issue #9 • Fall 2013 -2 0 1 4

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issue #
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Te a m
Fatima Abou Nassif
David Zoaiter
Editor
Assistant Editor
wad
Fatima Abdel Jadent
Jalal Kobeisi
Sarah Amoudi
on
Saida Corresp
Reporter
Photographer
seddine
Zeinab Chamr
Write
arabi
Mahyar Dph
er
Photogra
Mohammad Mor
Design and Conce
tada
pt
Diana Hariri
Writer
Baha Jalali
Photographer
Fatin Mekdad
Assistant Editor
Mirna Jouni
Writer
Katrin Awada
Translator
This
could be
Special thanks to
Abbas Fakih
Malak Fawaz
Sandra Ghosn
Asma Al Achhab
Malak Jaafar
Hassan Choubassi
Khouloud Khatib
Ibrahim Baghdadi
Nour Farhat
Manal Al-Ashkar
Kim Da Li
Korea UNIFIL
LIU Community Volunteers
Chef Maher
LIU Eagles
Wael Ayoub Salloum
Hassan Farhat
Awad Merhi
Connect
With contributions from
Ahmad Zahabi
Reem Salman
Manal Al-Ashkar
Hanine Krayem
/TheScopeLIU
@TheScopeLIU
/TheScopeLIU
[email protected]
Proofread by
Dina Shouman
Laila Manasfi
Sahar Charara
Fatima Abou Nassif
you
Contact us
[email protected]
Contents
3
4
5
6
8
9
10
12
14
15
18
19
20
23
24
SoP Lives up to its Reputation
25
26
A Healthy Score at the Nutrition
Colloquium
28
Cultural City III:
LIU Going green
33
We Ask the Institute: What is
your Dream Vacation?
LIU Mauritania Expands
Painting Smiles in Ramadan
Open Health Day
Between Classes: What is your
Dream Career?
Exchange of Cultures
Introducing the New Engineering
Dean:
Dr. Amin Hajj Ali
Meet the LIU CV's
LIU Eagles Sports Star:
Captain Rami Zreik
Expecting to Discern the Modern
Book Review:
Life of Pi
Alumni Success Stories: Ali
Shreim and Ali Khalifeh
Work & Study Do Mix!
LIU's 8th Annual Career Fair
34
35
I will... Later
Faculty Profile:
Dr. Walid Raad
A Language of Convenience
From the Classroom:
Hasta España
36
University Guide: Walkthrough
by a Survivor
38
International Cuisine:
Club Sandwich
40
41
42
44
45
46
47
Books are Mirrors of the World
Effect on the environment
How well do you know your
major
Spanish
Extinction of Books
Study Virtually
Meet the Registrar and
Admission Team
Get the fresh news on our Facebook page
www.facebook.com/TheScopeLIU
News
LIU Mauritania
Expands
LIU Mauritania is looking
forward to an exciting year
in 2014, with the expected
opening of a brand new stateof-the art campus.
In addition to catering to
different classes’ needs,
the new campus aims to
accommodate students’
many interests, including
fully equipped high-tech
labs for arts and sciences,
recreational sports facilities
and prayer rooms. There are
also plans for male and female
dormitories for foreigners and
Mauritians from remote areas.
Not only does the LIU
building have advanced
facilities, but it is also
advancing educational
opportunities in Mauritania.
The news was announced
during the graduation of LIU
Mauritania’s first Master’s
program graduates. The
graduating students requested
from President Abdul Rahim
Mourad to consider starting
a PhD program during his
congratulatory visit, to which
he replied that the university
has in fact been working on
the program, scheduled to be
launched in 2014.
During his stay, Mr. Mourad
visited the Mauritanian Prime
Minister Rangoolam, who
assured that LIU has the
full support of the nation’s
officials. He added that all
private universities in the
country should follow the
example that LIU has set.
3
News
OO
AC
Y
S
CH
L OF PHARM
SoP Lives Up to
its Reputation
Fatin Mekdad
Sarah Amoudi
Over the years, LIU’s School
of Pharmacy has earned
the reputation of being one
of Lebanon’s best, but it’s
achievements in the latest
colloquium have definitely
solidified that status. All 85
students have passed the national
exam granting them a license to
practice pharmacy. Not only that,
but LIU students have also attained
the highest collective marks in the
history of the Colloquium.
The students showed excellence
in their results, with one student
scoring 18/20, the highest score
in Lebanon. Where most of our
other students had a 17/20 average,
nevertheless, we had a 100%
passing results.
Dean of the School of Pharmacy,
Dr. Mohamad Rahal, said that his
students are prepared from the
first day they enter the school of
pharmacy, “we always work together
with our students and make them
feel as one of the team with the
faculty, it is hard work, but we
always give our students the support
and encouragement they need”.
Congratulating his students, Dr.
Rahal continued, “I wish all of our
students the best of luck, and I
am sure they are just as proud of
themselves and their degree as we
are of them”.
4
News
A Healthy Score at the
Nutrition Colloquium
OO
CE
S
S
CH
L O F SCIEN
Fatin Mekdad
Looking for a skilled nutritionist or dietician? Look
no further than the latest class of LIU students who
have achieved the highest passing percentage of all
other participating groups at 92%. 48 out of a total
of 52 applicants passed the rigorous exam.
To reward the students with the highest grades, a
ceremonial lunch was held at the Beirut campus.
It was attended by many students, instructors, and
senior officials. Chairperson of Biomedical Sciences,
Dr. Mohammad Rached thanked his students for their
dedication and hard work and happily announced
that student Manal Hanawi scored the highest ever in
the history of the National Colloquium with a score of
9.25/10.
Dean of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Tarek Harb, said: “These
results do not surprise me anymore, because I know
and see all the tremendous effort that is made by the
team members involved in preparing our students.”
The event was under the patronage of LIU President
Mr. Abdelrahim Mourad, who in his speech said, “The
challenge was not to build the facilities, but it was how
to bring quality education to all students. Today, it is
clear that we have not only met but surpassed our goals
for the university.”
5
News
Painting Smiles
in Ramadan
In the spirit of Ramadan,
LIU’s Hospitality and Tourism
Management Club hosted its annual
Children’s Iftar in cooperation
with the Dar Al-Aytam al Islami
orphanage. 30 children between
the ages of 9 and 12 visited the
HangOut, Block E cafeteria, and
were treated to an evening of fun
and play. Along with the children,
Mickey the Magician was invited to
dazzle all with his illusions, while
members of the Hospitality Club
entertained them with storytelling,
face painting, and many other fun
activities.
The aim of these yearly Iftar
gatherings, as Chairperson of
Hospitality and Tourism, Dr.
6
Fatin Mekdad
Mohammad Mortada
Ibrahim Baghdadi puts it, is to
“integrate LIU students in social
activities and charity work. The
essential part is to aid those who
are in need.” The kids were visibly
very happy to have been part of the
festivities. Batoul, age 11, says: “I
had fun and I saw my friends and
we got to play. We wish we could
always visit LIU because you offer
us joyful celebrations.”
noticed the genuineness of all
those involved, “I loved it. I met
new people and made new friends
in LIU.” Several instructors were
also integrated into the event from
both the school of Business and the
School of Education. “We are happy
to celebrate the joys of Ramadan
with these children”, says Dr.
Baghdadi on the participation of his
peers.
This was also a positive experience
for Hospitality Club students,
who got to work together in the
kitchen to prepare and serve their
own food to all of the children, as
well as entertain and buy gifts for
each of the children to take home
with them. Mohammad, age 12,
Because of the rising number of
children at the Dar Al-Aytam al
Islami Orphange, the Hospitality
Club is planning to celebrate the
coming Iftar party on their own
premises to be better able to
accommodate all the kids.
7
News
Open Health Day
The Lebanese International
University held its second
annual Open Health Day this
March in Beirut and in May
at Bekaa, the catch was a free
medical checkup for all the
interested candidates who
showed up.
Biomedical and Nutrition
students, under supervision
of their LIU doctors, gave full
medical checkups and did the
tests necessary for diagnosing
health complications that the
patients might have.
Dr. Ali Samah, an instructor
and supervisor at one of the
clinics, said: “This is mostly an
awareness initiative. Maybe
many of our visitors cannot
afford or have the time to go to
a clinic but here it is free. And
people can go to several clinics
we have set up around the
campuses if they want different
types of tests. They can get a
full blood test, diabetes tests
and electrocardiography
among several other medical
tests.”
“In addition to getting
consultations, in some cases
we even prescribed medication
for some patients in critical
conditions that they were
unaware of before. We might
do some reorientation and
send patients to specialists if
we detect a certain issue,” Dr.
Samaha added.
Dr. Mohammad Abou
Haidar, who attended the
event representating of the
Minister of Health, praised
the university’s initiative
and applauded the students
and instructors for their
work saying: “The Lebanese
medical sector is in need of
a partnership with the social
8
and academic communities,
so we are in great gratitude
to the Lebanese International
University for taking this
initiative.”
He continued saying: “We
don’t just want to diagnose
someone; we want to find
cures and provide excellent
care for all citizens and I think
this can be done with the
joined effort of universities and
the Ministry of Health. This is
exactly what LIU did today.”
The event was organized by
the university’s Nutrition
and Biomedical Science
departments with the help
of the Office of Activities and
was also sponsored by the
Scientific & Technical Supplies
Co. (STS) - the official supplier
of medical and laboratory
equipment for LIU.
The Open Health Day has
become a date that people
mark on their calendars.
Mr. Wissam Hamze, a
representative from STS,
commented on the event,
saying: “People are now
anticipating the LIU Open
Health Day for their annual
checkup. The equipment is very
up-to-date and the tests are
all found in one place which is
exactly what people need.”
Alongside, LIU Bekaa also
timed the launching of two
new clinics, the Avicenna
Nutrition Clinic and the
Rhazes Clinic for Emergency
Cases, which were opened
under the supervision of the
university’s executives, and a
blood drive where more than
100 blood units were collected
to replenish the blood banks
and hospitals in the area.
Between Classes
What is your
dream career?
Ibrahim Al Turk
"To start my own advertizing agency
because I have my own targets and
specific campaigns"
Ahmad Hassan
"I want to be a presenter of a program
which I produce, because the ethics of
journalism are very important to me
and it is the only way I feel I can keep
journalism on the right track."
Lenore Hassoun
"I have my own concept of pharmacy
I want to open; it’s a new idea that has
not been done before"
Hussien Mansour
"To be successful genetic engineer
in cancer therapy, because I have a
passion for genetics and ambitions to
find a cure for cancer"
Hiba Daia
"I want to be a car designer because it
is the best career shift when you are
an interior designer"
Mirna Fadoul
"Working as a university professor
because I believe that teaching is
a great job that allows us to send a
message to society"
Zeina Nader
"My own business company so I
would do business deals that will
benefit my community."
Ruba Fadel
"I want to have my own nutrition
center which would include a gym, a
clinic and a beauty and health center.”
Souad Kataya
"Diet center where a group of
my friends can work, in separate
departments so as to guarantee full
costumer health services"
Nour Bourji
"To be a Dietitian, not only in weight
management, but also in food safety
in airline companies, restaurants,
schools and food factories"
Fatima Faraj
"Open a gym related to sport nutrition
because people have wrong concepts
about sport and nutrition"
9
Exchange of Cultures
LIU Tyre’s Korean
language class,
consisting of both
students and staff,
visited the UNIFIL’s
Korean battalion in
Southern Lebanon. They
were treated to a special
traditional performance
and a conference with
Colonel Kim Kuyung
Hwan. The peacekeepers
took a break from their
daily routine to show
the students around
their base in Tirdba,
outside of Tyre. The
Korean language class
at the Tyre campus is
taught by members of
the Korean battalion
as part of the cultural
collaboration between
the division and LIU.
10
Manal Al Ashkar
Administrative Secretary / Korean Course Student
They came for you: LIU has been known for its variety of activities and
relationships with other institutions. One of our greatest relationships
is the one we have with the South Korean Contingent in the UNIFIL.
The latter offered a free Korean course at the university, which the
students and I enjoyed very much. Not to forget that one of our
students, Reem Salman, had the chance to visit Korea and explore its
beauty and learn about its rich culture. She also served Lebanon when
she taught them some of our inherited Arab and Lebanese traditions.
Our students enjoyed every single activity with the peacekeepers and,
without a doubt, built a great relationship with them. I hope that this
relationship stays strong and bonds deepen between LIU and the
South Korean battalion.
Reem Salman
Engineering Student
I first attended the Korean class on April 11, and I was already feeling
that this class would not be like any other course I’ve taken at the
university. I took advantage of my visit to Korea to learn about its
culture by visiting museums and factories, and I realized how strongwilled they are to develop such a country in such a short time. I was
also invited to a military base and got to see their intense military
drills.
It is a big honor for me to write about the Korean battalion’s activities for The Scope,
especially after I have taught Korean language at one of LIU’s campuses.
First of all, I would like to introduce myself; I am teacher Zeina, but my real name is Kim
Da Li. In 2004, I started studying the Arabic language at Hankuk University for Foreign
Studies located in Korea. After that I continued studying Arabic in different Arabic
countries including Tunisia, Syria, Egypt, etc. Then, in 2011, I enrolled at the College of
Translation in Korea, which is well known for its foreign languages translation studies, in
pursuit of my Master’s degree. At the beginning of this year, I graduated with a Master’s
degree. After that, and immediately after finishing my studies, I came straight to Lebanon
as a translator for the Korean battalion with the UNIFIL.
As you may know, the Korean battalion’s duties include offering aid and humanitarian
and social entrepreneurship for the benefit of the people of the South of Lebanon. From
this perspective, the Korean battalion expanded its activities to include teaching the
Korean language at universities, the Lebanese International and the Lebanese Islamic
Universities that are located in Sour are some of them.
I believe that teaching the Korean language reflects positively on the Lebanese society
since university students are the future of the country, and it teaches them more about
the Korean culture, traditions, and language. The Korean battalion started teaching
language to young students at five towns within their framework, but the students’ young
age prevented them from showing more interest in the Korean language and culture, so
we switched to teaching Korean to university students who immediately showed more
interest.
I started teaching Korean at LIU in April, 2013. And, when I gave my first lecture, I was
surprised by the large turnout; they were about 55! But over time, this number started to
decrease, and at my last lecture, only three of them showed up. I felt really disappointed,
but I know that the Korean language is very complicated. I’ve went through it when I was
studying the Arabic language, and believe me it is not an easy language to learn, so I do
understand the students’ reaction.
But despite the low number of attendees, I kept my spirit high, for I know, as a teacher,
that teaching the Korean language also includes teaching Korean culture, customs, and
traditions, and that keeps me proud of what I’m doing. Even I learn more about my own
country while preparing for my lectures, and I grow more nostalgic and attached to my
homeland every day.
As a matter of fact, I was not aware of the Lebanese students’ interest in the Korean
language until a few weeks earlier when an LIU Beirut student attended one of my classes
at the Lebanese Islamic University in Sour. And it was obvious how this student loves
Korea when she asked me to teach Korean at her LIU Beirut campus, and she seemed so
excited about the idea. She only spent one hour with us, but I am very glad I met her. It
makes me very happy to see people come to me to ask about Korea and our language.
I hope that more students will be interested in learning the Korean language to know
more about Korea and about the Korean battalion with the UNIFIL, and I hope that they
really benefit from the Korean lessons.
Kim Da Li
11
Introducing the New Engineering Dean
Dr. Amin Hajj Ali
The School of
Engineering has recently
welcomed a new dean,
Dr. Amin Hajj Ali.
After he finished
his computer
communication
undergraduate program
at the American
University of Beirut in
1993, he pursued his
master’s in electronics
and computer control at
Wayne State University.
12
Dr. Hajj Ali: After that I
returned to Lebanon and worked
in the development of the Al
Zahrani power plant as a project
engineer for eight months. After
that, I worked as an IT director
at the National Broadcasting
Network for four years, building
the infrastructure and later on
overseeing the operation of the
infrastructure for another four
years.
Later, I went back to the United States
to continue my academics with my
mind on a PhD degree, and at same
time worked for Daimler-Chrysler for
four years, in both managerial and
technical work. At the technical level,
I also worked on issuing a patent
for a system that detects very low
emissions in vehicles.
After finishing my PhD, I
started teaching at Al Hosn
private university in Abu Dhabi,
simultaneously managing the
position of the chair of the
department of software engineering
for five years and helped in
curricula and course material
development.
I finally came to LIU as a chair
of the computer communication
department and stayed for a couple
of years, when I was promoted
to associate dean of the School
of Engineering for a year, and
eventually to dean of the school.
The Scope: What are some of
the future plans for the School
of Engineering?
Dr. Hajj Ali: Expansion to
new majors, and new degrees. I
am planning to get a license for
new majors in petroleum and
civil engineering, and a license
for master’s in engineering
management. We have already
launched industrial engineering
this year, and we are planning to
enhance our laboratories alongside
expanding the current majors in
most of the campuses. For example,
we opened surveying engineering
in Rayak, two master’s programs
in Tripoli, a master’s program in
electrical engineering in Saida and
a master’s program in computer
engineering in Bekaa. So, we are
advancing on both levels – addition
of new majors and expanding
current majors to campuses that
did not offer them. We are also
working on the memorandum of
understanding with universities
abroad to have a joint PhD
program, which will eventually
lead to a full PhD program at the
university. We are structuring our
research and industrial relations
to align with the vision of the
university. And as I said previously,
we have a big project related to the
laboratories to improve hands-on
skills of our graduates so they have
better job opportunities and are
ready for the job market. We have
a plan to enhance the teaching
methods, which is actually in
progress and already is launched
as many small projects. We already
started adjusting our curricula
and programs to meet the ABET
requirements. The process will take
time but we already started working
on it on the internal level, and
we still have some auditing visits
from that body in order to give us
the accreditation. At the School of
Engineering, we started shifting
the level of projects and theses to
meet higher standards that will
enhance our students’ skills and the
level of mentorship that our faculty
members are offering at LIU.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about
yourself, so that readers and
students get to know you
better?
A: My doors are always open for
students to come any time they
need my help. I always try to keep
some free time for them. Of course
I have hobbies that are related to
my major, so I feel passionate about
everything related to electronics
and computers. I always try to
keep my class enjoyable, I use the
interactive teaching method rather
than just lecturing, so I always ask
students to be active and participate
in class discussions. I strongly
believe in teamwork, and whichever
level of success we’ve reached at
the School of Engineering we owe it
to our collaboration and collective
work.
Q: Any last words you would
like to address the students or
the readers with?
A: Be prepared, because more
opportunities will be ahead
of you but only those who are
prepared can grasp them. Believe
in yourselves, and do not rely on
anyone but your personal skills.
Do not wait on your instructors or
university to teach you everything,
they just give you guidelines and
you do the rest, so enhance your
inquisitive skills, and have self
confidence.
Industrial
Engineering
Industrial engineering is
commonly defined as the
integration of machines, staff,
production materials, money,
and scientific methods. While
many current industrial
engineers still deal in these
areas, the scope of their work
has become more general.
Today's industrial engineers
work in many more settings
than just factories; in recent
years, fields like energy and
IT have become particularly
reliant on the skills of industrial
engineers. These flexible
professionals may also be
employed in:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hospitals and other healthcare operations
Transportation
Food processing
Media
Banking
Utilities
Local, regional and national
governments
Also, a bachelors degree in
industrial engineering qualifies
its holder for a masters in
petroleum engineering which
will be available at LIU.
http://www.worldwidelearn.com
13
News
Meet the LIU
Community Volunteers
COMMUNITY
VOLUNTEERS
Katrin Awada
There is probably no one left in the
LIU community who has not heard
of the LIU Community Volunteers,
or the CVs. It is known that it is
a group of students who dedicate
their free time to giving back to
their academic community, but not
everyone knows the group’s story.
pants outfits amongst the masses.
They were seen working on the
ground and managing LIU events.
Soon enough, they became the
organizers of both small-scale
awareness campaigns and huge
festivals like Cultural City III and
the annual graduation ceremonies.
It all started when a group of
students were asked to volunteer
at the Career Development office.
Event after event, a couple of new
faces joined the team, one at a
time, until they were nicknamed
The Ushers. They worked directly
with the Career Development
department, volunteering in
various campus events as well as
off-campus activities. Whether
university-affiliated or with NGOs,
they served as a host of campus life
occasions.
The Ushers’ trend caught on
quickly. In one year, the number of
volunteers doubled. This year, the
number of active students reached
over 50. The group of volunteers
became a semi-independent
taskforce able of self-government.
Adopting the name LIU Community
Volunteers, the CVs have strictly
followed their motto: "From a
well community comes a well
individual."
The Ushers ran around the Beirut
campus, distinguished by their
matching white-shirts-and-black14
Going over a retrospect of the
events the CVs have worked on,
one cannot but acknowledge the
impact this group has had on
the LIU community as a whole.
They have reached a stage where
they are active on the local level.
At the Beirut Marathon, for
example, the LIU CVs helped as
announcers, on the water stations
and both on the start and finish
lines. The challenging weather
during the 2012 marathon caused
some participants to run back to
their homes, but “there is never a
rainbow without the rain,” as CV
Katrin Awada said, adding that she
is committed to any event the CVs
choose to volunteer at, no matter
the circumstances.
A lot can be written, but nothing
can reflect the spirit of the CVs on
paper. They are a group of students
who come together hoping for a
better community and healthy
campus life. The LIU Community
Volunteers is a team of proactive
students who are committed to give
back to their university.
S p o rts S tar
Captain Rami Zreik
David Zoaiter
Mohammad Mortada
The LIU Eagles football team has become a
name that puts fear in its rivals’ eyes. Today,
scoring big in the field, while managing to win
championships, is somewhat normal and part
of the team’s everyday life.
But no victory comes cheap. Captain of the
Beirut Eagles football team, Rami Zreik,
suffered a blow to the head while defending his
turf resulting with 7 stitches to his forehead,
saying “I would defend our goal with my life”.
Zreik has become an icon, not only with the LIU
community, but has also received recognition
in the Lebanese University football scene.
Sadly, spring 2013 semester was Captain Zreik’s
last semester at LIU as he finished all his major
requirements and graduated as a university
hero. The Scope met with Cpt. Zreik for an
friendly talk about his university experience.
15
Q: How do you describe your journey with the
Eagles?
A: It was exceptional. If I take anything with me, as an
experience of course, after I leave LIU it would be my
experience and the time I spent with the team.
Q: When did you first join the Eagles, and how
did it happen?
A: Back in spring of 2010, I read an announcement
about the tryouts for the team, so I contacted coach
Bassem. There were many students at the tryouts. I was
chosen as one of the team members, and it took me a
while to actually go down to the field, so I spent some
time on the bench.
Q: Looking back at the victories that the Eagles
have accomplished during your time, which one
do you hold dearest?
A: I believe it’s the Lebanese Universities League for
Mini-Football this year. The tournament began in
January and ended in June. After facing each team
twice, four teams were chosen for the semi-final and
of course the winners met for the final. And out of all
these games, we lost only one. We won the semi-finals
and made it to the finals against BAU and won the cup.
Q: Which of the games played in that League
was the most challenging?
A: The hardest game was the final against BAU because
during the semi-finals against BAU, we were ahead
with a score 3-1, but due to unfortunate events, we
lost the game. So by the time we made it to the finals
against BAU, our aim was to show them that we will
win. The game was intense; they scored first, so we
had to advance quickly; the game ended in a tie and we
advanced for penalties.
Q: How did the team prepare for the game?
A: Training, training, and some more training! Coach
Bassem made sure we got as much training as we
needed. We even came in to train three times a week
sometimes. Even during midterms, the guys used to
come in and train for as much as they could.
Q: How did you prepare emotionally for this
tournament?
A: Our team is built on our strong friendship, we are
like brothers and we are each other’s backup. When
one of us sits on the bench and watches the game, he’s
enthusiastic cheering in the background and boosting
the confidence of his teammates on the field.
Q: You received a serious injury in the final; can
you tell us about it?
A: I received a short pass from my teammate and it
ended up with the other teams’ striker. I was the only
one in defense so had he passed me, it would have been
just him and the goalie and we could’ve lost the game.
16
I mustered up my courage and went head to head with
him. Things didn’t go quite as I planned and I received
one of his elbows to my forehead. I wanted to continue
the game but the coach insisted I go to the hospital;
thank God he let me stay and watch the game through.
I don’t regret it and have never had second thoughts
even. We won!
Q: Before you, Haitham Faour from the
Lebanese national football team was captain
with the Eagles, did you feel pressure and
responsibility to live up to the names of the
coaches before you?
A: Of course, he is an excellent player and one cannot
but be impressed by the way he plays. When I first
went to watch an Eagle’s game at the Nijmeh stadium
with coach Bassem, I watched players like Haitham
Faour, Hassan Ferdous, and Ali Al Hadi with complete
admiration. From that moment on, I had this certain
level set as an example for my own performance.
Whether I was the captain or not, I found myself
striving to give as much as they did; I felt responsible
not only for myself but for the entire team. I did my
best to keep the team’s communication during the
game.
Q: How did playing the Eagles affect your
academic life at LIU?
A: I met many people when I first started college and
many of them, of course not all, got drifted away and
ended up becoming bad company. I am glad I filled my
time with sports which virtually eliminated the chances
of me ending up like them. I am not saying that I would
if it weren’t for sports, but you never know.
Also, it gave me the privilege of having good financial
aid, which made it much easier for me to pay my
tuition fees without having to worry about finances.
This facilitated my stay at the university for three
consecutive years.
Q: Did you ever feel under the spotlight as an
LIU athlete?
A: To be honest, I compared the audience from other
universities, such as BAU, and the turnout who came
to watch their team play and show support to our LIU
fans, but I was disappointed that we don’t have a very
large audience. However, I’m glad that we get the
media to almost every game, and students can always
see our pictures and news in the university magazine.
Q: Now that you graduated, what will you be
taking with you, from both, academic and
athletic life here at the LIU?
A: first of all, I will miss my teammates, not only
did we become a good team but also we built strong
friendships. We used to spend a lot of time together,
and we still do. I’ve also gained a lot of experience from
all tournaments and matches that I participated in.
Q: What would you like to tell the newcomers to
the LIU Eagles after you leave?
A: The most important thing I would like to tell them
is to keep their self-confidence. No matter what, no
matter for how long you sit on the bench, you are still
a part of the team, so never quit, be self confident and
show all you got as a player when given the chance on
the field.
Q: What would you like to say to your current
team?
A: I would like to thank my team for their hard work
and all the effort put into each game we played. They
made it [this last season] the best season and the best
tournament I’ve ever played in. I hope that the team
keeps that spirit, and stays strong and enthusiastic at
all times, and that they keep making coach Bassem
proud of them.
Q: Do you encourage LIU students to
participate in university athletics?
A: If they have the time, they should not hesitate
to fill it with something that can benefit them, like
joining clubs or taking part in sports activities, because
sometimes these kinds of activities help students to
pursue their academic aspirations without feeling
pulled down by the routine academic life.
17
Expecting to
Discern the Modern
In the world we live in, we wake
up to a cell phone alarm, get
reminded by a digital calendar,
and sometimes go to a virtual
meeting via Skype. All these are
characteristics of the modern
person having continuous direct
contact with the world.
A while back, I saw an ad of a
person waking up in a room with
hand-movement-controlled screen
walls, allowing him to start his day
with a suitable choice of wardrobe,
breakfast preferences, and possible
day plans. It was really interesting
and idealistic to the little potential
that our country Lebanon has. It
turns out that this was actually
implemented in Japan. Had this
been paralleled in our country, it
would have definitely made us more
efficient in our daily plans.
When referring to a 21st century
student, they are presumably
not expected to wake up to a
visually-enhanced alarm, but they
are, however, expected to have a
smartphone. It is the "in" thing these
days! And that makes you wonder
at times if we can live without our
mobile devices. If the answer is
"yes", your expectations must be
unrealistic; because in the world
we live in, it is getting impossible
to survive without technology. For
example, in Lebanon, the case with
cell phones is a matter of life and
death. People receive breaking news
alerts via text messages.
18
In short, the modern student is
most definitely identified as a
carrier of a smartphone, especially
since he or she is expected, without
argument, to be up-to-date when
it comes to technology. Moreover,
the modernity of a student is
measured nowadays with 3G or 4G.
You might wonder at times why a
student has his or her head down
on a cell phone device scrolling,
reading or texting. What part of the
brain is being triggered: the logical
part or the nonsensical? Is this
type of modernity characteristic
of a modern student? I'd have to
say: No. When students use mobile
phones to get updated on all things
gossip, they are only filling their
valuable time with online exposure
to things irrelevant to academic
skill building. Having the right
tools for online communication is
not an issue here. It is actually the
inability of the student to control
the conception of modernity in
technological advancement. They
simply get tempted by the imps
of the net: social networks or the
online media devils.
In order to maximize student
performance and engage them
in productive online interaction,
educators should expect a modern
student to get acquainted with the
concept of "educational media." It is
the moment that each conscientious
student is waiting for. It is the
evolution of higher education that
Diana Hariry
has reached its climax. Students
of today do not have to worry
about expenses dispensed on
extracurricular courses. They
needn't be present in tangible
classrooms; however, a virtual
presence should be anticipated. It
is high time to start introducing the
concept of MOOCs: massive open
online courses. These courses have
been adopted by many universities,
such as Harvard, MIT, Georgetown
and the like. In order to be
accessible to MOOCs, a student
needs to have two qualities brought
on: commitment and online
interactivity. Apart from student
preparedness for such innovation,
a robust Internet connection is an
essential prerequisite as well.
Another question pops to mind to
an average university student: "Do
I have to be fluent in the English
Language in order to complete
these courses?" My answer would
be: Yes! However, I have good news
to share with you all! To make
things simple, an average student
can work on his or her English
through guided online sessions, and
by getting exposed to consistent
language modalities: listening,
speaking, reading, and writing.
This is what we call in the academic
realm as: Blended Learning. There
is also the issue of commitment and
eagerness to acquire a language;
taking it seriously for a change!
Book Review
Malak Jaafar
Life of Pi
Yann Martel
Book Rati
ngs:
You know you’ve read a good book when you still vividly remember parts and sentences from said book even
months after you’ve finished it. That is the case with Yann Martel’s Life of Pi.
“My suffering made me sad and
gloomy,” is how Mr. Martel decided
to start his unforgettable and
exquisite book and how the reader
starts his/her adventure with a
young Indian boy, a Bengal tiger
named Richard Parker and the
Pacific Ocean.
Pi, Piscine Molitor Patel, the young
and intelligent son of a zookeeper,
is fascinated with religion and
decides to embrace three at once:
Christianity, Islam and Hinduism,
in exploration of spirituality and
practicality from a young age. Pi’s
family soon decided to move to
Canada to start a new life but the
universe had other plans for Pi.
His family had hitched a ride on
a large cargo ship carrying their
zoo animals from India, which
after a horrendous storm, sinks in
the middle of the Pacific Ocean,
claiming the lives of Pi’s family
and animals. Pi, however, survives
the shipwrecked and ends up on a
life boat. He isn’t the only survivor
though, a 200kg Bengal tiger names
Richard Parker, an orangutan,
hyena and a zebra with a broken leg
wind up on the small life boat with
him.
After countless harrowing ordeals,
Pi and Richard Parker are the only
two passengers on the tiny lifeboat.
As they drift across the cruel Pacific
Ocean for 227, fighting hunger,
the harsh elements of nature and
overcoming odds. His deep faith
in God and his religions play a
huge role in his survival. Pi’s days
merged into one endless nightmare
filled with some highs, and many
lows.
"It is pointless to say that this or
that night was the worst of my life. I
have so many bad nights to choose
from that I've made none the
champion," Pi says.
It is a tragic yet beautiful tale of
survival, adventure, endurance
and faith. The story remains with
you; Pi’s struggles and his will
for life remain with you. With
more than seven million copies
sold worldwide, it is no surprise
that this book made it to the New
York Times, Los Angeles Times,
Washington Post, San Francisco
Chronicles and Chicago Tribune
bestseller list.
Visit the library at LIU campuses to check out this book and many more.
19
s
ni Suc
&
m
i
e
i Shr
Alum
Al
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i
l
a
h
Ali K
rie
o
t
S
s
ces
Success is not measured by wealth but by the satisfaction of the
work done and the amount of goals achieved. In academics,
ones school pride comes from the success of those before, whose
achievements linger in the university’s halls.
Two students who have brought pride to the LIU
Communication Arts Department, Ali Shreim and Ali Khalife,
both majoring in Radio & TV, have long been popular among
their friends through their enthusiasm and dedication to their
projects.
The love for the duet was shown to the nation as students
rushed to protest the illegal apprehension of the two along with
a third LIU graduate, Adeeb Farhat, while they were doing
their job, but were denied the right of freedom of the press.
The Scope sat down with Shreim and Khalife, for a talk about
their recent activities, and their life after graduation.
20
Q: What have you been up to
since graduation?
Shreim: We’ve been doing the same
work since before we graduated at
Saida TV, a web TV we helped set
up, and we’ve been directing short
documentaries. We are part of the
crew of the New TV program “Taht
Ta’alet Al Masu’liya”. But our most
important work is “Ha’ak Tihki
Ha’ak Taarif”, another popular
initiative for being a powerful and
new format in Lebanon.
Khalife: The idea of looking for
people and having them speak
freely about their problems is
something that has never been
done on web TV. We wanted to
break the fear of confronting
taboo subjects on television that
other media channels have, these
are usually topics that are heard
in any household and in any
neighborhood. So, why should these
topics be considered unsuitable
for television? We decided that
nothing should be hidden because
people need to see programs that
they can actually relate to rather
than the superficial themes of
beauty and design we usually see
on Lebanese channels. The great
thing is that nobody needs any kind
of political financing or backup to
do this, there is always a place for
courageous, outspoken people on
social media and Youtube to share
any content they want, without
having to chase after formal media
for exposure. We rather created our
own medium.
Shreim: We had started with this
idea in university when we did a
documentary called “Fashet Khile’”,
but it did not get as much attention
at the time so we are very proud
that we got to elaborate on the
concept and optimize it.
Q: Would you say that working
at Saida TV is your dream job?
Khalife: It is a step. We dream of
doing much bigger things because
although we’ve expressed ourselves
a lot, we want our work to reach
a larger audience. Everything we
do begins with simple ideas, and if
we are able to keep following these
ideas for another 10 years or so we
would reach our goals.
Q: What is a typical working
day for the Saida TV crew?
Khalife: When we are working on
“Ha’ak Tihki Ha’ak Taarif”, our
main mission is to search for people
who have a certain social situation.
To find someone willing to openly
discuss their issues is the hardest
thing we have to do, but at the same
time when we do find these people
we are happy to see that they had
been waiting for an opportunity
to speak up. At this point we go
on to constantly tape these people
for three days or so to capture real
and raw moments of their daily
lives without any censorship or
fabrication.
Q: It is not an easy job you’re
doing. Have you ever been
threatened because of your
work?
Shreim: Besides what happened
to us with the Lebanese Customs,
which everyone knows about, we
did an episode on Ahmad Al Assir
at the time of his crackdown in
Saida. We handled it differently
than any other TV channels’
coverage, and Because of that we
got threats and now if you try to
search for Saida TV’s Youtube
channel, you won’t find it because
it was reported and taken down
shortly after that episode was
posted.
Khalife: There was also a
documentary that we did about
the Bahraini conflict which got
us threatening messages, clearly
from the Gulf. We can’t really be
sure who was responsible though,
because it must be an influential
entity involved in taking it down.
Q: Saida TV is best known
for being on top of important
scoops that are later used by
many other prominent media
stations. How do you take the
pressure of the responsibility?
What motivates you?
Khalife: We don’t like to call
them “scoops” because what we
do is shine light on issues that
are already available wherever
you look. We were just university
students who were able to do
this. There’s definitely pressure
in working on these programs
simultaneously and giving our all
to the process. What pressures us
the most is that there are so many
issues that need to be uncovered
and so many voices to be heard
that it can be difficult to prioritize
everything. We wish that we could
cover all 10,452 km2 of Lebanon
and go to every area and expose
every situation. Only then would
we have accomplished our goal and
move on to something bigger. For
now we are still running to do as
much as we can.
Q: Tell us a little about the
struggle that comes with the
job.
Khalife: We are proud of working
independently, without anyone
telling us what can and cannot be
done. We are not politically funded
nor politically affiliated, so we
enjoy working based on our own
convictions.
Shreim: We work with our own
equipment and show what needs
to be seen. But not being funded
is also a big problem because it
limits our capabilities. It gets to us
that sometimes we can’t reach the
level we first envisioned, be we are
striving.
Q: How did your major of
Radio/TV help you in your
work now?
Shreim: We’ve benefited from our
major and our instructors greatly.
When we made our first ever film
we didn’t even know how to hold
a camera, and it was played in
front of about 800 people. Looking
back at it now we laugh at how
amateurish it was. But at the time
we showed it to Mr. Elmoutasam
Aziz and he told us about a few
things to fix. We really learned from
this particular instructor every
time we came to Beirut campus,
but we’ve had many others who
21
inspired us with their open
minds and their leftist
ideologies. It was just a
comfortable environment
that really encouraged us to
work as hard as we did.
Q: What did you do to
stand out from your
peers during your time
at LIU?
Khalife: Even if the university
is providing students with
the best cameras, sets,
and instructors, a student
won’t gain anything if they
are not actively chasing
any opportunity to work.
We sometimes missed out
on university assignment
deadlines because we were
busy working hard on our
own projects. It can be
extremely tiring and stressful
at times but as long as
students are producing their
own work, they won’t have a
problem building a career.
Shooting the LIU Documentary with HE Mr. Abdulrahim Mourad
Q: What is your advice to
our students?
Khalife: This is the first
problem we all faced at the
beginning of our careers
so we advise students to
never chase the glamour of
this specialization and be
cheated into selling out on
what they believe in. They
might get a great chance to
work for a media institution
whose policies they don’t
agree with and it can be the
hardest thing in the world
to turn these chances down,
especially with the limited
opportunities for big money
in the field.
Shreim: We never accepted
jobs where we would just
follow orders; we wanted to
be the innovators. I advise
students who want to follow
this path to just hold out
for their suitable break,
and in the meantime, keep
working on themselves to be
distinguished.
22
Post production of “Ha’ak Tihki Ha’ak Taarif”
Ali and Ali in action
You’re used to start your scholastic
day with your daily dose of
motherly love with her homemade
sandwiches and fresh orange
juice. The rest of the day was
clearly laid out for you by teachers
and school administrators. Easy,
huh! Now, you are on your way
to a new lifestyle. Do not worry!
Some attributes -such as the one
mentioned above- might not
change; however, a lot of things
will change when you go off to
college.
Some of the alterations you might
experience are: in your daily study
routine, peer exposure, the ability
to adjust to a different timetable…
etc. I am not trying to freak you
out, but these alterations can easily
be overcome with a set of carefully
chosen guidelines to be followed
throughout your academic year.
A student’s transition from one
form of educational institution
to another is a very common
phenomenon worldwide. However,
not all students adapt to this change
with ease. College life offers benefits
alongside tempting distracters,
such as extracurricular activities,
in-between-classes time gaps, and
recreational off-campus hangouts.
In order for a student to make it
through this primitive form of the
“real world”, there should be a
carefully planned and implemented
study strategy. Otherwise, he or
she will be left with so little time at
hand, with so many things to finish.
Many articles suggest diversified
study habits to help students in
their rights of passage on to college
life. However, many students in
Lebanon are torn up between
work and academics, which make
their lives a little tougher (if not
a lot). I have taken the liberty of
customizing some of these study
habits and narrowing them down to
five effective ones.
According to Dr. John M. Grohol,
the author of “10 Highly Effective
Study Habits,” the following points
should be taken into consideration
in order to secure a healthy
studying environment:
1. How you approach studying
matters; with positivity and
enthusiasm
2. Where you study is important
3. Bringing everything you need
to the study table (nothing you
don’t)
4. Outline and rewrite your notes
5. Use memory games (mnemonic
devices)
6. Practice by yourself or with
friends
7. Make a schedule you can stick
to
8. Take breaks and rewards
9. Keep healthy and balanced
10. Know what your instructor is
expecting
Work &
Study
Do Mix!
Diana Hariri
As for the customized version
suitable for Lebanese students who
work while studying, the following
tips will definitely help:
1. Get a bag pack to bring
everything you need; keep your
books with you at all times
2. Keep your five-subject
copybook with you in order to
take notes in the classroom
3. Make audio voice records of
your notes and share them with
friends if possible.
4. Secure a reliable, consistent
and quiet study area
5. Take breaks and rewards; you
need them!
23
LIU's 8th
Annual Career Fair
In a country where it is becoming
increasingly difficult to find work,
particularly for a full-time student
or fresh graduate, it is easy to be
discouraged. That’s where LIU’s
Career Fair comes in. For the
eighth consecutive year, students
were given a chance to dive into
the world of professionalism with
dozens of visiting companies
offering opportunities for all
faculties of LIU.
Sharply dressed students of
all majors eagerly moved from
booth to booth distributing their
CVs in hopes of landing a useful
internship or a practical first job.
They received useful information
from potential employers, some
of who attended the career fair for
many years. A delegate from the
three-time attending MarketTech
translation and training company
said, “LIU students are serious,
24
knowledgeable, and ambitious so
we enjoy coming here every year.”
Being in a country of rich culture
and history has made Lebanon
one of the most visited countries
in the Middle East; therefore, ever
booming with career options. The
noticeable abundance of companies
in the hospitality and tourism
industry this year was a dream
come true for students of that
major. Zainab Fahs is one such
student who came prepared for the
big day with a large stack of her
CV copies which she handed out
to several companies. On the same
day, she received multiple calls
from prospective companies. Fahs
said she “honestly didn’t expect
it” and encouraged others to apply
now because “this is the real deal,
careers start here.”
In preparation for the 8th Annual
Career Fair, students were invited
Fatin Mekdad
to attend the BLOM Shabeb
workshop “Build your CV and Ace
Your Interview.” The organization
specializes in assisting Lebanese
young adults in planning their
education and facilitating their
career choices to ensure successful
futures. Participants took an
aptitude test and received a range
of resources from BLOM which
accounting student, Fatima, found
“very helpful” in building her
confidence and teaching her how
to brand herself to prospective
employers.
LIU President Mr. Abdelraheem
Mourad stopped by the career fair
to express his appreciation for the
hard work that LIU Community
Volunteers put into organizing
and assisting for the success of the
event. He also wished all students
luck in launching themselves into
the next phase of their lives.
I Will… Later
Fatima Abou Nassif
An example of a computer desktop wallpaper that can help you work more efficiently
It is 11:00PM and your essay, due
the next morning, still has a word
count of 0. Instead of working on
that essay in the past days, you
went out to the cinema, caught
up with the latest episodes of a
series, and decided to start reading
a book. Now, as you stare at the
blank Word document, you regret
all that wasted time in which you
could have finished this essay. You
start pondering upon the fact that
you could have been stress-free at
this moment. You now glance at the
clock, and find out that you spent
the past seven minutes wasting
your time dwelling on your lack of
productivity. Frustrated, you decide
to get up and make a cup of coffee
because of that voice in your head
that said, “I cannot start the essay
like this, I need some energy.” And
well, you know the rest. You just
know that the essay must be done
by class time, and that sleep can be
postponed.
As students, we tend to be
impulsive which makes us
vulnerable to procrastination.
University students are prone
to become procrastinators if
they allow stress of deadlines to
overwhelm them. Who would
not rather be entertained than be
working? Why study now if you can
study later?
It is this same type of thinking,
actually, that ends up in the
accumulation of tasks we should
get done since postponing them
will not get them out of the way.
This, in turn, yields in even more
stress. You end up feeling regret
of not finishing the tasks before,
disappointment for not being
productive, and overwhelmed by
the lack of time you end up having
to finish all those tasks.
Mashable compiled a list of five tips
to fight procrastination:
1. Don’t wait for perfection
2. Create a sense of urgency
3. Break a large project into little
tasks
4. Work with your natural
rhythms and habits
5. Conduct a time audit
In brief, one should not get carried
away. Nothing is impossible. As
much as you stress or postpone, you
will still have the same things due.
Always pause, take a deep breath
and gain perspective of the tasks
at hand. Plan out your schedule,
making sure you balance between
free time and work time. As the
years pass, you will develop your
unique work rhythm but be careful
not to get dragged into the chronic
procrastination lifestyle. Just get
things done, and you will end up
adopting work habits that will keep
you comfortable and productive.
Fight that inner voice that keeps
convincing you to delay your
assignments in order to enjoy your
time right then and now. Instead,
be convinced that the sooner you
finish your tasks, the more relaxed
and free you will be.
http://mashable.com/2012/09/11/
procrastination-tips/
25
Faculty Profile:
Dr. Walid Raad
The Chairperson of
Communication Arts
David Zoaiter
A longtime role model to the students of the 9th floor in block C (Beirut),
who has been known to be backbone of the public relations program at
the LIU, and seen by many as a friend and father figure. Since he took
the position as the chairperson of the Communication Arts Department
in the Fall of 2013, Dr. Walid Raad has become a reference to all media
students who cherish his guidance and follow his advice whether through
academics or everyday life.
Early Life:
Born in Beirut the year 1973,
Dr. Raad says he had a tough
childhood. With the Lebanese civil
war breaking out when he was just
three, he opened his eyes to see a
world of destruction, but all that
changed when his parents decided
to move to France in 1982, during
the time of the Israeli invasion
of Lebanon, along with him and
his older sister. “These 3 years
[in France] were very important
for me because it was then that I
first learned there was something
other than war. I didn’t know that
there were parks, gardens, and
swimming pools or afterschool
activities.” In 1986 the Raads
returned to Lebanon, and with
his acquired French language, Dr.
Raad continued his education in the
French schooling system.
Academics:
Passionate for politics and history,
Dr. Raad enrolled at the Beirut
University College (now known as
26
Lebanese American University)
to earn a Bachelors degree in
Political Science. “I have always
been fascinated by politics, ever
since I was small boy; I used to
get the paper and sit on top of it
and try to read it, that’s how small
I was compared to the size of the
day’s newspaper” he says. He spent
his nights studying great men
throughout history and the impact
they had, he continued his Masters
in the same field directly after his
Bachelors. “I was fascinated by the
history of politics and influential
political events rather than day-today politics; I wasn’t interested in
who met with whom this morning.”
Career:
Dr. Raad started his professional
life in the Beirut stock market, but
not for long as it was never a place
of interest for him: “finance and
marketing were never my strongest
point and I was more interested
in politics and media”. His media
career took off as the campaign
media adviser for a parliamentary
candidate at the brink of the new
millennium. Dr. Raad stayed with
the Parliament as the media officer
of the Youth and Sports Committee
for 7 years, and later spent 2 years
with President Emile Lahoud
after his time in Baabda. That
was when Dr. Raad found himself
in journalism, and wrote weekly
columns for the French magazine
"L’Hebdo" and Bloomberg for
a couple years before starting
teaching public relations courses at
the LIU.
At LIU:
Starting with 2 or 3 courses at the
Communication Arts Department,
Dr. Raad made a strong name for
himself with his cunningness in
public relations and his special way
of incorporating his classes into
real-time events and happenings.
Students quickly grew fond of him
and he became coordinator of
the public relations program. His
personality didn’t only grow onto
the students, but also among his
colleagues. In 2012 he was trusted
with leading a group of students
to a joint program between the
LIU and Ohio University in the
States. The following year, upon
the resignation of the chairperson
of the Communication Arts
Department, Dr. Raad assumed
office to kick start his era, and
introduce a modern take on
academics whilst continuing his
predecessors’ mission.
The future of the departments
seems to be more than just safe in
the hands of Dr. Raad, who had
brought in his new vision while
maintaining the family atmosphere
Dr. Jamal Wakim had established
earlier. "Comm. Arts is truly one of
the most successful departments at
LIU and the thanks go to two great
men before me, Dr. Jamal Wakim
and Mr. Hassan Choubassi, they
did not found this department but
they are two main contributors to
its success and development".
He worked with them and observed
their work closely and assured his
work will be a continuity to their’s
work, “because the atmosphere they
cultivated is very positive, whether
between students and faculty, or
among faculty members.
His plans for development cover
a wide area, from modernizing
the studios and equipment, to
broadening the academic choices of
the students. "There is a new vision,
most importantly, Mr. Choubassi
- now chairperson of the Fine Arts
Department - and I stressed on the
need for a stronger cooperation
between the Communication Arts
Department and the Fine Arts
Department. The first step in this
initiative was the fact that now our
students share common elective
courses so they can benefit from
both curricula, and hopefully, we
will even have common courses in
the near future".
His success might be a result of
his well-mannered skills in public
relations, his time at LIU, or his
popularity among students and
faculty; but one thing for sure, is
that his understanding of what it is
like to be a student and how today's
youth are, makes him a best friend
for all students. "Not only here but
in most universities’ Comm. Arts
and Fine Arts or Social Science
departments, the relationship
between student and teacher is
different from other places, Even
the way they study, in most fields
you study what’s in the book and
then you answer in the exam, its
either right or wrong, whereas here
it is entirely different, here there is
space for creativity and originality
and development of one’s
personality, and this is important.
We cherish this and support the
imagination and individuality of
our students".
Today Dr. Walid Raad spends his
time, if not holding a lecture, in his
glass walled office, keeping a bird’s
eye view on the 9th floor and his
students, giving an occasional smile
and wave as students walk by. His
door is always open, and his office
always crowded by students and
faculty, implementing his motto.
“the wellness of the students”.
27
CC
III
Third Cultural City
LIU Going Green
Faten Mekdad & David Zoaiter
LIU hosted its third Cultural City. This annual event
was held once again at the green and spacious Bekaa
campus, appropriately signifying the prevalent
“Going Green” theme and cementing it as one of the
university’s unique and most anticipated traditions. In
addition to celebrating cultural diversity and displaying
a large variety of local and international talents, this
Cultural City also honored the 35 years since the
founding of Al Ghad Al Afdal Foundation.
28
LIU’s Human Rights Center and Community
Volunteers joined efforts in organizing this year’s
Cultural City. The hundreds of attendees who showed
up to the opening night on the ripe spring day of May
18th were treated to several live musical performances
and firework shows, in addition to the many
international exhibitions lining the campus. As always,
the public was invited to attend the opening night and
all succeeding Cultural City events.
Youth Awareness
Defeat the Challenge
LIU’s healthiest event merged
with LIU’s biggest event this year.
Pharmacy Day was held in LIU
Bekaa as part of Cultural City III.
It was the first time the two events
meet since the start of either.
Pharmacy Day has been an annual
tradition at LIU for eight years
now, showing off the great effort
and skills that the Pharmacy
Department and their students
put into craft. However, this
year marked the beginning of
a new tradition. There was an
introduction of a theme for the day
beginning with Youth Awareness as
selected by the dean of the School
of Pharmacy, Dr. Mohamad Rahal.
The two months of preparation for
the event, which was held on May
24th at the Bekaa campus, proved
to be a stressful but worthwhile
educational experience for all who
were involved.
Youth Awareness is a topic that
holds great importance to the
collaborating instructors and
students who both agreed they felt
it was their duty to educate the
youth on how to make responsible
choices regarding a wide range
of topics which include tanning
and skincare, caffeine and drug
addiction, sex and birth control,
dangers of diet pills, plastic surgery
and vaccines.
“The youth of today are the adults
of tomorrow. Their decisions
today determine the path of our
country. Lately, addiction rates
have increased, especially with
teenagers… We shouldn’t forget
that addictions come in many types
and are diverse, not only exclusive
to old school narcotics. Awareness
allows people to choose their own
path and make the right decisions,”
said Ali Baydoun, Representative of
the Pharmacy Club.
What was unique about the Youth
Awareness campaign was certainly
the fact that students and young
adults themselves were presenting
these topics. As Clinical Assistant
Professor Dr. Jihan Safwan
explained, “Our pharmacy students
are professional people who want
to help others.” She hopes that
students from different universities
get involved in future Pharmacy
Day events.
Several teams worked, day in and
day out in the weeks leading up to
the event, on thoroughly organizing
every detail to honor the Pharmacy
Department’s most important day
of the year. Ali Baydoun believes
the hard work and team effort was
accounted for the day’s success.
“It was a bit tiring because we had
to attend our classes and study
in parallel with preparing for the
event.”
Apart from the displays and
presentations, there was a wide
variety of entertainment and
activities to take part in the event
including raffles, outdoor games
and sports, science competitions,
student poetry, standup comedy
and even student-made short
movies.
Attending President of the Order of
Pharmacists, Dr. Rabih Hassouneh,
as well as a few members and
Arab Deans all expressed their
admiration for what LIU students
were capable of doing both
academically and extra-circularly.
This year, the Pharmacy
Department worked with J.A.D.
(Youth Against Drugs) association
who provided plenty of useful
information on drug addiction as
well as several posters that were
displayed on Pharmacy Day. The
department, in turn, donated
all proceeds collected from the
fundraiser to the association to
help the Lebanese youth learn more
about how to combat addiction.
29
Education Day
Education Day was held at LIU’s
Bekaa campus as a part of Cultural
City III. This year’s theme “Be
More, Do More” was formulated
to expose students in the School of
Education to the professional skills
and experiences needed in their
field of work. The event included a
full day of activities and exhibitions
that showcased diligently prepared
student work. It provided a
platform for LIU students, faculty
and staff from all 8 LIU campuses
across Lebanon to exchange ideas
and to present aspects of their work
as they related to fresh and unique
learning initiatives, reinforcing
students’ learning outcomes.
Dr. Anwar Kawtharani, Dean of
30
the School of Education, says,
“The students’ presentations were
impressive and promoted our goal
to build a pipeline of professionals
equipped to achieve success in the
education field.”
He explains that one of the
highlights of the event included
the signing of a memorandum of
understanding between LIU School
of Education and the Association
of Teachers of English in Lebanon
(ATEL). Mr. Rene Karam, President
of ATEL, and Dean Kawtharani
will collaborate on the exchange
of expertise, organization of
workshops and training sessions,
and dissemination of knowledge for
the advancement of the teachers of
English in Lebanon and the region.
This event also marked the launch
of the first permanent teachertraining department in Lebanon,
the Lebanese International
University Regional Educational
Consultancy (LIUREC). It stemmed
from the belief that professional
development plays a significant role
in enhancing institutional quality
and improving student learning.
LIUREC will provide policy
guidelines on key components of
teacher-training development, as
well as a basic training program
and professional development
courses for teachers and school
administrators from different
schools in Lebanon and the region.
The Bittersweet Truth
Dozens of people were waiting at Hamra’s Babel
Theatre, pushing, shoving and yelling at each
other at the doors of the theatre to guarantee
a quick entrance. They did not realize that
their behavior reflected the aggressiveness and
common chain reaction effect in day-to-day
Lebanese life that the show they were about to
watch portrays.
“Haida Al Wakae’” translates into “This is
Reality.” LIU students performed this realistic
play, written and directed by Ms. Reine Saab,
entirely in Arabic. It offers a comedic and
dramatic look at the difficult socio-economic
conditions that both men and women are
subjected to in Lebanon and how those
conditions push them into losing themselves
and falling into the traps of sectarianism,
materialism and other unfortunate stereotypes
of Lebanese society. However, the show offers
a glimmer of hope in the end when it comes to
show that despite all the hardships of life, there
is still some humanity inside each person that
can keep everyone moving forward.
The play opened with an alcoholic husband
calling his child an animal and arguing violently
with his wife about the treatment of his son. The
show showcased other stories such as a needy
woman and her busy husband, a happy elderly
couple reminiscing, and a man who carries a
gun with him at all times for his own protection.
Whether it was a hilarious quip, a shocking
move, or a heartfelt moment, it all managed to
stir genuine emotions in the audience.
One of the spectators, Yasmine Hammoud, said
she liked the play because it showed a woman
and a man’s honest perspective on different
issues, “All the characters have needs and fears
and they always would explain why they became
that certain way.” Another attendee, Hamdi
Moutad, said, “I really enjoyed the play. As a
Lebanese citizen, I thought it touched a nerve;
what made it even more moving and relatable
were the great performances of the actors.”
“Hayda il Wakae” was part of the conclusion
to LIU’s third annual Cultural City. Students
who participated in the play and other extracurricular activities related to Cultural City were
honored in a ceremony following the play for
their commitment and hard work.
31
LIU’s Got Talent
Among many LIU events that have
turned into an annual tradition,
LIU Star has taken the community
by storm and has become one of
the most competitive competitions
between the several campuses.
Being the first of its kind, it is
a nationwide song and music
competition. Musical talents from
across Lebanon meet up each year
for a showdown, competing for the
title of sound/voice of LIU.
The competitors are all LIU
students, either vocalists or
instrumentalists, who have passed
through the qualification stages
held at designated campuses.
The competition started in Saida
and has since expanded to include
all LIU campuses in Lebanon.
The campuses were divided into 3
divisions, South (Tyre, Nabatieh
and Saida), Beirut (Beirut, Mount
Lebanon and Tripoli) and Bekaa
(Khiara and Rayak). Each division
hosts its own qualifications, and
then the best contestants from each
division meet for a final showdown.
32
Performers are judged by a panel of
judges, composed of professional
LIU faculty members and LIU
activities officers, who base their
judgment on several aspects,
among them, performance and
sound.
This year, the contestants first
met on stage at the third annual
Cultural City.
Organizer Housam Hajjar, who
is also the activities officer in LIU
Saida, expressed high hopes for the
future of LIU Star and had positive
vibes for this season’s finale. He
said, “Since the beginning of LIU
Star, I wanted the competition to
take place during the Cultural City
event because of the huge audience
at the event; this will broaden the
reach of the students’ talents.”
He continued to explain that the
winner will be chosen by the LIU
community and the audience of
LIU Star to guarantee fair results
and represent the opinion of the
followers.
“We are currently working on a
voting system so that everyone who
has watched the performers on
stage can vote online, that way the
competition is fair and the winner
is by popular opinion,” he added.
Instrumentalist Jaafar “Jack”
Berro who gave a jaw-dropping
performance said he enjoyed the
competition and it helped him
advance his act after facing several
challenges as a professional.
“Two of the hardest performances
I have done were on the LIU
stage. I learned to play the drums
blindfolded and I also played
two instruments at once… I will
definitely come back to play next
year.”
This is not the end of the LIU Star
buzz. LIU Star is soon starting to
accept new applicants for next
year’s competition, an event that
Mr. Hajj said will be broader,
bigger and will reach all corners of
Lebanon.
We Ask the Institute
What Is Your
Dream Vacation?
Fatin Mekdad
Dr. Walid Raad
Nadine Makkouk
Chairperson of
Communication Arts
Student Affairs Officer
“I want to visit the real United States,
specifically states in the heart of the
country such as Ohio and Indiana
because I think they represent the
authentic America that most of
us here in the Middle East are not
usually exposed to by the media. I
think our culture and their actually
have a lot of similarities that people
do not see at first glance.”
Dr. Mohammad Rashed
Chairperson of
Biomedical Sciences
“I love my work but sometimes there
is so much of it that all I dream of is
being at home with my family.”
Wael Ayoub Salloum
Associate
Administrative Director
“I dream of going to Mecca to perform
hajj.”
“I love high fashion and shopping so
Paris is my dream destination.”
Bilal Hallak
Registrar Officer
“I hope to go to Munich in Germany
to see FC Bayern Munich play football
at the Allianz Arena.”
Diaa Harb
Stationery Clerk
“A few years ago I had the opportunity
to go to New York City but I couldn’t
due to some personal circumstances,
but one day I will take my family there
to see all the sights.”
Rimah Salah
Studio Technician
“I want to see the amazing nature of
Iceland, especially the auroras and the
hot springs.”
Hala Hallak
Accounting Officer
“I want to go to Italy to have a
full touristic experience. I think
everything about their architecture is
beautiful and I want to try real Italian
cuisine.”
33
A Language of
Convenience
Zainab Chamsedine
"OMG," "BRB" and "LOL" are
perfect examples of the kind of
communication people these days
are legitimately using with one
another. People’s lives have been
taken over by 6-inch portable
phones and tablets. Their lives are
filled with chats, mobile exchange
of photographs and instant
messaging. One rarely finds the
time to write a proper meaningful
sentence. Instead of writing "I've
got to go now," one writes the
generic "G2G" acronym.
Lack of patience in today’s youth
is the main reason behind this
malpractice of linguistics. In the
middle of a busy day, or if one is
sneaking in a quick message at a
stoplight or in class, it’s far more
convenient to fire off a couple of
letters rather than worry about
scripting and punctuating an
entire sentence. This convenience,
however, has a major disadvantage
on general language skills.
Instant messaging (IM), in its
nature, has shunned grammar;
the loss of punctuation, sentence
structure and capitalization are
such examples. Run-ons and
fragments are very common as well.
34
Language adaptations also include
shortcuts like dropping nonessential letters, such as changing
the word “would” to “wud.”
Researchers from Pennsylvania
State University have found
that texting leads to a decline in
language and grammar skills. They
have also found that people who
text are more likely to do poorly on
grammar tests.
Drew Cingel, a former Penn
State undergraduate student in
communications, formed a project.
In this project, Drew carried out
a grammar assessment amongst
middle school students. Based on
the results, poor performance was
determined, with a specifically
increased use of word adaptations.
It was obvious that students had
trouble switching between the
language adaptations and the
traditional rules of grammar.
When it comes to smartphone
owners with the auto-correct
feature, even spelling is ignored
because the phone can do all the
work for them. The article “Speak
Out: Does technology hurt student
writing?” by Norm Goldstein and
Clinton Gardner suggests that this
reliance on auto-correct means
people who use these features are
not learning what their mistakes
are. People – especially students –
find difficulties with their writing,
due to auto-correct. They find
themselves confused and unable
to write, sometimes even using the
language adaptations. When this
gets applied in schoolwork, e-mails
and business papers, problems
arise since this kind of language is
not considered professional.
A couple of students have confessed
that texting does affect how they
do their schoolwork. Sometimes,
they write "u" instead of “you.” The
confusion with the words "too"
and "to," and “who” and “whom”
is evident. Common mistakes such
as using “your” instead of “you’re”
are beginning to become typical as
well. The familiarity of using such
a language has become a habit to
students who use speedwriting.
Grammar and spelling become less
and less important in a world of
speed-reading and speedwriting.
While studies show a large
percentage of students whose
grammar skills are declining due to
the use of smartphone technology,
other adolescents attempt to
continue to use correct grammar.
Using this kind of language doesn't
necessarily mean a person doesn't
know how to write – it's just a
language of convenience.
From the
Classroom:
Hasta
España
Fatin Mekdad
Six LIU students were chosen to take part
in a hospitality and tourism management
internship in Spain. This group will undergo
training at the Carlton Hotel, marking the first
time that the department sends its students to
Europe, with the selection of Spain attributed
to the coordinator of the Spanish language
department, Mr. Ahmad Zahabi’s strong
relations with the hotel chain.
The internship is a major requirement through
which hospitality and tourism students learn
new practical skills in an international setting.
Chairperson of Hospitality and Tourism
Management, Dr. Ibrahim Baghdadi explains
that the “students who traveled to Spain
applied what they learned at the university
in their daily operation at the hospitality
organization and learned new techniques and
procedures that are advanced, and enhanced
their cultural experience as well as their
professional skills.”
Other students who did not go to Spain
received full support from the university – in
collaboration with the Global Vision Group –
to travel to the USA and various Gulf countries
to do their internships. But now that Europe’s
door has been open, Dr. Baghdadi says he
would like to explore opportunities in France
and Austria in the coming years, continue
cooperation with hospitality organizations in
the United States, and improve relationships
“year after year with top 5 star hotels,
travel agencies, and hospitality specialized
recruitment agencies in Lebanon and abroad.”
35
University Guide
Walkthrough by a Survivor
Asma Al Achhab
For the rest of our lives, we will
remember this day. We can’t
deny how eager we were to start
university back when our tables
and chairs were a fixed set cast
upon us for an entire year till
we finish a grade, and between
classes was a time of leisure
rather than racing the clock,
speeding down hallways to reach
class.
Three years ago, I was the shy
new girl roaming the tight
hallways and sitting in those
same packed classrooms you’ll
come to know so well. I have
just worn the veil and, by God, it
was a terrifying start all in all. I
not only feared to be an outcast,
but I wasn’t even unsure if I had
chosen the right field of study.
Those speculations didn’t reside
much. In two months, those tight
hallways became our spacious
recesses, packed classrooms
swelled with luminous debates
and my veil was just another
beautiful reason to know the
other and accept challenges.
Though I’ve been asked to write
this article for the approaching
wave of students tackling my
educational experience at
the Lebanese International
University, I thought it would
be more interesting if I’d share
the 5 most important things I’ve
learnt the hard way at university
so I’d save you the trouble while
reminiscing my greatest and most
laborious three years I’ve spent.
36
What made it difficult?
As you’re shocked with the sheer
difference university life faces you
with, you’re obliged to get used
to it – and fast. That’s why you
should be studying a field of study
you’re exuberant about so that
you willingly wake up at 7am in
the morning for it. If you’re still a
fresh high-school graduate, you’ll
recognize how puppy eyeing your
schoolteacher to override your
delay won’t win you a free ticket
back to class. So, make sure you set
those alarm clocks sharp.
The first two months might look
easy and all grand, but when things
start heading towards the end of the
semester, a marathon of projects/
research papers/presentations
and assessments will be thrown
your way, and I hope you’re a good
juggler – we’ll get to that later.
Get ready to abolish all the
things you learnt at school!
Remember the standardized facts
and ideal equations we were packed
with back at school? Well, get ready
to be bombarded with exceptions
and re-arrangements of your soprecious pillars. I’m not saying we
were lied to at school, but they sure
left out so much information for our
own sanity. They stop caring about
that in university.
Make friends, actual
heartfelt ones!
When I got to my first class in
university, I felt like a kid whose
candy was just snatched out of his
silky hands. I knew no one and
it was too early to mingle. Not to
forget, everything seemed new, so
everyone was too absorbed with
getting acquainted to the new
routine. If you are lucky enough
to have a friend from school apply
with you to the same major, you’re
lucky. But still, don’t settle for one
friend. Imagine there’s a pot of stew
in front of you filled with delicious
vegetables and you have got to taste
them all together, you have got to
get ready to lower down your walls
a bit and interact. From the silliest
question you can ask, to the most
amazing topics you can ever wish
to debate, you might become close
friends with a Lebanese-Venezuelan
or a Yemeni eager to get to know
Lebanon more. That’s the beautiful
thing about university; you never
know what hits you, literally.
Get busy!
If you think you go to university just
to get an education, I advise you to
reconsider! Apart from attending all
classes, finishing up homework at
the library, having a meal at Café E,
you’re going to still have free time
on your hands. Actually, if you stick
to your social circles that you make
only in classes, you might still find
yourself alone when everybody else
is in class. That’s why I decided,
from my first year, to volunteer
at the magazine I so proudly
write/photograph for. Since I
was majoring in advertising, The
Scope made the perfect training
center for me to acquire a set of
skills and meet genuine people
of all talents. Though at first the
magazine had little responsibilities
for me and I was still yawning
between classes, I felt like I have to
take part in the university’s most
important network that secretly
keeps things moving and exciting
around campus and those were
the Community Volunteers, who
were called The Ushers (back in
my days). I didn’t enroll alone,
of course not, my friends did so
too, and from that moment on, we
never knew a moment of peace. We
were frequently asked to help out
in events, attend conferences and
exhibitions, come up with unique
themes and ideas to implement
around campus and forced to get
to meetings on time. I can’t count
the number of things we got from
all that: communication skills,
etiquette, time management,
commitment, problem-solving
and creative thinking. And people
still wonder if they teach those in
classes… they don’t! You ought to
forge your way and get them. You
will most probably fail at coping the
first couple of times. Get up again
and stay motivated and going. It
will end up perfectly.
Teacher’s pet or pal?
And no, I am not talking about
begging them to extend your
papers’ due date or messaging
them at 12am panicking over your
unwritten exam notes. That’s
just weird! I mean make genuine
connections with your peers whom
you will be in contact with for the
next couple of years and learn
so profoundly from. If you don’t
appreciate their hard work, and
they don’t ask us to, they won’t
appreciate yours.
Let me just end it by telling you
that the day you’ll graduate will
be a day grown from a soil richly
blessed by your effort and that of
the people around you. Your spirit
will be enriched with a splayed
imagination and love for the
different. Be indebted and proud of
what you raise and harvest during
those years, because nobody can
believe in you like yourself.
37
International Cuisine
with Chef Rabih Jammal
R e c i p es f ro m LIU ’ s C uli n ary Ma s t e r
Mohammad Mortada
Club Sandwich
A club sandwich, also called a clubhouse sandwich, is a sandwich with
toasted bread. It is often cut into quarters and held together by hors
d'œuvre sticks. It has two layers separated by an additional slice of bread.
38
Ingredients
Yield: 1 sandwich
• 3 slices white toast (pain de mie)
• Mayonnaise as needed
• 3 Lettuce leaves
• 5 slices tomato, about (1⁄2 cm) thick
• 3 strips of cold cuts (of your choice), raw or fried
to crisp
• 70 g chicken breast pre-boiled/stir fried and cold
• 1 boiled sliced Egg
• Pickles
• Cherry tomato for decoration
• Sweet corn
• French fries or pasta can be used as side dish
For the taste buds: For extra taste you can
marinate the chicken breast with mayonnaise, corn
and condiments, put the mix in the refrigerator and
let the flavors sink in over the night.
Preparation
1.Place 2 slices of toast on a clean work surface and
spread the tops with mayo.
2.On the first slice, place 1 lettuce leaf, then 2 slices of
tomato, 3 strips of turkey (cold cuts of your choice)
or you can put the special mix.
3.Place the second slice of toast on top, mayo side
down.
4.Spread the top piece of toast with mayo.
5.Place chicken on top, then add more lettuce, eggs
and pickles
6.Top with the third slice of toast, spread side down.
7.Place toothpicks on all 4 sides of the sandwich. Cut
the sandwich from corner to corner into 4 triangles
in a way that each triangle has a toothpick through
the center to hold it together.
8.Arrange your sandwich on a plate in a nice
disposition, and bon appetit!
39
Books are mirrors
of the world
Fatima Abdel Jawad
Books are mirrors of the world;
tangible, valuable records of every
great thought accompanied by
enough effort to be written down.
Through them, you can look into
someone else’s thoughts, history
and views. Reading books, in other
words, is a way of gaining insight
and building upon the knowledge
that has prior encompassed
people's minds.
The joy of reading a book, however,
can only be understood by actual
experience itself. When reading a
book, it feels great to put yourself
into a different world that the
writer has created for you, yet it
is your own as it happens inside
your own mind. There is nothing
like sitting down with a new book
in your hands, with crisp and fresh
pages, the smell of the paper and
an exciting story; whether fiction,
historical, educational or cultural.
There is much more to life than
work and spending time aimlessly
with the latest tech products. Books
give you that much needed break
from all chaos in your life. The
reason a physical book reigns over
technology is that when you spend
hours with a single thought or idea,
it's more likely to stay with you for
a longer time rather than when you
spend just a few minutes tinkering
with it.
40
Meanwhile, a good reader varies his
reading pace based on the content
of the book he/she is reading and
the experience that person wishes
to get from that book in particular,
since it's not how much you read,
but what you read that counts.
This behavior can positively instill
peace inside one’s mind, as well
as awaken creative thoughts. It
is a way of escaping reality and
expanding imagination.
Just reading good books is not
enough. The way you read is as
important. When you come across
a new idea or a different opinion,
think about it thoroughly. Don't
accept it nor reject it blindly. Try
to reason with it and understand it
from the writer's point of view.
Reflect upon the thoughts that
come to mind whenever you read a
great book. You will know whether
the book is great or not based on
the feelings it awakens inside of
you.
As you continue your habit of
reading and reflecting on what you
read, you will start forming your
own thoughts and values. It will
challenge the way you perceive the
world.
Before you start, check some
"Do's and Don'ts" about reading:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Read your content from an
eye-safe distance – neither
too close nor too far away
from your eyes
Always prefer quality to
quantity
Try to understand what you
read and reflect upon it
Don't accept everything that
you read – think critically
Bookmark interesting pages
for future references
Sometimes it takes more
than one time to fully grasp
a page, a paragraph, or even
a sentence
Focus completely on what
you are reading, eliminate
external distractions
If possible, create a favorite
spot in your house for
reading books - you will feel
more relaxed whenever you
are there
At last, the habit of reading
good content daily will become
more like an exercise for your
mind and will keep you mentally
fit. If you haven’t given it a try,
then know that it's never too
late to start a good habit. Never
underestimate the amount of
different things that can be
learned from reading. Happy
Reading!
The Environment
in a Puff
Zainab Chamsedine
It is obvious that smoking pollutes
the air. There are more than
4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke
alone – at least 250 are known
to be harmful – that are exhaled
and released into the air and the
atmosphere. Studies have shown
that the percentage of smokers is
higher in developing countries,
which means there is a massive
amount of pollution being released.
Trees are often compared to our
lungs because they filter all the
pollutants in the atmosphere.
According to the Health Centre
"netdoctor" based in London,
one tree is wasted for every three
hundred cigarettes produced. Those
trees could be filtering out the
pollutants in the air instead of being
destroyed by the release of new
pollutants into the environment.
Cigarettes also contain two of the
main gases contributing to the
greenhouse effect: carbon dioxide
and methane.
The World Wildlife Foundation
states in the article "Agriculture
and Environment: Tobacco," that
in southern Africa alone around
200,000 hectares of woodlands are
cut every year to support tobacco
farming. This has resulted in 12%
of deforestation in that region.
In addition, deforestation is also
caused by the paper use needed
for wrapping, packaging, and
advertising cigarettes.
decompose very easily, resulting
in air, water and land pollution.
During dry seasons, cigarette butts
can even cause major fire.
Chemicals released by cigarettes,
and cigarette butts themselves
harm the environment on many
levels. Smokers thereby cause
pain to themselves, second-hand
smokers, and nature itself, which
may lead to death.
We keep saying, "We have to leave
a better planet for our children."
But have we thought about leaving
better children for our planet?
Quitting smoking is hard, but it can
be done. Mark Twain once said,
"Quitting smoking is easy, I've done
it a thousand times."
Smoking even affects the land and
water. Millions of cigarette butts
are discarded onto the ground every
day. Some of them get picked up
but most end up in rivers and lakes.
The rest are left on the ground
to decompose. According to the
"netdoctor," this decomposition
takes an average of 25 years, while
all of the chemicals and additives
leach into the ground and pollute
the soil and plants. Cigarette butts
are not biodegradable because a
cigarette filter is made of cellulose
acetate, a form of plastic that
does not
Photo courtesy of: designboom.com
It is a common belief among
cigarette smokers that they are
mainly hurting themselves.
Researchers have proven that
smoking can cause many diseases
in addition to cancer. What many
don’t know is that this affects
non-smokers as well. According
to World Health Organization
Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control, there is “no safe level of
exposure to tobacco smoke.” It
stated that “creating a 100% smokefree environments” is the only way
to protect non-smokers. In fact,
second-hand smoking causes about
600,000 premature deaths every
year. However, smokers are not
only hurting themselves and the
people around them, but also the
environment which they inhabit.
41
How Well Do You
Know Your Major?
“What am I going
to do with my life?”
It is a question that all
of us ask ourselves when
deciding what to major in
at university. Should we go
with our risky passion or
stay on the safe side? It can
be a heavy decision to make,
especially when it seems as
though everyone around
you has already set their
futures in stone. While your
choice of major is by no
means permanent, choosing
the right major early on can
save you a great deal of time
and money.
If you are still wondering
whether you made the right
decision, The Scope can
help you break down a few
of LIU’s most interesting
major dilemmas:
42
Fatin Mekdad
Biomedical Sciences vs. Biomedical Engineering
For those interested in combining
a passion for biology and medicine,
it can be easy to get caught up
in all the big and small technical
differences and specializations.
Biomedical sciences and biomedical
engineering are among the most
commonly confused programs at
LIU.
The key difference between the
two majors is that biomedical
engineering creates and advances
the tools that that will be used by
biomedical science practitioners.
Biomedical engineering is
essentially a multi-disciplinary
field of study where students are
expected to be open to learning
about all kinds of sciences and
to working closely with medical
technicians and engineers. It is
not to be confused with clinical
engineering, which specifically
implements medical technology
to optimize healthcare delivery,
although they go hand-in-hand.
Biomedical engineering instructor,
Dr. Ali Hajj Diab believes that
there is a bright future for those
specialized in this study. “In
Lebanon we serve as a hub for
the whole Middle East and we are
fortunate in that. It gives us a big
advantage because we are known to
have many well-trained engineers
and technicians in hospitals that
are in high demand, especially in
different Arab countries.”
On the other hand, biomedical
sciences aims to give students an
absolute expertise in everything
concerned with medical lab
technology. University tools will
teach students how to perform tasks
such as taking and analyzing blood
and stool samples, in addition
to other skills they can use in
careers as medical representatives
at hospitals and pharmaceutical
companies.
Students who wish to go into either
of these fields are also advised
to further their degrees of study
into Masters and PhDs, as there
are ongoing opportunities for
revolutionary research.
Food is a Science?
Business for a Global Age
The Art of Graphic Design
Most people can easily say they
are experts in eating food, but how
many of us actually understand
what it is exactly that goes into it?
Business management is one of
the most popular major choices
among college students who dream
of being successful businessmen
or entrepreneurs. In a rapidly
globalizing world, students need
to be prepared to look beyond the
scope of their own countries and
distinguish themselves in this
highly competitive major.
Design is everywhere. It is all
around us and at LIU. Some of the
people who make our days a little
bit more pleasant are our leftminded graphic designers glued
behind their Macs and PCs gracing
us with their innovative designs.
Graphic design is not just about
art, it is a dynamic science and it
is capable of bringing ideas and
visions to life.
Food and science technology
focuses on all the engineering,
biological, and physical sciences
used to study the nature of food.
Although the good news is that
students are also taught to cook,
only a small part of it is about
hitting the pots and pans.
The work of those in food and
science technology is highly
underrated in importance today
since essentially, they research and
develop new foods and ensure that
industry standards are met in terms
of supply, quality, appearance, and
safety of food. This means that most
commercial products you consume
on a daily basis have been tested
by a specialist in this field, a food
production engineer. If you’ve ever
wondered, this is also one of the
people you can pick a bone with for
why your food often looks delicious
in commercials and disappointing
in reality.
For students looking to avoid
that potential mob of torches and
pitchforks, a career in nutrition
is also a possible specialization to
choose in this versatile major. LIU
has recently introduced a new stateof-the-art lab in the Beirut campus
to accommodate growing interest in
the field.
International business management
trains students to adapt to the
dynamism and diversity of that
world, emphasizing on the need
to look beyond one’s own borders.
As IBM Instructor Ms. Rania
Karam explains, “International
business management is very
useful because you will be learning
everything business management
students learn but you will also,
on a personal level, become more
aware of norms and traditions of
different cultures and be smoother
in communicating.”
However, many students are still
reluctant to go into this major.
Ms. Karam believes the issue
is a misunderstanding of job
opportunities.
“Students think that this degree
means that you will only be working
abroad, but you can still find
work in Lebanon in international
management working with
suppliers abroad on imports and
exports, consulting with foreign
businesses and training others to
work in the domain.”
Contrary to popular belief,
prospective graphic design students
do not necessarily need to have an
artistic background or “talent” to be
successful. Mr. Hassan Choubassi
calls this “the most horrible
misconception about graphic design
and arts in general” since it results
in the hesitance of some interested
students but more importantly
the overconfidence of others.
Mr. Choubassi adds that, “Some
students think ‘I have talent and I
can draw so I will be a great graphic
designer’. Usually these students
who have sketching abilities and
computer skills are actually the
most difficult to deal with because
they believe they have nothing more
to learn.” It is therefore encouraged
to come into graphic design with a
clean slate that is open to building
skills along the way.
While LIU’s graphic design
program focuses primarily on
artistic and digital aspects, courses
in advertising are also offered
within it since the two go hand-inhand. Students are also encouraged
to take Marketing electives in
the university to further their
understanding of the business side
of graphic design.
43
Spanish
Ahmad Zahabi
The Spanish language is the second
most spoken language in the world.
With more than 550 million people
who speak, it is also the third most
used on the internet, after English
and Chinese.
Today, at the time that the global
society requires living in permanent
contact with the most diverse places
on earth, researches confirm that
it is also one of the three of four
languages that channel international
relations.
Spanish is also essential in the
dissemination of results of scientific
studies related to the Hispanics
or Latin America, and also in the
increase of scientific publications
in Spanish, which in fact, have
increased fivefold since 1998. It is
estimated that by 2050 the number
of Spanish speakers will reach the
650 million people. In relative terms,
the report says, the proportion of
Chinese and English speakers go
down for demographic reasons, while
Spanish, Hindi and Arabic continue
to experience growth.
"If trends do not change within two
to four generations, 10% of the world
population will be speaking Spansih."
(It is believed that in 2050, over 132
million people will speak Spanish,
almost triple the current 46.7
million).
Currently, more than 14 million
students in the world study this
language as a foreign language
(among 86 countries analyzed not
have Spanish as official language).
The most studied today, in order,
44
are English, French, Spanish and
German.
The report also details that some
237,000 students traveled to Spain
to learn Spanish in 2007 – more than
17 percent from Erasmus grants.
Moreover, the image of the Spanish
language is associated with the
spread of an international culture of
quality.
LIU has embarked on a new journey
in your life in international relations
universities.
LIU has been introduced to the
European sphere. The first step in
this campaign is the exchange of
students and language center, in
order to broaden the opportunities
available for students of LIU.
LIU students will have the chance
to immerse in an intercultural
experience.
LIU has signed a contract with Juan
Carlos University (UJC). It is one
of the first public universities in the
country.
The agreement established between
LIU and UJC includes exchange
of students, teachers, and projects
between the two universities.
Talking about language
There is a plan to establish a
Spanish language center in
LIU. It will provide participants
with internationally-accredited
certificates.
All LIU departments are cooperating
for the success of this initiative.
Extinction of Books
Zainab Chamsedine
It is the 21st century; the future
philosophers and writers feared. It
is a time where books are forgotten
in the dusty corner of a shelf, a
time where technology rules, not
only the world, but also the minds
of millions of people of all kinds of
lifestyles.
It is easier to research about
unusual topics, to read and even
learn, using the World Wide Web.
Instead of going to libraries and
spending time looking for the right
book, one can look up even the
hardest of topics by simply typing
in a keyword into the search bar
in any online search engine. Books
can easily be downloaded and read.
There is no need to search through
dozens of libraries for one book.
Time and money can be saved by
using the Internet.
However, as artist Patti Smith once
said: “Please, no matter how we
advance technologically, please
don't abandon the book. There is
nothing in our material world more
beautiful than the book."
While technology is bliss, it seems
like its usage should be balanced
out. Technology is being misused
on different levels. Social networks
are used to post content that isn't
original, and to get "likes" that
aren't real from strangers. The
Internet is rarely used for research
but rather for communication.
Thinking they are advancing,
people are actually halting their
minds.
Books however, no matter how
they're used, will never let people
down. "Books are the quietest and
most constant of friends; they are
the most accessible and wisest of
counselors, and the most patient
of teachers." No matter the topic,
they educate the uneducated and
guide the wise. A single book
teaches and accompanies a person.
However, books are now considered
as ancient and readers are being
mocked at schools.
After asking a couple of university
students when they last read a
book, and how much time they
spend on technology, unexpected
results were shown. The majority
doesn’t read any books, and others
have last read a book during the
summer. The same majority also
spends an average of 4 hours a day
on television, smartphones, tablets
and other technology.
Technology is already taking the
spot of the good old-fashioned
books made of paper. As Janet
Rabinowitch, director of the IU press
was wondering: "What will become of
them, ink and glue?" Michael Levin,
an eight-time best-selling author,
a former member of the Authors
Guild Council and a business writer,
fears the endangerment of the book.
He believes that books are going to
tablets, and soon people will resort
to e-reading instead of the physical
form.
An article written by Kristin
Marino, a researcher for the website
"schools.com," stated that 43% of
Americans read an e-book or other
digital-form content in 2011. This
includes magazines, journals, news
articles, and more, on not only on
e-readers but also tablets and cell
phones.
Many writers and great thinkers
have feared this time; the time
where precious scriptures on
paper will be left and replaced with
technology. Books are yet another
ancient treasure, and people have
no time to open one once in a while
to dive into the mysterious world
hidden. As Mark Twain once said:
"A person who won't read has no
advantage over one who can't read."
However, there are few who still
read and appreciate books. Thus
the question remains: Will books be
able to survive extinction?
45
Study
Virtually
Mirna Jouni
Have you ever found yourself
daydreaming in class because your
teacher is repeating an explanation
for another student? This used to
happen often back in high school.
Although many people had told me
it would be ineffective, the idea of
having my own time schedule and
being able to sleep those extra 5
minutes in the morning just made
me ecstatic. Waiting two more years
to graduate seemed dreadful, so I
enrolled in virtual school during my
junior year. Florida Virtual School
(FVS), which is the largest statesponsored online K-12 school in
the United States, basically consists
of an online system that walks you
through your classes. Lectures are
carried out through videos, oral
exams through phones and exams
are timed and limited to only one
window. Although at the beginning
it was a little difficult to deal with, it
is a method that empowers students
to manage their time for their
future college classes.
46
The way virtual school works is
pretty simple;
for feedback and they were very
concerned about my satisfaction.
A. You must accomplish a
minimum number of lessons
per week.
On a very stormy day, I had woken
up at 10am – just in time to have
my coffee, watch 30 minutes of my
favorite morning show and get to
work without even having to get
change out of my cozy pajamas. If I
had plans on a weekday I could still
work on weekends and vice versa –
I used to take 5-9 hours of classes a
day depending on the subject area I
was working on.
B. Each lesson has a quiz.
C. Oral exams are done once a
month through the phone to
ensure that it is the student
going through all the classes
individually.
The lessons that are given in FVS
are the same lessons that are given
in all other high schools in the same
state. Students can also work in
groups by chatting together and
dividing the lessons equally.
Virtual school offers an
e-curriculum with a personalized
approach for each student since it
offers all kinds of programs; regular,
advanced and honors. I personally
felt like a VIP back then because
at the end of every class I would
take a survey and I would get called
As a result, I finished a two-year
program in a year and I graduated
at the age of 16 with a GPA of 3.2.
I got better grades during my last
year online than I had gotten in
regular school because I had fewer
distractions. The classes that had to
be done in a year, I did in 6 months
and that was the only way that I was
able to finish both years in one. I
was still able to participate in school
events, join clubs, and attend school
to take standardized exams.
Meet the Registrar
and Admission Team
Most of us can say that the dedicated men and women on the Registrar and Admission team are the first people we met
from LIU. They gave us our first glimpse of the professional atmosphere at the university, and have continued to guide
us through. In a hectic and often rowdy environment, they patiently tend to the individual needs of dozens of students
per hour.
But how many of us really know who these people are and what each one of them do? The Scope wants you to get to
know these hard-working individuals.
Dr. Walid Saifi
Head of Registrar
and Admissions
Mission: As the team leader, Dr.
Walid Saifi insists that he works
“hand in hand with and through
the whole team” in order to
assist all students in academic
and administrative procedures.
He oversees the performance
of the team and collaborates
with other departments in the
university to ensure students can
get through these procedures
swiftly and smoothly.
Admission
Admission Officers: Noura Boukarroum, Soha
Awada, Rima Saado and Tamara Hajjar
Duties:
•
•
•
•
•
Administering entrance exams to determine
student levels
Registering new students
Giving general information to prospective and
newly registered students
Generating student ID numbers
Issuing transcripts
Registrar
Registrar Officers: Abeer Mahdi, Bilal Hallak and
Sara Hoteit
Duties:
•
•
•
•
Following up with students on curriculum
updates and progresses
Dealing with special cases of current students
with classes and paperwork
Giving final clearance to graduating students
Distributing ID cards
47
48
Lebanon
Beirut
Saida
Bekaa
Nabatieh
Tripoli
Mount Lebanon
Tyre
Rayak
Tel: 01-706881
Fax: 01-306044
Al Mouseitbeh Area
Tel: 08-640930
Fax: 08-640871
Al Khiara - West Bekaa
Tel: 06-416333
Fax: 06-417333
Al Haykalieh
Tel: 07-351410
Abbasiya
Tel: 07-750550
Fax: 07-752550
Saida
Tel: 07-767603
Fax: 07-767601
Nabatieh
Tel: 01-882023
Fax: 01-882023
Salloumi
Cell: 76-889924
Rayak
Akkar
Tel: 06-695488
Fax: 06-695584
Halba
Yemen
Sana’a
Tel: 967-1-502175
Fax: 967-1-502177
Jawlat Al Rowayshan
Aden
Tel: 967-2-231345
Fax: 967-2-239921
Khormaksar Str.
Taiz
Tel: 967-4-275858
Fax: 967-4-275885
Al Hawban
Mauritania
Nouakchot
Tel: 222-45-241564
Senegal
Dakar
Tel: 221-338251437