saturdays for 5 hours, from 7 a.m. until noon.

The cleaning tasks are distributed between outdoor and indoor.

Nehmat Aoun asserts: “If a worker is tasked with cleaning the class rooms in two buildings, then that same worker cleans the hallways. Another worker is assigned to clean both the restrooms and the stairs of that floor.”

Male workers are responsible for outdoor duties whereas female workers are responsible for indoor tasks, in both Beirut and Byblos campuses.

When assessing the overall cleanliness of bathrooms at LAU, the following criteria were paid attention to: the presence/absence of toilet paper and tissue, the clarity of the floor, and the cleanliness of the toilet seat.

Riyad Nassar Library always has soap and tissues with dry clean floors but according to observation, the trash cans need to be emptied.

The “neglected toilets”, as students call them, are the ones in the Fine Arts Safadi Building.

“I always try to avoid the restrooms in the Fine Arts building since they are always so dirty and smelly,” says Rim Ahmad, a 2nd-year Fine Arts student at LAU.

In parallel, Sage Hall’s toilets are not too different, either.

According to a biology student at LAU, F. Noujaim, “the men’s bathrooms in Sage Hall are horrible.”

Hanine Banna, another biology senior student at LAU, agrees with Noujaim: “They [bathrooms] always smell bad and are flooded with water, and they lack abundance in toilet paper.” She adds that the worst bathrooms on campus are at Sage Hall.

Lara Issa, a student who lives on campus on the 5th floor, says that Operators Facility Management cleans the dorm rooms thrice per week whereas USM used to clean them once.

She adds that instead of opting for an early start, before most classes begin, dorm students usually find trouble entering the bathrooms at around 9 a.m. because the floor is wet and slippery as the cleaners are wiping the floors.

Business student, Mounir K., says that the men’s toilets in the Business Building are clean. “I always spot a cleaning lady sitting outside the toilets in BB and she is always checking the toilets’ condition,” he states.

Similarly, the bathrooms in LRC building are always spotless. In fact, they seem to be the cleanest among the bathrooms in all the other buildings in Beirut campus.

Christine [Gonzales], an Operator Facility Management employee, says that, on average, they clean the LRC bathrooms at 7 a.m. then at 1 p.m. and take the trash out at 5:30 p.m.
She also emphasises that they regularly check the toilets throughout the rest of the day and if they are dirty, they would clean them again.

Hiba Abou Ghazale is a senior journalism student at the Lebanese American University. She enjoys writing about cities, and blogging her thoughts and memoirs. She is also a peacebuilding ambassador. You can  contact her on hiba.aboughazaleh@gmail.com.

By Hiba Abou Ghazale

8/March

via arabbrains.com

When asked if she would pursue a masters program at LAU, Communication Arts student Rasha Fathallah said no.

“LAU doesn’t have a Communications Arts graduate school, and even if it did, I wouldn’t enrol in it,” she said. “It’s not that cheap.”

Zain Salem, another Communication Arts senior, told the LAU Tribune she wouldn’t pursue a masters program at LAU, either. “I can enrol in something better abroad,” she said.

The Lebanese American University currently offers graduate degrees in several fields of study in 6 schools: The school of Architecture and Design, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Engineering, School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy.

Three of the above schools are diverse in their listing. The Adnan Kassar School of Business alone offers five different Masters in Business, the School of Engineering offers three, whereas the School of Arts and Sciences offers seven different programs, between Arts and Sciences, one which is Migration Studies.

Rami Abi Rafeh, an LAU student who graduated with a B.A. in Economics in 2011, joined the two-year Migration Studies graduate program three years later.

“I didn’t want to go abroad for my masters, but I still wanted to pursue something interdisciplinary” says Abi Rafeh. “That’s why I chose Migration Studies at LAU,” he adds.

Abi Rafeh told the LAU Tribune that pursuing a masters in Migration Studies at LAU gave him the opportunity to work as a graduate assistant, where he explored his potential in research.

Under the guidance of Dr. Paul Tabar, director at the Institute of Migration Studies and Associate Chair of Social Sciences, Abi Rafeh confirms that “relating theories to life experience became easy, due to the fluid kind of research done at the Institute of Migration Studies.”

Another LAU alumni, Mohanad Zbeeb, returned to LAU for a Masters in Business Administration in 2014 after having graduated with a B.A. in Graphic Design in 2008.

“I adore my university,” Zbeeb told the LAU Tribune, when asked why he chose LAU. “It’s an honour for me to be a student here again,” he adds.

Zbeeb elaborated on his choice of an MBA at LAU: “Since I have work experience in the business field but never studied the methodology, I felt a need to apply for a business program,” explains Zbeeb.

“Pursuing my MBA at LAU boosted my career path, influenced my entrepreneur skills, and opened my mind in the corporate world,” he concludes.

Ghada Ribai, a 2nd-year psychology undergrad, told the LAU Tribune that she would definitely consider coming back to LAU for her masters.

“LAU doesn’t have a Psychology graduate school yet, but my classmates and I are considering approaching the department to request they open a Masters in Psychology,” she says.

“I travelled a lot, so I prefer settling here in Beirut, and to study in LAU particularly as I like higher education,” she concludes.

Hiba Abou Ghazale is a senior journalism student at the Lebanese American University. She enjoys writing about cities, and blogging her thoughts and memoirs. She is also a peacebuilding ambassador. You can  contact her on hiba.aboughazaleh@gmail.com.

By Ghina Mohsen

Mother’s day was just a few days ago and LAU’s social media office shared one of the most shared mother’s day videos on the occasion.

“I love her because I wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for her,” said one of the students who appeared in the mother’s day video on LAU’s official page.  The video however, was not at all emotional as the previous sentence was. Yes, you might need a box of tissues to watch it but it will also help you get a few laughs.

The director of the video wanted to show what a typical Arab mom was like. The students are shown in the video naming objects at first. Then, the viewer realizes that students are naming objects that their mothers used to “hit” them with. While some mothers were creative enough to use a “lemon” or a “hair brush”, most of the responses were either the plastic slippers or the wooden spoon used for cooking.

People’s reactions for this video were almost all positive because people realized that they were not the only ones that were threatened by their mothers with these tools. Even I remember being threatened by my  mother by the wooden spoon when I wouldn’t wake up early for school.

The video that has been shared  more than 2,000 times so far was both funny and emotional. It has been the most viewed and shared video that has been posted on LAU’s page so far. Students from LAU and outside of LAU reacted to the video and tagged their mothers to wish them a happy mother’s day.

“This makes me want to call my mother” said one of the commenters on the video. Other people who reacted were amused by the different and imaginative tools other’s mothers used on their kids.

The video caught a lot of attention because it shows students from different backgrounds and Arab countries. It also shows how mothers from the Arab world have same techniques in raising their kids. One of the people who shared the video said that it was as if all mothers had a handbook on what to hit their kids with if they misbehaved.

With more than 216,000 views, the video caused people to ask for more similar videos and some even asked for a similar video for father’s day.

Mothers also tagged their children claiming that they’re the best mothers for not laying hands on their children.

Although the video was funny, it ended by each student saying why they are thankful for their mothers. The video was a nice and innovative way for students to interact with mothers and be thankful for them.

Ghina Mohsen is a sophomore journalism student

at LAU. She is a also a PR assistant at LAU and a

social media enthusiast. You can contact her on

ghinamohsen0@gmail.com

By Safa Hamzeh

A group of LAU Biology students conducted a research to examine the concentration of the carcinogen acrylamide in potato and corn chips available in Lebanese market. The group found the high concentration of acrylamide in chips products to be beyond the permissible limit. Additionally, the study revealed that the daily consumption of acrylamide was 7-40 times higher than the limit of carcinogen risk intake set by the World Health Organization.

About the author:

Safa Hamzeh is a senior journalism student minoring in Political Science at the Lebanese American University. You can contact her on safa.hamzeh@gmail.com

بقلم صفا حمزة

أقام النادي الثقافي الفلسطيني بالتعاون مع نادي حقوق الانسان في الجامعة اللبنانية الامريكية حلقة حوارية بعنوان “الاسرى الفلسطينين في السجون الاسرائيلية”، كجزء من مبادرة شهر مقاومة الستعمار والفصل العنصري الاسرائيلي. وقد أدار الحوار الدكتور محمود حنفي والأسيرة السابقة كفاح عفيفي.

**

ما بين عامي ١٩٦٧ والعام الماضي، تم إعتقال ١٥٠ ألف فلسطيني. يقول محمود حنفي، إنه ” يكاد لا يخل كل بيت فلسطيني من أسير أو أسيرة، أو جار أسير وجارة أسيرة. ما يجعل من قضية الأسرى قضية وطنية وسياسية بامتياز. تتبع سلطة الإحتلال الإسرائيلي منذ سنين طويلة سياسة منهجية، متخذة من أعلى صانعي القرار الإسرائيلي، تتم عبر تسيير عمليات واسعة من الإعتقالات، حسب حنفي.

يقول حنفي أنه “اعترف بإسرائيل دوليا وأصبحت عضو بالأسرة الدولية، على شرط تطبيق قرار عودة اللاجئين، الذين تشرّدوا بعد احتلال الأراضي الفلسطينية على دفعتين- عامي ٤٨ و “٦٧. إلا أن دولة إحتلال مثل إسرائيل لم تطبق القرار بطبيعة الحال.

ويضيف حنفي أن “القانون الدولي وكل الاجتهادات الدولية، تقرّ بأن الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة هي أراضي محتلة، مما يعني ان هذه الأراضي  تنطبق عليها أحكام القانون الدولي الإنساني أو ما يعرف بقانون الحرب”، وما يندرج تحته من اتفاقات تعنى بالأسرى وحماية المدنيين. فلإتفاقية حماية حقوق الأسرى بروتوكل يحترم ويرعى تطبيقه، كما يرى حنفي.

إلا أن الوضع القانوني للفلسطينيين مغاير جدا؛ فالإحتلال يصبغ عليهم صفة سجناء، وليس أسرى. ويضيف حنفي أن “الإصطلاح القانوني هنا مهم جدا، فـ”السجين” تختص بالجنائيات، أو تعني المجرم. وتنطبق عليها فقط الاحكام الإسرائيلية المدنية في دولة الاحتلال، وبالتالي تنزع عن السجين حقوق آخرى”.

من جهة ثانية، تدعي إسرائيل أن الأراضي المحتلة من القطاع والضفة ليست اراضي محتلة، وبالتالي تعفى من تطبيق قوانين الحرب. لذلك تسوّق عشرات الحجج، ومنها أن الضفة الغربية وغزة كانتا مدارتين من قبل الأردن ومصر، مما يعني أنها لم تحتل أي دولة فلسطينية، فيسقط عنها مسمى “دولة الاحتلال”، وفق حنفي. كما تحاول، بمهارة، أن تميع الوضع القانوي لصالحها،. لكن “كل هذه هي ألاعيب وحجج واهية، لا تستوي أمام المنطق القانوني”، يقول حنفي.

كما تتعمد إسرائيل إعطاء أوصاف غير قانونية للأسرى، لأن ذلك من شأنه أن يحرمهم من الحقوق المربوطة بصفة الأسير، حسب حنفي. وقد أوجدت مؤخرا اصطلاحا لم يطبق إلا في غوانتانامو، وطبقته على أهل غزة، وهو تسمية الأسرى بالمقاتلين غير الشرعيين. يرى حنفي أنه “من شأن هذا التفريغ القانوني أن يحرمهم من حقوق الأسرى والسجناء معا، كالحق في المحاكمات العادلة والزيارات وما شابه”.

انتهاكات اسرائيل لحقوق الانسان لا تتوقف عند ذلك، ولا تقتصر عند إعتقال المدنيين فقط؛ يذكر حنفي أن إسرائيل حتى اليوم إعتقلت٨٥٠٠ طفل بين عامي ٢٠٠٠ و٢٠١٥، عدا عن الـ١٧٠ طفل الصادر بحقهم أحكاما عسكرية، وغيرهم من القابعين تحت الإعتقال الإداري من غير محاكمات. ويتساءل حنفي عن الدافع وراء اعتقال اسرائيل للفلسطينيين المتمادي.

يشرح حنفي أن وراء الإعتقالات هذه الإعتقالات التعسفية أهداف أمنية مباشرة وإستباقية. ويضيف أن “إسرائيل تعتقل نماذج وتعذبها لتدمر الروح المعنوية للشعب ويرفع الراية البيضاء تحت الاحتلال”. و”تعتقل إسرائيل أكبر عدد ممكن من الأسرى من أجل مبادلتهم”، كما حصل عند أسر الجندي جلعاد شاليط. حينها “قامت إسرائيل ولم تقعد”. فمن لديه قوة إعلامية وسياسية بحجم إسرائيل يستطيع أن يعولم من قضية أسير إسرائيلي واحد، فيتبقى قضايا أكثر من ٨٠٠٠ فلسطيني للنسيان، وفق حنفي

About the author:

Safa Hamzeh is a senior journalism student minoring in Political Science at the Lebanese American University. You can contact her on safa.hamzeh@gmail.com

By Dania Hawat

On your way to getting your perfect summer body? Make sure that the high-road you’re taking won’t be your downfall. With summer approaching people are googling all kinds of weight-loss methods to burn those fats and tone their bodies. What they don’t know is that most of the popular methods they’re following either don’t work or are unhealthy.

Haneen Bou Ayash, a licensed dietitian who graduated from the American University of Beirut helped clear out the misconceptions of the following dieting methods. Haneen runs NutriDose, a social media account that provides followers with useful weight-loss or weight-gain tips, on both Facebook and Instagram.

Myth 1: Work out and eat whatever you want.

The easiest way to ruin your workout outcomes is to counteract on them with bad eating habits.

Bou Ayash suggests following a regular exercise plan (3-4 times a week) while accompanying it with a diet consisting of real foods only.

Myth 2: Cut down your meals.

If you want to feel hungry, then yes be my guest, but cutting down meals will only leave you agitated and demotivated.

Bou Ayash suggests eating more meals in smaller portions. This increases your metabolism and controls your blood sugar levels. This leaves you less hungry and will make it less likely for you to overeat.

Myth 3: Stop eating after 8 P.M.

Fats and calories can’t count time. Really. It’s not about what time you eat it’s about what you eat.

“If you find yourself eating the majority of your calories in the evening around bedtime, then it is better that you stop eating 2 hours before you fall asleep. This will allow adequate time for digestion, better sleep and will help you shift your caloric intake until breakfast which is when you’ll be needing most of your energy,” advises Bou Ayash.

Myth 4: Drink around 4 litres of water per day.

Each person has a need. Bou Ayash and other dietitians cannot recommend a “one size fits all”. The general recommendation for an average adult is 2 litres of water per day however people with dehydration, athletes and sick patients all have differing needs.

Myth 5: Chew gum all day to control your appetite and avoid cravings!

There have been a few studies that support this, however, according to Bou Ayash, the effects are likely to be insignificant as gum chewers were found to only burn 5% more calories than non-chewers.

Myth 6: Coffee stimulates your body to burn more weight.

Well, this isn’t a complete myth if done properly. A cup of Caramel Latte from Starbucks definitely won’t help you lose weight. Regular black coffee might.

“Coffee contains caffeine which may contribute to a short rise in your metabolic rate allowing you to burn more calories through the day,” advises Bou Ayash.

Coffee can also make you feel less tired and increase your endurance while exercising.

Myth 7: Feed on water-filled fruits or vegetables (watermelon, cucumbers etc.).

There is absolutely no scientific study to support this claim.

“Any diet which strictly eliminates or focuses on certain food groups for weight loss are all considered ineffective, unhealthy and certainly not sustainable for the long run,” stated Bou Ayash.

Myth 8: Live on liquids: tea, water and juices.

This way of life only meets one of the daily caloric and nutritional requirements. Individuals on this kind of diet are missing out on essential nutrients, fiber and protein which according to Bou Ayash might put them at risk of fatigue, hair loss, constipation and other after-effects. Also, the body might start to break down muscle for energy if protein needs aren’t met.

Myth 9: Go on an all protein diet.

This might be a good temporary start but no one should commit to it for more than a short while. It is very important that people check with a doctor and dietitian before going on this diet.

“Always remember though that sustaining weight loss depends on your ability to live with changes for a lifetime rather than a temporary fix,” says Bou Ayash

Myth 10: Go on the Paleo diet.

Paleo has been the popular way to go the past year or so. This dieting method is also known as the Caveman Diet and emphasizes on eating foods that only our caveman ancestors would have eaten: no legumes, no dairy, no sugar, and no salt.

This diet exceeds fat and protein intake and falls really short on carbohydrates. It can cause deficiencies in many nutrients and leave you very unhealthy.

Therefore, Bou Ayash suggests that the key to sustainable and long-lasting weight-loss is not necessarily the highway there. Getting there is as simple as taking it slow, eating everything in moderation and working out regularly. Yes it takes time but risking your health for fast result is really not worth it.

 Dania Hawat is a senior at LAU pursuing a B.A. in Communication Arts. Books, chocolate and travel plans excite her. She enjoys writing about the Lebanese society and the challenges it encompasses. You can contact her on hawatdania@gmail.com .

By Rana Bou Saada

A well written CV can help you grab your future recruiters’ attention.
Retrieved from: www.global-workplace.com

As your graduation countdown begins, you are expected to professionally write your curriculum vitae (CV). The following tips can help you highlight your achievements and grab your future recruiters’ attention.  

Personal data:

State first your personal information, such as your date of birth, home address, phone number and email address.

Don’t use childish email addresses you came up with when you were younger. “This is one of the most common mistakes fresh graduates do,” says human resources (HR) expert Antoun Safar in an interview with the LAU Tribune.

He recommends you use instead a Gmail account, as it is considered “the most professional and formal one.”

Safar also suggests including a brief summary about yourself in this section, as a substitute for a lengthy cover letter.

Objective:

As a fresh graduate with limited experience, write an objective which stresses the fact that “you want to learn and evolve,” states Safar. “Targeting a reputable company which offers potential growth and learning [opportunities],” is one of the examples he gives.

Safar also recommends customizing your objective – as well as the previously mentioned self description – according to the company you are applying to. “If you are applying for a finance position, mention that you […] would like to explore the finance world for example,” he says.

Education:

Mention afterwards your educational diplomas in a chronological order, starting with the most recent one.

“If you have a high GPA, state it,” says HR expert Pamela Kamouh in an interview with the Tribune. She also advises you to “include projects you have worked on at university, especially if they are related to the job you are applying to.”

An example of a CV.
Retrieved from: www.thecvstore.net

Professional experience:

It is crucial to include your internships in this part, according to Kamouh. You can also briefly explain the main tasks you have completed during your previous professional experiences, if they are relevant to your prospective job.

“It’s important to accurately state the full legal name of the company you have worked at [or completed your internship in], as well as the specific job title,” confirms Kamouh.

Skills:

Mention the languages you know and specify your fluency without any exaggeration, according to Safar.

Afterwards, “state your IT skills, if they are significant to the job you’re applying to,” says Kamouh.

Activities:

“Avoid cliché activities, such as dancing and travelling,” says Safar. He prefers you mention some “intellectual hobbies such as reading, attending seminars, conferences etc.”

“Volunteering activities will definitely give you a push!” notes Kamouh. Safar agrees with her and advises you not to cite “a scout movement you have been a member in, as it could have a political affiliation.”

References:

Whereas Kamouh recommends including 2 to 3 references (such as former tutor and/or employer), Safar prefers to state that “references [are] available upon request.”

Format:

“There is no specific format to follow, as long as it is simple and clear,” says Kamouh. “Make sure to have a standardized format: the same spacing, margins etc.” Safar adds.

Furthermore, your CV should not be longer than 1 to 2 pages maximum. “Fresh graduates don’t have much experience but they don’t want their CVs to be too concise. So they tend to dwell on irrelevant details,” says Safar.

Don’t forget to proofread your CV, as “too many typing mistakes would leave a less positive impact,” says Kamouh. Safar also recommends you “print in on a conqueror paper to make it look more professional.”

Finally, needless to say that, lying is unacceptable in any of the above mentioned sections.

    About the author: Rana Bou Saada is a senior journalism student at LAU, minoring in        economics. She is interested in both written and broadcast journalism. You can contact   on Facebook: Rana Bou Saada or via email: rana.bousaada@lau.edu

By Nay El-Helou 

Studying abroad (via expertvagabond.com)

If you check your LAU email regularly, you will notice that every few weeks the Office of International Services bombards you with invitations to spend a semester abroad. If you decide to take one of these opportunities, you should prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for the experience that’s awaiting you.

Students who have studied or interned abroad for a semester or more share their experiences with the LAU Tribune and explain what one should expect and do before traveling.

Blending in

You will be “overwhelmed at first because you don’t know anyone and you’re worried about your ability to fit in in a society that’s not your own,” says LAU communication arts student Maria Sakr, who spent her Fall 2015 semester at Richmond University in the UK. “It takes so much courage to try, mingle and stand out,” she adds “but with time you will blend in smoothly.”

Maria Chalhoub, a law student at Pantheon-Sorbonne University, France, asserts “to expand horizons is to get rid of all prejudice towards the people of the welcoming country and communicating with them.” She explains that by genuinely befriending local students, your stay will be easier and more fun.  

Stereotypes

Sharing his own experience at Oxford University, UK, LAU biology/psychology student Rudy Richa shares that many “will have a bad impression about you because you’re an ‘Arab’. They expect you to be uneducated, non-competent and primitive.” He adds “they may even be afraid of you and consider you a terrorist. That’s why you’d better prepare yourself to change this impression for your own sake and your country’s.”

One way to combat this prejudice is by being a decent representative of one’s country. “Prepare yourself as much as possible on education, social, and personal levels,” advises Richa. “You are representing your country whether you intend to do so or not. You become ‘the Lebanese’ and you will want to leave a good impression of both yourself and your country.”

One of the latest ‘study abroad’ opportunities by LAU

Homesickness

“You will definitely get homesick and miss your family, friend, and car,” says Sakr, “but it’s worth it.” Liza Darrous, an LAU bioinformatics student who did an internship at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland agrees that homesickness cannot be avoided. You will find yourself trying “to find any chance to speak your mother tongue, whether it be singing along to Fairuz songs while cooking, or talking to random strangers on the metro because you heard them say ‘Al salam a’laykoum.”

“The more you prepare before travelling the more relaxed you’ll be psychologically and emotionally,” she adds. “Prepare your bags, your comfort food, your transportation and then work on your communication with family and friends. And don’t forget your zaatar [thyme].”

Culture shock

“What to expect is nothing you can ever imagine if it’s your first time outside your culture,” states Darrous. “From the simplest things like very strict time schedules for transportation or self-checkout counters in the supermarket, to the sheer amount of indifference people emit around your quirks, it’s all overwhelming,” she explains.  

Doing some online research about the country, culture, and university you will be immersed in will help you know what to expect. More importantly, when you meet people there listen to their stories. “Studying abroad is not restricted to studying. One should engage in activities and student associations to meet new people, it is by interacting with the locals that we really get enriched,” recommends Chalhoub.

Foreign language

Many Lebanese speak three languages or more, but that doesn’t mean that you will be spending your semester abroad in a place where people know the same languages. Darrous reflects “you’re lucky if you have a native speaker in the dorm around you. If not you’ll just have to grin and bear it at awkward lunch times on campus and practice your rusty second or, in my case, third language.”

While you might not be able to learn a foreign language properly in a short period of time, you can learn some of the basics for free online. Watch YouTube tutorial videos and check out websites aimed at travelers. Just be patient and don’t feel too bad if you fail to understand every single foreign word you hear.

Despite all the problems that you might face when you’re studying abroad, the experience you will get will be engraved in your memory. Darrous concludes “the results at the end of your trip will be worth every struggle and hurdle along the way.” So “don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, and gain both educational and cultural experience.”  

Nay El-Helou is a senior journalism student minoring in psychology at the Lebanese American University. She believes she can make a change, one article at a time. You can reach her on nayelhelou@gmail.com and @nayelhelou

Retrieved from http://blog.gopuonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Whatsapp-vs-Soma-vs-Telegram-vs-hike-vs-WeChat-01.jpg

Laying down on her bed swiping through her phone quickly,  is Sabine Aoun’s after work routine. In her room, she replies to her unattended messages. To get back to her friends, Aoun, 24, uses more than one messaging application.

“My friends are diverse,” she says. “I go from WhatsApp to WeChat to Telegram to Facebook chat in order to reply  because some don’t use WhatsApp.”

As WhatsApp took smartphones by storm, two new messaging applications are taking the interest of the people: Telegram and WeChat.

WeChat is very similar to WhatsApp. It is a text and voice messaging application developed in China. The application was released in January 2011.

It helps people communicate with each other and send all sorts of “non-lyrical” features. But, it isn’t as famous as WhatsApp in the market.

Dalia El-Hadi, 20, uses Telegram to text her friends. She thinks that it is a better way of messaging since Telegram is fast in sending and receiving all kinds of messages.

A survey of 30 people revealed that 62 percent of them don’t know what WeChat is. However, the rest know a little bit about what Telegram is. From the percentage of those who know Telegram , only 15 percent use it.

Telegram is a messaging app that focuses on speed and simplicity. Using this application, one can send messages, photos, videos and even any kind of file. Creating groups on Telegram can incorporate a larger amount of people when creating a group. WhatsApp, however, can incorporate 256 contacts in a group. It is like combining texting and emailing.

“By using other messaging applications, one would be be exploring other options; that way one can know which app suits him or her better,” states Pamela Moukarzel, 18, a 12th grader at Saint Joseph School.

From another perspective, some prefer to stick to WhatsApp as they believe that it is easier and not as complicated as the others.

Charbel El-Helou, 21, 3rd year electro-mechanical engineer in ITI Dekwaneh, doesn’t like to try out new forms of applications. “I prefer to stick to WhatsApp. I am more of a routine guy who doesn’t really like to make a change and try new things,” he says.

Communication has evolved through time. With the help of technology, new and faster apps are emerging. They play an important role in determining the course of success that WhatsApp will take with the launching of new messaging apps.

About the author

Sharen Aoun is a 3rd year journalism student at the Lebanese American University. She is also Tony Blair’s Net Bearer in Lebanon. You can contact her on sharen.aoun@lau.edu or via facebook Sharen Aoun. 

By Elsy Bejjani and Dania Hawat

While Mexico has only 7 days off for holidays throughout the year, and the USA only 10, Lebanon on the other hand has 16 days. It ranks third in the list of nations that celebrate the most. For this reason, students at the Lebanese American University have been missing many class days, especially Mondays.

LAU has implemented a policy to make up for holidays with extra classes on Saturdays.Saturday April 9, 2016 was one of them. After all, students pay a lot of money to study at LAU and they have the right to be compensated for the time lost on days off.

Do students see a benefit in this or is this just taking away precious time to relax and celebrate religious or national events?

About the authors:

Dania Hawat is a senior at LAU pursuing a B.A. in Communication Arts. Books, chocolate and travel plans excite her. She enjoys writing about the Lebanese society and the challenges it encompasses. You can contact her on hawatdania@gmail.com .

Elsy Bejjani is a senior at LAU pursuing a B.S. in Management and a B.A. in Journalism.  You  can contact her on bejjanielsy@gmail.com

By Ghina Mohsen

Some people believe that all university students go through the same experiences however, Lebanese students can be differentiated from students studying abroad.

1-   We are not completely broke

Most of us students laugh when we see a funny tweet about students eating noodles every day because we can’t afford to eat dinner since we are broke students. Well, this is sometimes true but it’s not because we are paying for our tuition fees and apartment rents. It might be because we’ve been spending the weekend partying at one of the Lebanese un-affordable clubs.

2-   The best coffee in the world is the cheapest coffee

Next to every single university, there is a person selling coffee from an espresso machine in a van. From universities in Beirut to universities in the mountains we all have this guy, this very popular guy who sells 1$ coffee. Forget about Starbucks, these guys are the real deal, Here at LAU, we have the irresistible coffee from Ali’s van at the upper gate. At AUB, Abou Naji’s coffee gets all the attention. “My first semester at AUB I used to get my coffee from expensive chain coffee shops on Bliss Street but, once I got to know  Abou Naji, he became my one and only source of caffeine”, said a graduate from AUB.

3-   Sweat pants are not real

This rule applies mostly to girls, and not all of them. Some girls try to break the norms and wear sweats just to show that they “don’t care”. However, these are only the minority and here we like to go to our classes a-la-mode. The only types of sweats we like to wear to university are yoga pants, and they are worn not to show that we don’t care, it’s actually for the complete opposite reasons. An anonymous source from LAU supports this by tweeting to @lebcollegefessions “yoga pants, yoga pants everywhere.”

4-   Choosing instructors are narrowed down to people from the same religion as yours

More than once have I overheard students saying that they want to take a class with a certain professor because they come from the same village and they can give them a “Wasta”.  Little do these students know that these professors have worked really hard on their Masters and PHDs that they don’t really care about where you come from.  

5-   Skipping classes is easy, but it comes with a price

Many people are laid-back but, the most easy-going person you’ll see is a Lebanese students being convinced to skip class to do something more fun. “Some students at my university skip classes to play cards,” said Zeina Kreik, an AUST student. Of course here in Lebanon our grades are affected by not attending and we might lose some grades because we skipped an important session but, there is no reason convincing enough to stop a man from bragging his skills in “Leekha”.

Ghina Mohsen is a sophomore journalism student

at LAU. She is a also a PR assistant at LAU and a

social media enthusiast. You can contact her on

ghinamohsen0@gmail.com

source: http://www.technewsworld.com/article_images/story_graphics_xlarge/xl-2015-social-media-terrorist-1.jpg

في 15-4-2016

بقلم صفا حمزة

أقامت جمعية “تبادل الإعلام الإجتماعي” – (سمكس) نقاشا حول الشباب والتكنولوجيا والتطرف وحرية الرأي والتعبير، في الجامعة اللبنانية الأميركية، حضره ممثلون عن الجمعيات الأهلية، السفارة الأميركية في بيروت والجامعة اللبنانية الأميركية. دار النقاش بالتزامن مع فعاليات مؤتمر مكافحة التطرف على الإنترنت، الذي نظمته الجمعية نفسها بالإشتراك مع السفارة الأميركية في لبنان.
**
جدران الفصل وعالمنا الرقمي

إستحضر رئيس الجامعة اللبنانية الأميركية جوزيف جبرا التقدم التكنولوجي، وفي واجهته الإنترنت، الذي يعيشه العالم اليوم، والذي بحسب جبرا “هدم جدران الفصل التي فرقت بين الناس، وقرّب بين الشعوب”. ووفق جبرا، يمكن للإنترنت نفسه الذي أعطانا القدرة على التواصل والتعبير عن أنفسنا، أن يكون سيفا ذو حدين، في شبكة عالمية شديدة الإتصال. فقد “انبثقت وسائل التواصل الإجتماعي كوسيط فعول، غيرت شروط اللعبة للأفضل في بعض الأحيان، وللأسوأ في أحيان أخرى”، في إشارة إلى تجنيد واستقطاب المتطرفين الحاصلين عبر وسائل التواصل الإجتماعي.

من جهتها، رأت أستاذة التواصل في جامعة اللويزة، ربى الحلو أن “جدران الفصل هي في أحياء طرابلس، بين جبل محسن والتبانة، أحد أفقر احياء المدينة”.عملت الحلو على مكافحة التطرف بين الشباب في المنطقة، وتوصلت الى ان قاطني الحيين هم في الحقيقة جيران، يفصل بينهم شارع وتجمع بين أطفالهم مدرسة. قالت “فطنا الى ان الاهل بسيطون جدا يحركهم الخوف، الذي بدوره قد يؤدي الى عنف. وخلال أيام استطعنا أن ندير النقاش بينهم”. وأضافت انه “يمكن ان نبني الثقة بين الحركات الأهلية والمجتمع المحلي ورسملة وسائل التواصل الإجتماعي وتوظيف هذه الوسائط للوصول الى الاهداف”.

من نفس المنظار، أكد أحد مؤسسي جمعية يوتوبيا شفيق عبد الرحمن، أن “منطقة جبل محسن والتبانة هي الاكثر فقرا والاكثر جذبا لمستقبطي الشباب، بسبب ارتفاع البطالة وانعدام الخدمات وهشاشة الامن”. لذا، حاولت الجمعية من خلال عملها في المنطقة أن تقدم بديلا عن التطرف والصراع أولاً، و أن تساعدهم في البحث عن وظائف ثانياً، ومن “خلال برنامجنا للخدمات المجتمعية، يمكن أن يعاد تاهيلهم ويتسنى لهم أن يجملوا أحيائهم بعد اشتباكات جبل محسن والتبانة”، وفق شفيق.

تكامل العام الخاص

من جانب آخر، تحدث أليباستار باسكي عن دور الحكومات في مكافحة التطرف العنيف على الأرض وعلى الشبكة، وتكامله مع عمل المنظمات غير الحكومية والمجتمع الأهلي، في مواجهة داعش وغيرها من الجماعات الإرهابية. تبني داعش علامتها و تحاول تغيير عقلية جيل بأكمله من الشباب عبر نشر ايديولجيتها بينهم، حسب باسكي، وقد وصلت الى مرحلة هي اقدر فيها على نشر رسائلها وتسميم عقول شباب المنطقة. وأضاف أن “الحكومة الأميركية هي جزء من تحالف ضد داعش، يرتكز على أعمدة كثيرة احداها الرسائل المضادة على الشبكة”. كما تعمل الحكومة على التشبيك مع الجمعيات غير الحكومية والمجتمع المدني، لأنه رغم أهمية الأصوات الحكومية، تبقى تلك التابعة الى المجتمع المدني أجدر بالثقة، وأكثر تأثيرًا، لأنها تصدر من الأماكن الحاصل فيها التجنيد.
أما عن دور القطاع الخاص الذي يدير منصات التواصل الإجتماعي، فرأى رئيس قسم السياسات العامة لمنطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا في فايس بوك، أشرف زيتون أن ” لـ فايسبوك واجب تجاه مستخدميه لذا نعمل على ان تكون منصاتنا آمنة، من خلال فريق يرد على كل تهديد يحيط بهم”.

وأضاف أشرف أن للأفراد المقدرة على توزيع المعلومات الى أي مكان في العالم عبر الاتصال على الشبكة. لذا كل من يحصل على هذه المعلومات لديه القدرة على المساهمة في الحرب ضد داعش والتطرف. وأكد أن “ما نراه اليوم هو إتاحة وسائل التواصل للشباب العربي في سابقة لا مثيل لها. تضع هذه الوسائل قوة بين يدي المستخدم وتسنح له تحسين حياته”. وتباعاً، تحاول الشركة تمكين المجتمع الأهلي استخدام هذه الوسائل لمكافحة التطرف العنيف على الشبكة.

About the author:

Safa Hamzeh is a senior journalism student minoring in Political Science at the Lebanese American University. You can contact her on safa.hamzeh@gmail.com

Photographed by Lana Yassine

By Sharen Aoun

“Jazz in the Living Room,” the 4th major music production by Dr. Martin Loyato, took place at the Lebanese American University, Irwin Theatre.

The event occurred over the course of two consecutive days: Wednesday April 22 and Thursday April 23, 2016 at 7:00 pm. Both days were almost fully booked.

Before the show, people were starting to gather in front of the theatre searching for the ushers to get their tickets. While, others were trying to figure out which musician belongs to the caricatures drawn on the posters.

“I don’t even look like myself,” joked Sandra Azki, one of the show performers.

“Jazz in the Living Room” consisted of six LAU students who were performing alongside Dr. Loyato, an assistant professor at the Lebanese American University.

The performers are part of a course called “Music/Vocal Ensemble PFA 315” given at the university by Dr. Loyato. Some of the students performing in this year’s music production are taking the course during this semester. The other students took the course during previous semesters and came back not for the credits, but to keep developing their music skills and musicianship.

The concert included 11 songs that were chosen by Dr. Loyato and the performers.. It lasted one hour and 15 minutes.

“We all pitched in some ideas. But, the final list was chosen by Martin,” said  Karl Bou Rjeily, who plays the guitar, percussion, and ukulele during the performance.

The genre that dominated was jazz. Some songs were intense, “fun”, and others were “soft”.

Dr. Martin Loyato revealed, “Jazz is a language. Not all of the students knew how to read music, yet they got immerse into this new language and were pushed to try to speak the basics of it.”

“To me Jazz is the sound of people negotiating change. My hope is that the students performing understood the philosophy behind the music. Perhaps; they may apply some of these music rules as a metaphor in the daily lives. They have come a long way and they really did a good job”, adds Dr. Loyato.

The students and Dr. Loyato have been rehearsing for the entire semester. Excessive and consecutive rehearsals occurred everyday (including weekends), one week before the performance.

From choosing the “living room” as the set, to picking out the songs, to turning it into a beautiful show, everything was planned from A to Z.

When asked “why the living room?”, Dr. Loyato replied, “after my last major music production, Vadis Quo, I told the team that I want the next production to be something chill, smooth, and comfy.”

“I want to be, literally, sitting on a couch the entire show and playing music,” he added.

The musicians played some jazz hits that are known to the audience such as La Vie En Rose, All of me, and Cheek to Cheek. The other type of songs were jazz hits but they were less popular. Both “categories” got the audience grooving in their seats at the necessary timings.

To a couple of students, “Jazz in the Living Room” was their first time ever performing on stage and in a room of close to 393 people.

Sandra Azki, who sang two songs and played the percussion during the show, described that she experienced stage fright for the first time.

“My legs were shaking and I felt as if my eyebrows were shaking too!”, she admitted.

As the concert came to an end, the audience were all smiling and clapping. The show ended with a standing ovation after the last track was an improvisation by the performers.

“Martin is the most creative artist. He just knows what he’s doing and always comes up with beautiful shows,” said Mira Matar, one of the ushers who also watched the entire show.

Some of the audience members felt that there are a few parts in the concert that could have been fixed.

“I enjoyed the show but I thought that it would be more fun and bright than mostly “slow” songs,” said Theirry Richa, 28, who heard about the show via an LAU student.

Before the last song, Dr. Martin Loyato announced that he is working on a musical for his next production. He added that students can email him if they are interested in joining the upcoming major music production.

Musicians who were part of the performance:

Sandra Azki: Voice and Percussion ¬ LAU student

Yasmeen Semman: Voice and Percussion ¬ LAU student

Lynn El Jbeily: Piano and Voice ¬ LAU student

Jad El-Mawla: Bass, Piano, Voice and Guitar ¬ LAU student

Omar Hamadeh: Voice and Percussion ¬ LAU student

Karl Bou-Rjeily: Guitar, Percussion, and Ukulele ¬ LAU student

Martin Loyato: Trumpet and Flugelhorn¬ LAU Assistant Professor and Musician

Amr Selim: French Horn ¬ Special Guest

The sound was run also by another graduate student, Mohammed Zahzah, who has been part of the last four productions and since the very first show Dr. Martin did at LAU, he wanted to learn more the technical aspect of sound.

The light designer was done by LAU Professor Omar Moujaes who brought his entire class from Byblos campus, so he could teach his students how to do the lighting job.

About the author

Sharen Aoun is a 3rd year journalism student at the Lebanese American University. She is also Tony Blair’s Net Bearer in Lebanon. You can contact her on sharen.aoun@lau.edu or via facebook Sharen Aoun. 

المصدر: الموقع الرسمي للجامعة

بقلم لارا عيسى 

اعتدنا أن تكون  الجامعة اللبنانية  الأمريكية في الطليعة، ورائدة في مجالات مختلفة. ولم تكن اهتماماتها مقتصرة على الناحية الأكاديمية فحسب، بل أعارت اهتماما كبيرا الى نواحي فنية وجمالية. وقد نال المسرح حصته من هذا الاهتمام حتى تمكن من التفرد باقامة مهرجان  دولي كان بمثابة صلة الوصل مع العالم الخارجي. تمتلك الجامعة نوعان من المسارح: مسرح العلبة المعروف ب “اورين هول سيتر” ومسرح المدرج اليوناني الذي يتميز بهندسته التي تغري العديد من المخرجين للقيام بعروض فيه وهو معروف ب “جولبنكيان سيتر 

سنويا، تقوم الجامعة بعرض حوالي ال 40 مسرحية من انتاج الطلاب ومسرحيتين رئيسيتن يقوم باخراجها أحد أساتذة المسرح وذلك ضمن مادة “العرض المسرحي” التي من خلالها يتعاون الطلاب مع أساتذتهم المتمرسين في العمل المسرحي داخل الجامعة وخارجها

المهرجان الدولي للمسرح الجامعي

تعتبر الجامعة رائدة في هذا المهرجان؛ فهي الجامعة الأولى والوحيدة في لبنان التي تقوم به. فتقوم بدعوة الجامعات من لبنان والدول الخارجية، الأوروبية والعربية منها للقيام بالعروض المسرحية على مسارحها. ويتتضمن هذا العرض عروض موسيقية متنوعة

أطلق هذا المهرجان عام 1998، وتستقطب الجامعة سنويا حوالى 50-60 شخصا من الخارج لتقديم العروض بمشاركة طلاب الجامعة. تؤمن الجامعة المسكن والمأكل للقادمين كما تؤمّن لهم  التأشيرات و التذاكر. ويعتبر هذا المهرجان من التجارب الأكثر أهمية للطلاب بحيث يشاركون بتنظيمه ويتعاملون مع العالم الخارجي حيث يتبادلون الثقافات فيما بينهم.  ومدة المهرجان خمسة أيام ويعرض 2-3 مسرحيات في المسرحين وفي ساحات الجامعة الخارجية.

وقد شارك فيه من أوروبا: بولندا، هولندا ، اليونان، بلغاريا، ألمانيا، و بلجيكا . كما شاركت تركيا و كزابلانكا. أما من  البلاد العربية فشاركت كل من مصر، تونس المغرب، الكويت، السعودية، الأردن، سوريا، الامارات، عمان، البحرين، والجزائر. كما شاركت فيه مختلف الجامعات اللبنانية منها: الجامعة اللبنانية، اليسوعية والعربية.

. تقوم لجنة من أساتذة المسرح بمشاهدة مقاطع الفيديو المسجلة للمسرحيات المرسلة لها و بالاستناد عليها وعلى النص، تختار المسرحيات التي ستعرض في المهرجان

حفل موسيقي خلال المهرجان

:وكان لمدونة الجامعة لقاء مع منسقة المسرح هلا المصري للتعرف أكثر على المسرح. وهنا الأسئلة والأجوبة

  ما الذي يميز المسرح في الجامعة اللبنانية الأمريكية؟ 

تاريخه العريق. بدأ المسرح هنا في أوائل الستينات في الوقت الذي لم يكن هناك أي جامعة في لبنان تدرّس المسرح باستثناء الجامعة اللبنانية التي تميزت بفرع التمثيل. و المسارح هنا بهندستها  ومعداتها تعتبر فريدة الى حد الآن على مستوى جامعات لبنان. نمتلك أكبر عدد من التجهيزات والمعدات الصوتية والضوئية  التي نقوم دائما بتحديثها.  وتتميز أيضا بشغف العاملين فيها و خاصة الطلاب الذين يضعون كل طاقاتهم بهذا المسرح الذي يؤمن لهم ما يحتاجون. فالطالب يمتلك متسع الوقت لاستعمال المسرح خلال التمارين على عكس المسارح الخارجية التي تلزمه بأوقات محددة، و هو يمتلك الحرية في اختيار النص، فما يستطيع القيام به في الداخل غير موجود في الخارج. فهو يمتلك حرية الرأي وحرية اختيار الموضوع، فهناك بعض المواضيع المثيرة للجدل. والمسرح هنا هو المسرح الوحيد الذي يسمح له بالتطرق لهذه المواضيع  على عكس المسارح الخارجية التي تتعرض للرقابة. و من المميزات أيضا هو ورش العمل. فعلى مدار السنة نقوم بدعوة المتخصصين بتقنيات المسرح أو التمثيل لاعطاء ورش عمل للطلابنا. وقد أرسلنا العديد من طلاب الى مهرجانات بالدول الخارجية كبلجيكا، تونس، مغرب ومصر.  

   برأيك ما هو سر النجاح هنا؟ و الى من يعود الفضل بذلك؟

كما قلت سابقا تاريخه العريق و لكن وجود الجامعة  بمنطقة بوسط بيروت ميزة تشجّع الجميع للعمل هنا. فالمسرح  يستقطب عددا كبيرا من الناس، والصحافة ، والفنانين. وقد مرّ العديد من الفنانين اللبنانيين وغير اللبنانيين على سبيل المثال: رفيق علي أحمد أول عرض لمسرحية الجرس كان على خشبة مسرح “جولبنكيان”  . بالاضافة الى  يعقوب شدراوي وزياد الرحباني بعروضه الموسيقية والموسيقيين مثل عبد الرحمان الباشا، وليد حوراني وروجيه عساف والكثير غيرهم

  كم تنفق الجامعة لدعم المسرح تقريبا؟

التكاليف كثيرة و لكن المردود هو المردود المعنوي و ليس المادي. هو المردود التثقيفي والتعليمي. وتتفاوت التكاليف بحسب حاجيات العروض، والمسرحيات الرئيسية لها ميزانية خاصة بها.

  ما هي الرسالة التي ترغب الجامعة بايصالها من خلال العمل المسرحي؟

الرسالة الأقوى هي أن الفن هو منفس. هو قضية تعبير بشكل راقي تجمّل صورة هذا البلد. أعتبر المسرح مكانا مقدسا وهو الاستمرارية.

   هل من مشاكل يواجهها المسرح ؟

هي ليست بمشاكل ولكن الجيل الماضي كان أكثر إندفاعاً و تقديراً للأمور التي تعطى. أما الآن فالأكثرية يعتبر المسرح من الكماليات وليس بشيء أساسي ولكنهم ما ان يقوموا باخراج مسرحية حتى يعوا قيمته و يعودوا اليه. فالمسرح  يستخدم في كل الفنون وبالأخص السينما والتلفزيون.

   أما بالنسبة للمهرجان،  هل حقق نجاح ؟

جداً . فقد أصبح معروفا دوليا، فسنويا نتلقى طلبات للمشاركة من قبل جامعات خارجية مختلفة. “صار في صيت

Lara Issa is a journalism student minoring in Advertising at LAU. She believes in the power of words and fights for equality and freedom. She is always smiling. You can contact her via email: lara.issa01@gmail.com

By Farah Saydoun & Aya Balaa

The first question you’re asked while discussing university level education with family or friends is most frequently, “you’re studying business, right?” well, no.

If you’re majoring in radio/TV, film, theater, or journalism, people around you have probably criticized your decision often. We’ve always heard society disparage and belittle communication arts related majors claiming that there aren’t job opportunities available in Lebanon and that such fields aren’t taken very seriously here.

On that note, the LAU tribune decided to ask Lebanese communication arts university students, from various universities, how they are persisting through their majors and what their plans are for the future. Are they really finding jobs here? Are they planning on pursuing their careers here or do they aim to go abroad? What’s next?

It was found that half, if not more, of the interviewed Lebanese youth majoring in radio/TV, film, theatre or journalism, have set their targets to go abroad.   

Watch the Vox Pop here