Student Leaders Learn about Shared Values

Over 100 undergraduate students from the Middle East and North Africa participated in the 2007 Student Leaders program, hosted by five American universities. Participants had the opportunity to examine the concept, history, and manifestation of leadership in American society through a wide variety of learning experiences.

When asked about the benefits of the program, embracing diversity was a common lesson learned. In an article in the Yemen Times, Raissa Batakji, a Lebanese participant, said that the program taught her the value of diversity, "which turned out to be one of [her] most valuable life lessons." Participants were enthusiastic about sharing their countries and cultures with people from both the US and other countries in their region, and were pleased with what they learned in return. Fahad Mohammad, a student from Kuwait, said he found Americans to be welcoming and "genuine about learning more about the Middle East." Another Kuwaiti student, Hessa al-Sabah, said she learned "to trust other people's ideas even if they were different from mine and to learn to live with their ideas and find a connection between us other than what's different."