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Middle Eastern Studies Celebrates Award Winning Students Spring 2021

Middle Eastern Studies Celebrates Record Number of Critical Language Scholarship Winners for Arabic

May 19th, 2021

Despite the challenges of virtual learning, the University of Houston set a new record for recipients of the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS). Nine exceptional UH students of various fields were recognized CLS honorees during the 2020-2021 academic year, an increase of almost 50 percent from last year. This year, five students were selected to study Arabic through the Critical Language Scholarship. The other four awardees were for Russian, Urdu and Mandarin.

Ben Rayder, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards, was impressed with the resilience of this year’s applicant cohort and the work of Nimra Zubair, Graduate Assistant. “UH applicants demonstrated an incredible level of commitment to their applications. I think this is an indication of how much UH has developed a culture for applying to national fellowships, and CLS, specifically. I give much of the credit to Nimra, a CLS alum herself, whose energy and expertise provided a whole new dimension to the type of advising that we were able to provide the candidates.” 

CLS plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century's globalized workforce. A fully funded summer experience for students of all academic majors, CLS is part of a government initiative strategically focused on increasing the number of Americans with foreign language proficiency, particularly in languages that are critical to national security, diplomatic relationships and economic prosperity.

Supported by the U.S. Department of State, CLS is an intensive, overseas language and cultural immersion program. For 8-10 weeks students will be focused on one of 15 critical languages considered to be in high demand for language professionals. The scholarship will offer in-depth language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language development.

For more information about the recipients, check out their biographies below.

Omar Harb is a junior double majoring in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and minoring in Arabic studies. Coming from the Middle East, Harb has tried to strengthen his linguistic efforts further and expand on his knowledge of his home region by taking up an Arabic studies minor. He co-founded a non-profit organization named “One Small Step” to help combat the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on his local community in Houston. He plans to begin an initiative aiming to help underserved Arab American youths. Through the Critical Language Scholarship, Harb intends to sharpen his Arabic linguistic skills and draw on his experience to aid the Arab American community on campus and beyond.

Tia Hufstetler is a sophomore majoring in political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and minoring in marketing at the Bauer College of Business. She has taken Arabic classes at UH and will continue her studies through the Critical Language Scholarship Program in summer 2021. She has always been fascinated by the Arabic language and all the cultural aspects of Arab countries as well. Hopefully, this opportunity will provide her the chance to continue studying Arabic and understanding the Arab culture.

Hamad Khan is a recent graduate from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management, a Bachelor of Arts in strategic communication, and a minor in Arab studies. As a teaching assistant with UH’s Language and Cultural Center (LCC), a former president of UH’s Arabic Club and a Global Guide with the Learning Abroad Office, Khan actively promoted an environment of cultural exchange and global awareness within the UH community. Khan’s journey through undergraduate studies led him to various opportunities and accomplishments such as: studying abroad in Jordan with the help of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, receiving the Excellence in Middle Eastern Studies award from the Middle Eastern Studies Program (MESP), studying abroad in Turkey and Tunisia with the Honors College, receiving a leadership award for Inclusion and Advocacy from UH, and recently, studying abroad virtually in Morocco through the Critical Language Scholarship (2020). Additionally, with fluency in several languages, including Turkish and Urdu, Khan seeks to use language as a tool to build a mutual understanding across the international sector. His vast experiences have expanded his academic and professional goals, increasing his global interest not only in the Middle East, but also to West, Central and South Asia. This year again, Khan has been awarded the CLS, and looking forward, he plans to pursue a career in diplomacy, seeking to serve as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer. 

André Mikhail is a modern and classical languages major with a focus in Middle Eastern studies and minor in history. He is a recipient of the CLS for Arabic and studied in the Arabic Language Intensive program at American University in Cairo. His professional background is in entrepreneurship, sales and writing.

Kareem Soussan is an economics major with a minor in Phronêsis. Interested in the economies of Middle Eastern countries, Soussan is actively involved in economic research and studying the Arabic language. As a CLS recipient, He is excited to improve upon his proficiency in the language and network with other economics students interested in the Middle East. He plans on using this opportunity to delve deeper into his studies of the Middle Eastern economy.

Scholarship for Excellence in Middle Eastern Studies

The Scholarship for Excellence in Middle Eastern Studies recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding skill in the Arabic language, as well as exemplary knowledge of and continued interest in the Arab world and its rich heritage. The goal of this scholarship is to support future academic study and professional endeavors in the field. Middle Eastern Studies congratulates and honors the following recipients for spring 2021:

Katie Feist
I am a Senior at the University of Houston studying for a BA in History with a minor in Anthropology. Studying Arabic has been an essential part of my academic and career goals as I plan to continue my study of the Middle East post-baccalaureate to work towards a career concentrated on the region’s history and culture.

Andre Mikhail
I am a Modern and Classical Languages major with a focus in Middle Eastern Studies and minor in History. I am a recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship for Arabic, and studied in the Arabic Language Intensive Program at American University in Cairo. Learning Arabic overseas and in the context of the greater Islamic world has given me a more nuanced, humanistic understanding of the language, as well as of my heritage. I have a professional background in entrepreneurship, sales, and writing.

Wajahat Mohiuddin
I have been studying at UH for one year now and I am double majoring in Human Resources Development and Middle Eastern Studies. Studying Arabic has helped me better understand the Qur’an and I am also able to watch Arabic news and films. Finally, thanks to the skills taught by the wonderful Arabic faculty here at UH, I can now utilize my new skills in my volunteer work to better assist refugees from Arabic speaking countries who do not understand English.

Joshua Philippus
Joshua Philippus is a Senior at the University of Houston in the Middle Eastern Studies track. He is currently beginning work on his Honors Thesis while wrapping uop the remainder of his coursework. As a decorated combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Joshua intends to use his life experience and the knowledge he has gained from the Middle Eastern Studies program to continue serving in the federal sector.

Mishal Siddiqui
I am a senior majoring in Biology and minoring in Creative Work. I originally took a Middle Eastern Studies class for my minor and quickly fell in love with the department, and took a few more Arabic language and history courses during my senior year. I plan to further my study of Arabic during my gap year before medical school, and I hope to use my knowledge of the language and culture to be a more culturally competent and accessible physician in the future.

Rama Soumakieh
I’m a junior at UH majoring in Biology and minoring in Arab Studies. Studying Arabic has allowed me to better communicate with patients and families and will continue to help me in my future career as a dentist. I hope to teach my own kids Arabic and to one day travel with SAMS to help Syrian refugees get the care they need.

Esraa Wasel
I am a sophomore at UH, and I am a philosophy major and political science minor. Studying Arabic has exposed me to a wider range of literature and has pushed me to be more aware of politics in the Middle East. In the future, I hope to explore Arabic philosophy and Arabic poetry using the language skills I have gained in Arabic class.

Congratulations also to: 

Omar Harb

Rukaiya Jamali 

Middle Eastern Studies Celebrates Award Winning Faculty and Students spring 2020

Michael Fares Receives Provost's Teaching Excellence Award

June 2nd, 2020

Middle Eastern Studies congratulates and celebrates Michael Fares, winner of the Provost's Teaching Excellence Award spring 2020 for the category of Instructional Faculty. Michael Fares, Instructional Assistant Professor of Arabic, has proudly worked to develop a competitive Arabic language and Middle Eastern Studies program at UH since joining the Modern and Classical Languages faculty in 2012. Michael would like to humbly thank all of his numerous colleagues and students who worked tirelessly to encourage his nomination for the award, as well as support his teaching.

Middle Eastern Studies Students Win Nationally Competitive Awards including The Critical Language Scholarship, Boren Scholarship

Hamad Khan Receives the Critical Language Scholarship for Arabic Language

June 2nd, 2020

Hamad Khan is a senior at the University of Houston double majoring in Management & Leadership and in Strategic Communications with a minor in Arab studies. Determined to promote the value of diversity and the appreciation of multiple identities, he began to study the Arabic language and the Middle East. In 2019, Hamad became a Gilman Scholar and studied abroad to intern at a Legal Aid clinic in Amman, Jordan. He later studied abroad in Tunisia to enhance his knowledge of Ancient civilizations and the Arab uprisings in the North African region. This year, Hamad received the Leadership award for ‘Inclusion and Advocacy’ at the University of Houston and he seeks to pursue a career in International relations, increasing his concentration not only on the Middle East, but also West and South Asia.

Kaden Lewis Receives the Critical Language Scholarship for Arabic Language and the Boren Scholarship for Francophone West Africa

Kaden Lewis is a junior at the University of Houston majoring in Political Science. He is also a member of the Honors College and Phi Beta Kappa. Along with the MESP Scholarship he was a recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship to study Arabic is Meknes, Morocco as well as the Boren Scholarship to study French in Dakar, Senegal this year. He also has the goal of going to law school as well as pursuing graduate studies focused in international law and African/MENA studies. He loves studying languages, and plans to utilize his Arabic language study in a future career in the field of international relations.

Scholarship for Excellence in Middle Eastern Studies

Each year, the Middle Eastern Studies Program awards up to five of these scholarships. Scholarships recognize students who have demonstrated outstanding skill in the Arabic language, as well as exemplary knowledge of and continued interest in the Arab world and its rich heritage. The goal of this scholarship is to support future academic study and professional endeavors in the field. Middle Eastern Studies congratulates and honors the following recipients for spring 2020:

Kaden Lewis

Along with his receipt of the Critical Language Scholarship and the Boren Scholarship, Kaden (bio above) is also a winner of the Scholarship for Excellence in Middle Eastern Studies spring 2020. Congratulations once again, Kaden! BLISK

Usmon Shaikh

Usmon is a rising senior, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Arab Studies. Being a practicing Muslim, Usmon chose to study Arabic at UH to further his understanding of the Quran. After graduating, he plans to attend law school and use Arabic in diplomatic capacities for the US government.

Elena Scott

Elena Scott is a senior in the Honors College pursuing journalism. She hopes to use what she's learned studying Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies to tell the stories of people from around the world.

Mohamad Fattouh

Graduating with a double major in History and Finance, I am continuing my education this fall at the UH Law Center. Having studied Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies at UH, I look forward to applying this knowledge both as a lawyer working with Arab immigrants and refugees in Houston and as a community organizer with local Palestinians and Muslims.

Megan Garrett

Hello! I am a senior majoring in Public Relations with a minor in World Cultures & Literature emphasizing in the Middle East. Learning Arabic has helped open my eyes to a part of the world I was unfamiliar with. With its large historical context, Arabic became a priority for me to study in order to connect myself to that part of the world. Studying Arabic has influenced what I would like to pursue in the future, as well as my beliefs and values. I would like to thank all my Arabic professors and the MCL department for helping me achieve these realizations and goals.

UH in Jordan
Summer 2020: June 12 -28

Application due February 15, 2020

• 3 credit hour UH-faculty led summer course
• Study at Sijal Institute in Amman, Jordan
• Learn Basic Arabic – no prior knowledge required
• Visit important historical sites in Jordan, including Petra, the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum, Aqaba and many more
• Design and conduct a short research project
• New 2020: Financial need scholarships available

Middle Eastern Studies Student Addresses Common Misconceptions about Lebanon in Cooglife Article

UH Middle Eastern Studies congratulates Ambarina Zainab, who recently published an article in Cooglife about her experiences studying Arabic abroad in Lebanon for eight weeks this past summer 2019 at the American University of Beirut CAMES Summer Arabic Program. Entitled "Lebanon: an insight beyond mainstream media", Ambarina's article focuses on her personal experiences while living and studying in Lebanon, and how these experiences dispel common stereotypes about the country. Ambarina is a senior majoring in World Cultures and Literature with a Middle Eastern Studies concentration.

UH in Jordan, New Interdisciplinary CLASS Faculty-Led Learning Abroad Program, Celebrates Successful Inaugural Summer 2019

The UH in Jordan program is a brand new three credit hour summer learning abroad course co-lead and co-taught by Professors Dina Alsowayel of History/WGSS, and Michael Fares of the Middle Eastern Studies Program in Modern and Classical Languages.

Entitled “Contemporary Jordan: History, Promise, and Challenges”, the course is cross-listed between the disciplines of History and Arab Studies and is designed to provide an introduction to the Middle East region that is comprehensive yet accessible to students of all academic interests and backgrounds. The course is housed in and taught at the state of the art Sijal Institute in Amman, Jordan, with which the program leaders have built and maintained on ongoing partnership.

Coursework and immersive cultural excursions explore the rich history of Jordan and examine how this has shaped the issues fundamental to understanding the contemporary Arabic speaking world, its culture, language, politics and complex relationship with the West. As part of the program, students complete a research project in country they design based on their particular academic or professional interests. This year’s research paper topics ranged from the political status of refugees in Jordan, to Arabic music performance and its role in everyday Jordanian life and culture. Students also gain a basic proficiency in routine spoken Arabic through daily introductory classes, with no prior knowledge of the language required to participate.

In short, the UH in Jordan program affords students the academic opportunity to critically engage with the contemporary Middle East in a manner that is intellectually robust but also hands-on. As such, Professors Fares and Alsowayel are proud to offer the program, and see it as an important contribution toward the mission of creating outstanding global citizens both within CLASS and the UH student body at large.

In its inaugural year, the program hosted 12 student participants, hailing from a variety of CLASS majors. Some of their testimonials are below.

Student Testimonials

Jordan was a world apart from my normal life in Houston with school and family - and that was exactly what made it incredible. My initial interest in the trip was to get a jump start on learning Arabic (a language I plan to study this fall). But the trip offered so much more. I learned history, culture, language, and the unmatched joy of being free to explore a completely new place. I felt supported and safe with the faculty and students with whom I travelled and learned. Our time in Amman prepared us to explore the rest of the country, and we met many locals who shared their lives and experiences with us. My favorite experience on the trip was visiting a Palestinian refugee camp and listening to the stories of the residents, asking questions, and seeing the reality of life in the camps. I feel this expanded my worldview and gave me another reason to explore Arabic as a foreign language.

Studying abroad changed the way I see my education at home as well as the way I see the world. It was an enriching experience with fellow students and faculty as well as a time of growth away from the comforts of home. Being part of the Jordan trip also allowed me to explore possibilities for future research about feminism, the Koran, muslim culture, and more. I am so thankful this trip was available to me and so happy to have been part of the first team!

-Karen Waxler, WGSS Major and History Minor

When I first heard about the two-week study abroad program in Amman, Jordan, I saw an opportunity to expand my world view, dig deeper into my Arab heritage, and gain knowledge that I could implement in my activism. The program went above and beyond my expectations as I gained a different view of my Palestinian brothers’ and sisters’ struggle for freedom as well as a new imagination for what social, political, and economic systems can look like.

The program incorporated intensive Arabic training, historical site tourism, and a research project. I learned a lot of new spoken Arabic and learned a lot about Jordanian history and culture. However, the biggest takeaway for me was my experience in the Palestinian refugee camps. As a Palestinian, I expected to feel sad to see my displaced peoples in suffocating conditions. However, instead, I almost felt embarrassed for that expectation, as I instead felt uplifted and motivated upon feeling their resistant and resilient spirit. From their jokes to their stories to their political histories, they showed me that their presence went far beyond the stereotypical idea that refugees are just hand-fed political subjects who can’t produce for themselves. I then completed my research project on how the refugees build economic and political structures for themselves, and how they use art to convey their spirit of resistance and struggle.

I would definitely recommend this experience to others because it doesn’t only have the power to change what you think about Arab countries but also change how you think. It is one thing to go to a different country for the historical sites, but it’s another to live among the people and truly attempt to experience how it feels to live in Jordan. Living in the American environment in which capitalism is constantly pressuring you to produce, we often lose sight of what a family-oriented society would look like. For many Americans, the question, “How was your day?” evokes a reply based on how much work they finished in a day, but many Jordanians shined the light on the beauty that can come with enjoying smaller and simpler aspects of life. The program also did a great job of setting a groundwork to encounter the local authentic experience of the people before visiting historic sites as tourists. Overall, the experience humanizes people we would not know much about and also expands your political, social, and economic understandings of the world around you. I truly believe that such an experience carries with you and goes on to influence your world view and activism, no matter the profession.

- Mohamad Fattouh, History and Finance Double Major

The UH in Jordan program will repeat every summer, and future students can learn more about the program and apply for summer 2020 on the Middle Eastern Studies Program website.

Along with learning abroad, Middle Eastern Studies offers three different degree programs and a variety of service and internship opportunities that students can also learn about on the website.

Middle Eastern Studies Students Receive Nationally Competitive Awards

Yusuf Bavi Receives Fulbright Scholarship

May 5th, 2019

Congratulations to Yusuf Bavi who has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for the country of Morocco. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. As a Fulbright Scholar, Yusuf will spend a year in Morocco as an English Teaching Assistant.

Before receiving the Fulbright, Yusuf studied Arabic at UH and minored in Arab Studies while majoring in Political Science and History. He knew he would continue with the Arabic when he transferred to UH from Houston Community College, but he never imagined it would take him so far. During the summer of his first year at the University, he had the opportunity to study abroad in Jordan and to visit Palestine. His studies abroad provided a practical understanding of what he learned in his study of the history and politics of the modern Middle East. They also gave Bavi a new perspective on his experiences in the United States. Last summer he studied Arabic in Meknes, Morocco on a Critical Language Scholarship. Yusuf is excited to complete a Fulbright in Morocco, because it will allow him to enrich his knowledge of the country and explore its history while facilitating mutual understanding. He also plans on continuing his study of Arabic and Darija, and beginning to study French formally. Read more about Yusuf Bavi and this year’s other UH Fulbright Scholarship recipients here.

Hamad Khan Receives the Gilman Scholarship

May 5th, 2019

Congratulations to Hamad Khan who has been awarded the Gilman Scholarship. Sponsored by the US State Department, the Gilman Scholarship is a grant that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, so as to gain knowledge and skills critical to improving US foreign relations. As a Gilman Scholar, Hamad will travel to Jordan this summer with the SIT study abroad program, where he will participate in a 5 week intensive Counseling and Humanitarian Action Internship, focused on understanding and addressing the mental health needs of displaced Syrian, Iraqi, and Palestinian refugee populations in Jordan. Hamad Khan is a junior at the University minoring in Arab Studies along with a major in Public Relations.