 The "Life after TL" Interview

LIFE AFTER MEPI TL INTERVIEW

HOW DID YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE PROGRAM NURTURE A CULTURE OF TOLERANCE THROUGH DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION?

Hadeel Tashani

Magy Kendirjian

Jehad Oumer

Yara Dagher Being a TL scholar gave me the chance to explore different cultures, religions, perspectives, and points of view. First, being a student in Lebanon, which is culturally diverse, helped me to discover new aspects that I was never exposed to in Libya. Throughout this experience, I learned how to coexist with other people from different cultural backgrounds and embrace these differences. Also, the US semester experience was a pure cultural exchange experience that further enforced my cultural acceptance traits because it was an experience full of cultural events and discussions since I met people from all around the globe who became my friends now.

The MEPI-TL community is a very diverse community in itself, which is what gave us a great opportunity to learn about new cultures and be tolerant and accepting of one another. By bringing diversity within its community, the MEPI-TL program has taught us that all individuals, no matter their cultural, racial, or ethnic background, are equal. As an Armenian/Lebanese myself, I felt very comfortable and welcomed in the MEPI-TL community, and my positive experience has nurtured my ideas and values about tolerance and diversity.

The culture of LAU-MEPI-TL is diverse in nature, getting to learn different cultures and identities while settling in your new host environment, is a very eye-opening experience. You realize there is a spectrum of personalities, and background experiences, the MEPI-TL program at LAU, fostered a culture of acceptance and inclusion among the members of its community as well as enabled us to act with the same acceptance and inclusivity towards the community at large as well.

The MEPI TL program at LAU put an emphasis first on wellbeing and self-confidence and granted it plenty of value as a leadership skill. The program also pushed us to take on as many opportunities as we could handle. For me, this was especially my approach to the US experience. I was encouraged to take up every opportunity and it made me feel very fulfilled, which motivated me to implement this approach in my daily life since. Many facets of the MEPI experience, such as workshops, events, community service opportunities, retreats, the study abroad experience, etc. have pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way imaginable, nurtured my skills, and given me confidence in my being and my skills.

Diditta Rizk

Hassan Al Zahabi

Marie Nour Ghanem During the program, we interacted with individuals from all over the MENA region (and also the world through the U.S. semester) on a daily basis. Through the committees and activities, every individual was able to educate the whole MEPI-TL community about their home country and culture, which made everyone feel included and accepted. Wherever I am, I find myself advocating for diversity and inclusion which proves that the positive impact of the skills taught by the program does not end with us as TLers but spreads through us to the whole society. Every day in the LAU MEPI-TL program is a celebration of diversity!

Even though I come from a country that has diverse cultures, and from a family that embraces all sorts of differences, the program did nurture the culture of tolerance and acceptance even more. In some aspects of my life, I used to see things in black or white. However, during my time in the TL program, and after being exposed to so many cultures, opinions, political and sociocultural views, I started seeing things from the other person’s perspective! Consequently, the gray area in my life was broadene. What’s right for us could be wrong for others.

Being Lebanese, I admit that it was not so hard studying at LAU, where I feel like I already belong to the culture. But the interesting part was meeting other MEPI TL students coming from different parts of the MENA region and being able to introduce them to my culture as well as to learn as much as possible about theirs, especially the different dialects of Arabic, the food, the songs and music, and many more. We are a diverse community at the LAU MEPI TL program, and being able to feel like a big family despite this diversity was very important.

LIFE AFTER MEPI TL INTERVIEW

HOW DID THE LAU-MEPI TL PROGRAM SUPPORT YOUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT?

Angelika Ghazale

Magy Kendirjian

Diditta Rizk

Marie Nour Ghanem The LAU-MEPI TL program gave me hope to pursue my dreams and strive for something bigger, and that is one of the greatest things one could get. Being part of this prestigious program was a major change in my life, which gave me the opportunity to learn how to adapt to changes and that reaching the ultimate objective starts with a small step forward.

The LAU MEPI-TL program has mainly encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and strive for the goals that I have claimed for myself. This program has provided us with all the aid and training to get us where we want to be and where we actually belong. In particular, through all the opportunities presented to us and through all of the requirements of the program, one cannot help but become the best version of themselves.

The MEPI- TL program at LAU contributed to my maturity, growth, and success. I will not only graduate with a bachelor’s degree just like any other student, instead, I have acquired leadership skills and potential that would not have been possible in any way if I were not a TLer. I am now independent on all levels and have high adaptability to any circumstances I might go through. Looking back at how far I have come, how many skills I gained, and how much I learned about myself, I feel like this program transformed me into a new, way-better version of myself.

Being part of the MEPI TL program at LAU has exposed me to different opportunities and challenges that pushed me to work on myself to attain a more independent and autonomic version of who I was. It has also given me the chance to enroll in communities (like committees) and other programs (like the TLP program), and despite the challenges I might have been through during these opportunities, I got the chance to learn how to overcome difficulties in a resilient and brave way.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW THE MEPI TL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND VOLUNTEERISM IMPACTED YOU?

Georges Aoun

Hassan Al Zahabi

Marie Nour Ghanem The program has an important philanthropic effect on us. It built us with a new set of skills and values that built us in a way to be more empathetic and socially responsible. We were told at the start of the program that every decision we make could affect not only ourselves, but everyone in the program. This made us realize that social responsibility and accountability are key being able to be good drivers of society. The program gave me the chance to take initiative and to study every step to be able to get to whatever outcome I was hoping to have. The LAU-MEPI TL program is a driving force that builds today’s leaders.

The program involved us in so many civic engagement activities and volunteer work. Personally, this helped me think more of others and avoid being a self-centered person. Moreover, the fact that we were given such a scholarship to give back to society and our home country creates a sense of responsibility that whatever we choose to do later in life, we should keep an eye on this goal: to give back to our society and to devote our skills and education to building a better future for our country..

Throughout the program, I have been exposed to many workshop sessions, like conflict resolution, civic engagement, and many more. These workshops helped me acquire a set of views about how to be of use to my community and the people around me. In addition, taking the BUS 305 course with Dr. Mariam Shebaya, as part of the preparation for the capstone project, exposed me to different issues related to leadership both in the private and public sectors. It has exposed us to the different types of leadership styles, and what it truly takes to be an effective leader. And I remember that one of the terms used the most during class was empathy. A true leader is required to be empathetic, and address others’ concerns. During this class, we were meant to come up with our capstone ideas as well, and the creative way of thinking we acquired was very helpful and lead me to come up with a project I am passionate about and dear to my heart.

LIFE AFTER MEPI TL INTERVIEW

HOW DID THE MEPI TL PROGRAM AT LAU SUPPORT YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT?

Abdalla Najjar

Jehad Oumer

Khalil El Achi

Marie Nour Ghanem Whether it be the LAU environment that the MEPI program placed us in, the exchange semester in the U.S., or even the activities outside of the classroom, being part of the program opened the door for so many opportunities that come at a rate that is so incredibly high. I am undeniably grateful for the connections that I made with a variety of professors and professionals, especially since these connections could not have been made if I otherwise spent my time at home without matriculating to LAU as a TL scholar.

Indeed, the MEPI-TL Program provided me with the tools and opportunities I need to explore my career and build strong career foundations. I would like to point out specifically the work of the internship coordinator, who guided us through the experience and ensured that we got our internships done smoothly. Through the Tomorrow’s Leaders College to Work Pipeline (TLP) project, I have gotten the chance to have an internship with a company that works closely with the United Nations, which has set a strong basis for my resume.

The MEPI TL Internship advisor provided me with a list of possible organizations and companies that I might be amenable to finishing my professional internships with. My major posed certain difficulties in finding internships due to the limited number of opportunities provided at LAU. Nonetheless, she persisted and found an agreeable and quite nourishing internship that I completed during Summer 2021 with one of my physics professors.

Being part of the MEPI TL program, everything seemed to be easier, especially with internships and their management. The internship coordinator was always helpful in helping us to find internship sites, especially during the pandemic. The coordinator was always ready to advise me and listen to the challenges I experienced during my internship. Another thing was the opportunity to take part in the first MEPI TLP program launched at LAU. This program has helped me build connections with people from different majors, as well as instructors, and provided me with a research opportunity, with the transportation safety project, which not only included surveys, but also a simulator and testing participants behavior which was also very interesting to manifest and be part of.

CAN YOU TELL US HOW MEPI TL HELPED YOU BREAK OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE?

Marie Nour Ghanem

Khalil El Achi MEPI TL exposed me to different opportunities, people, and concepts, which helped me be more open-minded, open to change, and learn more about the value of adaptability and resilience, especially during the hard times we went through during the past few years. The program staff was supporting us throughout the pandemic, helping and guiding us to adapt to the changes that have been going on around us. Another component that pushed me out of my comfort zone was the U.S. semester and the whole process of trying to explore a different culture. The support that came with this experience, whether before, during the orientation, or during my exchange semester in the U.S., enhanced my confidence and helped me make the most out of it.

A lot of the requirements of the MEPI TL program, like the capstone project, workshops, internships, and participation in volunteer work were all outside my regular field of study. The capstone project entailed doing work on a social and local level, something I was always intimidated to do. I found aspects of public speaking and presenting in public to be an uncomfortable and unamiable endeavor. Yet I needed to be proficient in them to excel in my field of scientific research. Thus, being coaxed to take part in these events has helped me escape my comfort bubble.

LIFE AFTER MEPI TL INTERVIEW

HOW DID BEING A MEPI TL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT IMPACT YOUR FUTURE CAREER AND INTERNSHIP SEARCH?

Jehad Oumer

Khalil El Achi

Karim Al Natour

Marie Nour Ghanem Mentioning that you are an international student on a scholarship, has always served me positively, and gave me a comparative advantage within the pool of applicants. Through the MEPI TL program, I was empowered to pursue activities and experiences in Lebanon, Libya, and U.S.A. Such diverse experience has served me well in my endeavors. And I am thankful for that.

I completed the civil internship at Amideast, where they woefully benefited from my organizational and time management skills. Both are competencies I learned during my time in the program via workshops.

Through applying to different internships and jobs, every time the employer knows that you are on a scholarship, it becomes like a bonus for you, especially after they know that the scholarship focuses on leadership and commitment, which has been amazing so far, and I am so grateful for the MEPI program for giving me this opportunity.

Earning this scholarship somehow shaped my identity and image and has enhanced the way I am perceived by most recruiters. I remember while applying to my first internship, at the NGO Kafa, I was not accepted at first because they had reached their capacity in accepting interns, but the supervisor made it clear that they would like someone like me to be an intern at their organization, and that they will be taking me for sure the month after…

HOW DID YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE MEPI TL PROGRAM AT LAU IMPACT YOU AS A FUTURE LEADER?

Hadeel Tashani

Khalil El Achi

Diditta Rizk

Sara Hamzeh I believe that the MEPI TL program gave me the most valuable things: appreciation and hope. The MEPI TL program made me realize and believe in my capabilities and potential and gave me their full trust, which helped me build an independent and strong personality needed to be a leader in my society.

The best skill that I have gotten from the MEPI TL program at LAU was the valiance of problem-solving. And that is something every leader must become to be effective in their prospects and profession. Furthermore, the ability to quickly adapt to change and learn new techniques and ways of doing work is something that has been approved tremendously by the U.S. semester and when we switched from in-person learning to online delivery.

Due to the MEPI TL program at LAU, I now truly believe that leaders are made and not born. This program truly builds leaders who will be advocates of change in their communities. The MEPI-TL program gave me the push I needed to take control of my life and break the glass ceiling. It gave me the confidence to stand up for myself and change my life in a way that could have never been possible if it was not for this program. Although I know that I am not emotionally ready to turn the page over this wonderful journey, I know that in reality, I am more than ready to embark on the next chapter of my life due to the skills I gained over the past 3 years, and I will forever be grateful for LAU MEPI-TL for that!

I remember the first day I joined the MEPI TL Program and how excited and nervous I was. However, I never imagined that this program would have that positive impact on me. Today I consider myself a strong, independent, confident, and ambitious woman who could never be the same without the LAU MEPI TL Program. I would like to express my deep gratitude and gratefulness to each one behind this program, for their continuous support and guidance throughout this journey. I owe my success to each one of you. THANK YOU, LAU MEPI TL!!!