An Unexpected Twist of Fate
An unexpected twist of fate brought Reem Dmeiri to AUC in 2002. She had already registered at Birzeit University in Palestine, and was making plans to move there, when she received a phone call from AUC congratulating her on being awarded the Nashwa A. H. Taher Scholarship. An outstanding student with a 98 percent score in high school, Dmeiri felt that her hard work had finally paid off.
“Graduating from AUC provided me with a very strong basis not only academically but also professionally, as I have come to realize that our University is perceived to be of very high standard and its graduates are seen to be high caliber,” said Dmeiri. “This had a great impact on my professional opportunities and made it very easy for me to find a job after graduation.” Upon receiving her bachelor’s degree in accounting with two minor specializations in computer science and economics, Dmeiri was offered a job at Deloitte Abu Dhabi, a well-renowned auditing firm. “The hard work, hands-on practice and communication and presentation skills, which were taught at AUC, still continue to influence me both personally and professionally. I am able to handle demanding jobs, multitask, work in teams and communicate effectively,” emphasized Dmeiri, who is now holding the position of senior internal auditor in Abu Dhabi Airports Company. Dmeiri is also a volunteer at one of the veterinary clinics in Abu Dhabi on a part-time basis.
A mother of twins, Omar and Taleen, Dmeiri is very grateful to the time she spent at AUC, which has changed her life dramatically. Her words of thanks to her donor best expresses this sentiment. “Mrs. Nashwa, no amount of words can begin to describe how my studying at AUC has changed my life. Coming to Egypt gave me the chance to experience what life is all about. I was exposed to people from all around the world and was granted the opportunity to study and learn from the best professors and educators. While at AUC, I made some amazing friendships that continue to last until this day, and most importantly I was given the chance to grow as a person in ways I could never have imagined. You gave me the chance to become a better person, and now that I am not in my home country, I feel an even greater responsibility to reflect a positive image for Palestinians. A lot of this would not have been possible if it was not for the opportunity that you gave me. Thank you does not begin to scratch the surface of my gratitude. May God bless you for all the good that you have done for me and many other girls. I will be forever indebted.”
The Nashwa A. H. Taher Scholarship, awarded to female students from the Arab world, supports AUC’s mission to provide distinctive opportunities for gifted women to excel and impact their personal and professional lives. Additional scholarship programs at AUC that support education for Arab women are the Queen Rania Al-Abdullah ’91 Fellowship and the Arab Women’s Professional Program. They all aim to elevate the role of women in the Arab world and promote gender equality.
