By Tess Santorelli
 

For Farkhonda Hassan (MSc '67), the phrase "mother knows best" takes on an entirely new meaning. 

Hassan, professor emerita in the School of Sciences and Engineering, has been teaching at AUC for 55 years. Her extensive list of students includes Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan '91 and Nabil Fahmy '74, '77, Egypt's former foreign minister and founding dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Yet, she has some particular students she especially enjoyed teaching at AUC -- her children and grandchildren.
 

Hassan's daughter, Wegdan Lotfi '79, '91, was previously an adjunct faculty member at AUC's Department of Chemistry and had taught her own children as well, including Omar Khalifa '08. "He got a B minus in my class," Lotfi said jokingly. 
 

Khalifa also reflected, laughing, "Most of the people I meet say, 'Oh, your mother is Wegdan; your grandmother is Farkhonda. She taught me; she taught me!'"
 

As AUC's centennial approaches, Hassan, Lotfi and Khalifa sat together in the living room of Hassan's home, surrounded by photographs and family mementos, and reflected on what this centennial means to them as a multigenerational family of AUCians.
 

Hassan, who was present for the University's 75th anniversary in 1994, said she can't believe the centennial is this year. "I have been at AUC for more than half a century. I never imagined that I would make it to the centennial, but I really feel happy to be here," Hassan said. "I feel like I am part of AUC and AUC is part of me."
 

The Start of a Legacy

Hassan, who first joined AUC as a graduate student to study solid-state science in the Department of Chemistry, still finds herself happiest when she is teaching. "I'm a little bit tired of walking across the new campus between classes," she said with a smile. "But still, I find myself in the classroom."
 

In 1964, only a year into graduate school, Hassan was appointed assistant instructor. "Maybe I was a good teacher or something. Omar knows," she laughed, gesturing to Khalifa.
 

When she graduated two years later, Hassan left Egypt to earn her PhD in geology from the University of Pittsburg, after which she returned to teach geology at AUC. In addition to being a celebrated scientist and prominent professor, Hassan is also co-chair of the Gender Advisory Board of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development, as well as secretary-general and a member of Egypt's National Council for Women since 2000. Elected to the Egyptian Parliament in 1979 and serving there until 1984, Hassan is currently chair of the Commission on Human Development and Local Administration in parliament. She was also named an honorary life member of the International Parliamentary Union. In Hassan's years of teaching, she has not only taught her own children and grandchildren, but her friends' children and grandchildren as well. She recounted with amusement the number of times students in her class, who were children and grandchildren of her friends, were too shy to introduce themselves as relatives of her friends. "I feel very happy when I teach the generations of my students," said Hassan. "I'm very proud of them."
 

Hassan said having her grandchildren in class taught her things she didn't previously know about them. "Like Omar, for example, he's very independent. I didn't know that before," Hassan said. "I learned that when he gets an idea, he will do it no matter what. He perseveres." 
 

Hassan recalled a time when Lotfi was in her class. She raised her hand and asked Hassan why she had received an incorrect mark on an exam when she believed she had answered every question correctly. 
 

"She came up to the podium and asked me to show her what was wrong on her exam," said Hassan. I told her, 'You see this? I couldn't read it.' When she turned to sit down, she said something, and the entire class laughed. Mother's Day was two days away, and, apparently, she mouthed to the class, 'I'm not getting her a Mother's Day gift.'"

When she turned to sit down, she said something, and the entire class laughed. Mother's Day was two days away, and, apparently, she mouthed to the class, 'I'm not getting her a Mother's Day gift.'" 
 

Professor Emerita Farkhonda Hassan (MSc '67) with her daughter Wegdan Lotfi '79, left; Lotfi with her father at her graduation; Omar Khalifa '09 at his graduation

Learning from the Best

After graduating from AUC's Department of Chemistry in 1979 and having her four children, Lotfi earned her master's in solid-state physics in 1991. A former member of the Suzanne Mubarak International Peace Movement and a former member of Egypt's International Economic Forum, Lotfi prides her family in their "respect for hard work." 
 

"I love teaching because it's in my blood," said Lotfi. "My kids appreciate work -- all of them. They all took courses with me, but they knew that they had to study." 
 

Lotfi tributes everything she learned about being a faculty member to her previous professors at AUC. "I remember any advice I was given," she reflected. "In all my life stages, I've had these beautiful professors. Everyone who taught me in the department helped me build character," said Lotfi. "I was shaped at AUC." 
 

Unlike their mother and grandmother, neither Omar Khalifa nor his two brothers, Khaled '04 and Youssef '17 chose the science route at AUC. At first, Lotfi insisted that her eldest son, Khaled, take science courses. To convince him, she arranged for him to meet with a particularly persuasive professor. 
 

"I left them together in her office for nearly an hour. When he came out, he told me, 'She's so kind. She convinced me to do what I want.'" Lotfi said, recalling her shock. "I asked him, 'What do you want?' and he said, 'I want to go into political science.' And that's what he did, and he started getting better grades and was happy." 
 

From that moment on, Lotfi decided to step back from her children's studies. "When it was Omar's turn, I told him, 'You do what you want,'" Lotfi said. 
 

As an active member of AUC's student body, Khalifa founded the Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa organization, was a member of the Student Union, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the Student Union Talk Show at Ewart Memorial Hall and was a top player for the University's water polo team. 
 

After graduating with a bachelor's in political science, specializing in international relations, Khalifa founded his own publishing and advertising company, Omedia, in 2009. Inspired by the employment fairs at AUC, Khalifa launched Shaghalni.com in 2015. He had a five-minute meeting to pitch the idea to the person who he says inspired him the most, Naguib Sawiris. The pitch resulted in Sawiris investing in the company. 
 

Though Khalifa describes himself as more business-oriented, he still took a class with his mother. He recalled in one of Lotfi's assignments, there was the option to either give a presentation on something small, write a paper or create a drawing. 
 

"I draw very well, so naturally, I picked drawing," said Khalifa. "I woke up in the morning before class, and in minutes, I drew a perfect solar eclipse. When I went to class and gave it to my mother, my friend told her, 'He just made that 10 minutes ago.' She knows I'm a good artist and told me I had to do the presentation instead. He ruined the plan," Khalifa said, as his mother laughed. 
 

Khalifa said the most important lesson learned after taking his grandmother's class was the meaning of integrity. "During lunch at her house, she wouldn't answer any of my questions regarding the course," Khalifa recalled. "Instead, she would tell me to visit her during office hours so I don't receive any extra treatment." 
 

A member of the Alumni Council and the AUC Fund committee, Khalifa hosts yearly employment fairs on the Tahrir Square campus as his way of "giving back" to AUC for fueling his ambition. "All of my ideas and dreams were created while studying at AUC," he said.
 

Making it Count

"Having a family of AUCians -- my son, my daughter, my in-laws and my grandchildren -- is really great," said Hassan. "I think we belong to the AUC culture. All of us."

As a faculty member, Hassan is most proud of her students because they learn how to navigate life while studying at AUC. "It is not just a degree. It is a way of thinking and living," said Hassan. 
 

Khalifa said AUC's impact on its students is evident throughout Egypt. "This is one of the oldest, most well-established universities in Egypt," he said. "Everywhere you go, even in the biggest companies you'll always find an AUCian on the decision-making team." 
 

"The University gives space for students to think out of the box," Lotfi agreed. "It encourages self-development and learning to the utmost." 
 

Khalifa added that not everyone knows his family's relationship to AUC. "But when they know," chimed in Hassan, "They link everything," Khalifa finished. 
 

"Having a family of AUCians -- my son, my daughter, my in-laws and my grandchildren -- is really great," said Hassan. "I think we belong to the AUC culture. All of us." 
 

How would the family describe AUC? "Character-building," they agreed. 
 

"I see students entering as freshmen, and when I see them as seniors, they've grown into completely different people," said Lotfi. "It is really quite impressive. In four years, they change. They're more confident. They are better at everything -- all because of their time at AUC." 
 

As Lotfi spoke, Khalifa's 2-year-old daughter Carla wobbled from one chair to the next. "The fourth generation of AUCians!" Khalifa said jokingly, as everyone laughed. 
 

"AUC is in us. I mean, we are all AUCians," said Lotfi, while Carla steadied herself against her great-grandmother.

Three Generations of AUC Families

• Lucy Amin '60 (right) with her daughter Nelly Ragai '89 at the 2016 homecoming in AUC Tahrir Square
• Nelly Ragai '89
• Ragai's late husband
  Teddy Tadros '88, '97
• Ragai, manager at AUC's Yousef Jameel Science and Technology Research Center, with her son and daughter -- both AUC students
• Lucy Amin '60 (third from right)
• 

"We are a Jordanian-Saudi family that is proud of its AUCian roots, which go back to the year 1928, when our great uncle joined AUC. There are many more AUCian aunts, uncles and cousins in our family. It is the fond memories at AUC that our family takes back when we travel to our countries."

-- Rania Jabr (MA '90)

• Grandmother Najwa
  Al Imam '58
• Daughter
  Rania Jabr (MA '90),senior instructor II at
  AUC
• Grandson
  Bassel Al-Dabbagh '18

• Grandfather Ahmed Shafic Abou Oaf (MA '77)
• Daughter Mervat Shafic Abou Oaf '88, '02
  (right), professor of practice in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication;
  with her son Adham Zidan '09, '14

• Grandmother Mary Dafashy '75 (right),
  mother Mona Makramalla '85 (left) and
  daughter Sara Meleika '11

By Tess Santorelli | Photos by Ahmad El-Nemr

While AUC is celebrating its centennial, another important University birthday is happening this year -- the 10-year anniversary of the New Cairo campus. 
 

In 2008, AUC made history with the establishment of a new campus, designed from scratch, in New Cairo. After the decision to move from AUC Tahrir Square was made, the University purchased 260 acres of land in 1997 for its new home at the center of New Cairo. An international team of architects and planners made up of seven firms from three countries designed the campus. 
 

Throughout the planning phase, it became increasingly obvious that this would not be a process of simply moving the old campus to a new location. The New Cairo campus -- despite following the roots of AUC Tahrir Square -- would have its own unique identity and would continue to evolve and mature over time. 
 

In designing the campus, the team sought to capture the international identity of the AUC community as well as the multidimensionality of the liberal arts curriculum in an architecturally diverse space. Inspired by Egypt's history of advanced engineering practices, they revived traditional processes for cutting stone and sourced materials from Upper Egypt to build up the walls, bolstering the campus with the strength of a brilliant past. In 2009, one year after the relocation, the University received a special award from the Urban Land Institute for the design and construction of AUC New Cairo, now ranked as the top green campus in Africa. 
 

• AUC Portal
   
• AUC Portal

Built using 24,000 tons of reinforcing steel, as well as 115,000 square meters of stone, marble, granite cladding and flooring, the campus weaves Egyptian urban and architectural traditions into a modern campus and is designed to be accessible to people with disabilities. Sandstone for the walls of campus buildings is all from a single quarry in Kom Ombo, 50 kilometers north of Aswan. The stone arrived by truck in giant multi-ton blocks, which were cut and shaped for walls, arches and other uses at a stone-cutting plant built on the site. 
 

The new campus launched a wave of growth in New Cairo. What was once a slowly developing suburb flourished into a lively community with public performances, plays, exhibitions and special events, extending Cairo's rich arts scene to the area and making AUC a cultural hub. The growing campus life sparked the surge of a bustling urban landscape in the area, attracting the numerous businesses, restaurants, cafes, shopping centers and residences that now populate the city, and in turn, contributing to the economic development of the New Cairo district. 
 

• AUC Library
• AUC Library

Abdelhalim Ibrahim Abdelhalim, principal of Abdel-Halim Community Design Collaborative, led the international team in executing the master plan and architecture principles for the design and construction of AUC's New Cairo campus. He said in his first encounter with the campus being used that he was worried his team "lost the way."

"[Now], the campus is realizing itself," Abdelhalim noted. "A community is being created, and I'm not sure that it's the same community that was in downtown Cairo. It's different, and I'm glad to hear that. During the planning process, we assumed that it is a must to follow the roots of the old campus, but we discovered that the new campus is actually much more complex than just simply moving the old campus. I think the campus is now entering its maturity. It has already evolved and will continue to do so." 
 

In its relocation, AUC foresaw an opportunity to foster increased engagement with its surrounding community and trigger the positive development of the New Cairo area. The historic move created a new frontier for AUC to continue to lead as Egypt's global University.
 

The earliest discussion of the need for a new campus, exclusively built for the purpose of higher education, began just two years after the University was founded in the city center in 1919.

Those discussions were put into motion shortly after the University's 75th anniversary, with the establishment of the Century Committee in 1994 to begin looking toward AUC's centennial. Consisting of trustees, faculty, alumni and friends of the University, the committee was charged with recommending guidelines and priorities for AUC's future development -- with particular attention to its educational philosophy and long-term mission.

There was concern among the committee regarding congestion on the Tahrir Square campus due to the fact that some faculty members had to have their offices in rented apartments. In general, there was a need for more space. The consensus was that postponing relocation to some future time might become prohibitively expensive and unaffordable for AUC. It was time to act.

Jehane Ragai '66, '68, professor emerita of chemistry, served as the School of Sciences and Engineering representative on the committee. She was also chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education in Egypt and the Middle East, which was tasked -- among other things -- with determining whether or not AUC's campus should remain in downtown Cairo or consider moving some or all of its activities to a suburban area in the future. The subcommittee determined there was no further room for growth in its downtown location and recommended relocation. Though the Century Committee "reluctantly" agreed to the principle, Ragai said she is "strongly convinced that it was a timely and wise decision."

Earlier this month, 14 AUCians joined young changemakers from the MENA region at the first-ever Regional American Field Service (AFS) Youth Assembly in Cairo to tackle urgent issues like climate change, education and food security.

Inspired by the United Nations Summit of the Future, the regional assembly met for one day to discuss the needs and interests of future generations while calling for meaningful participation of youth in forums for progress. Junior Jannah Hella, who attended on behalf of AUC and is a representative of the student-led organization Heya: The Women’s Initiative, said, “Having these discussions in Cairo, surrounded by passionate peers, made the issues feel even more urgent and relevant to our region.”

The theme was “Leading with Purpose: Empowering Generations to Create the World We Want,” bringing together youth and older generations to dissect topics of global importance. It consisted of four panels focused on climate change, the future of learning, foot security in MENA and Africa, and innovation for the future. 

“These themes couldn’t be more relevant,” said Hella. “The MENA and Africa are already facing the consequences of climate change, from water scarcity to disrupted agriculture, making the discussion extremely urgent. We need solutions designed by those who understand the region’s context and challenges, and that’s why youth must be involved.”

Sophomore Nathaly Thoma of the AUC Folklore Troupe also represented the University at the regional assembly. “I think the overall theme and panel topics are quite significant for our region,” she said. “I especially appreciated how the discussions emphasized the importance of empathy and inclusivity, even in areas like innovation, which are often seen as purely technical.”

"We need solutions designed by those who understand the region’s context and challenges, and that’s why youth must be involved.”

The conference sought to create a space where young voices can be heard and youth can engage with experienced leaders. “Being in a space where my ideas were taken seriously was incredibly empowering; it made me feel seen, heard and motivated to advocate for change in my own community,” Hella said. “I hope that this assembly inspires more youth to step out of their comfort zones in order to learn new things about themselves as well as the world they live in. 

“Investing in youth is the best way of investment for our future,” Thoma added.

Ultimately, this network sought to serve as a catalyst for action, enabling participants to create lasting change through mentorship opportunities for growth and sociocultural exchange. “My main takeaway is the fact that peace can be achieved through cross-cultural programs … [The Regional AFS Youth Assembly] revealed a fresh and powerful perspective on how peace can be fostered at the grassroots level,” said Thoma.

Hella has big hopes for the assembly’s future, from continued youth involvement to real community-based change: “I would love to see the ideas we shared turned into action. I believe in the AFS mission because it goes beyond empowering individuals; it builds a global community that lasts for generations.”

Photo caption: Jannah Hella and Nathaly Thoma attend the Regional AFS Youth Assembly alongside 12 other AUCians.