Alaa Zahabi ’22
- Adnan Kassar School of Business
- Business major with emphasis in Hospitality & Tourism
- High Distinction List
- MEPI TLS scholar
- Member of the Intersectional Feminist Club
- Member of the Hospitality Club
My journey at LAU has been marked with multiple events. First, getting accepted into the Middle East Partnership Initiative – Tomorrow’s Leaders Program (MEPI-TL) as a scholar, which allowed me to make friends from both campuses as we had moved to online learning.
The second was helping to revive the Intersectional Feminist Club and hosting different panels on meaningful topics to raise public awareness.
A third memorable experience was joining the Hospitality Club, where I made new friends and worked with them on organizing events. This gave me insights into what I liked most about my major.
I would also add working closely with Senior Hospitality Lab Supervisor Georges Tamer and Practice Instructor Bassem Slim, especially in organizing the dinner on May 28 that hosted more than 400 guests on campus. It was an opportunity for me to develop skills such as strategic planning and problem solving.
Another unforgettable experience was my role on the Dubai Airshow as a backup manager. We got hands-on training, worked directly with people from different backgrounds and gained so many interpersonal skills.
I truly believe that university transforms a person. Throughout the past three years at LAU I can say that I overcame being shy and being anxious about a new environment. My major and professors played a significant role in helping me grow and evolve as a person. University introduced me to people from different backgrounds, with different points of view and perspectives, as opposed to being at school where you stay in your comfort zone and with the same people for approximately 15 years of your life.