The American University in Dubai (AUD) recently welcomed Khadija Abdulla Said, Carolyne Macharia and Mary Mwende, the three young girls from Kenya whose moving story was heard during the September 2009 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting in New York. The three girls were offered a full scholarship to attend the university part of the AUD - Clinton Scholarship Program.
This commitment was done by AUD’s Executive Vice President Elias Bou Saab, and was formally recognized by President Bill Clinton during the annual CGI meeting. Commenting on the matter, Bou Saab said:
“We are proud to be able to offer these three young ladies the opportunity to continue their higher education under the Clinton Scholars Program at AUD… by helping the girls complete their education we are helping them build a successful future”.
The AUD-Clinton Scholars Program
The Clinton Scholars Program was established between the American University in Dubai and the Clinton Foundation with the support of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, providing scholarships to American students to study at AUD, enabling them to get a first hand understanding of the Arab world.
Finally in Dubai
The ladies arrived in early January 2010 in time for AUD’s Orientation and have since then settled into their dorm rooms with respective new roommates. They are slowly getting acquainted with university life, and are enjoying discovering Dubai and its diversity. Carolyne has been admitted to the Bachelor of Information Technology Program, Mary to the Bachelor of Business Administration Program, with a concentration in Banking and Finance, and Khadija to the Bachelor of Business Administration as well.
Part of the many activities the girls will be involved in while attending AUD includes joining the AUD International Aid Society (AIA), a very active student organization whose mission is to tackle global problems and provide solutions for them. At the request of President Bill Clinton and The Global Give Back Circle (a program funded and supported by individuals and companies around the world and who has played a major role in graduating the girls from high school), the girls will also be travelling with the AIA Society to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU) scheduled in April 2010 in Miami, Florida.
Carolyne, Mary and Khadija have committed to giving back to the community as they start their journey at AUD… as they truly know and understand how even a single good deed can change a life. The AIA Society looks forward to their fresh perspectives and hopes that together they will reach great heights while touching many other lives around the world.
Testimonials
For Carolyne, being at AUD is a dream come true. She says “it all seems like a dream, too good to be true. But on landing at AUD, the dream came true. The reception we got was amazing – one that I had not witnessed at any other institution. The surroundings are great, the people more than friendly. I surely could not have been in a better place; this is the place to be!”
As for Mary, she has been overwhelmed with how nice people are and how easy is it for such different people to co-exist… “Amazing is the word I can use to describe AUD. Everyone I met starting with the driver to all the staff members were kind and hospitable. AUD is conductive place to nurture a whole person. It is a place where different countries and cultures can co-exist and share their experiences. I am expecting that the people I have yet to meet will be kind and hospitable too... I can feel this is going to be great! There is no limit to excellence at AUD! Thank you to everyone who has made it possible for us to be here!”
Khadija in her turn took the time to thank Mr. Elias Bou Saab, Executive Vice President by saying: “when we met Mr. Elias in New York [during CGI Annual Meeting] I never thought this would come this far. It was a dream that I never thought would come true. I never imagined in my life that I would attend an international university, let alone one in Dubai! It’s unbelievable! And my first impression of this university is amazing, the campus, the people are things that I would never have imagined. So wonderful! I can’t wait to be able to fulfill my dreams in life, and I believe I will have an amazing time on campus and at the same time do the very best in all that I am going to do. I can’t wait to ‘give back’ to the community!”
