All Around
October 1, 2007
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar student newspaper since 2004
Vol. 4 Issue 1
Carnegie Mellon welcomes Class of 2011
By Yara Saeed
Staff writer
The 2007-2008 academic year comes bearing new
challenges for Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. Not only
has the university had to relocate its premises from the Weill
Cornell Medical College Building to the LAS building, it also,
for the first time, takes on the challenge of housing a full set of
students.
Since its establishment in 2004, the Carnegie Mellon
Qatar community has grown slowly but steadily. And as a member of the class of 2011, I am proud to say that as of this year,
Carnegie Mellon has a full complement of students – freshmen,
sophomores, juniors and, yes, seniors.
When trying to come up with one word that effectively
describes the Class of 2011, I immediately thought of diversity.
This year, by far, comprises one of the most diverse and largest
groups of students in the history of Carnegie Mellon Qatar.
Fifty-seven incoming freshmen, each from different
backgrounds, each with different customs and each with different opinions, and not to mention wacky personalities are the
added flavor of this year. We have students joining us from
neighboring countries including Kuwait, Iran and Egypt.
But just as importantly, we have students joining us
from nations half way across the world such as America, Indonesia and The Philippines. There is no doubt that in such a
diverse community our minds will be opened to thoughts, concepts and beliefs that may have previously seemed unfathomable to us.
This year’s figure of 57 enrolled students dwarfs all
three previous figures, setting a new record for Carnegie Mellon
Qatar.
Carnegie Mellon Qatar has always taken pride in the
fact that it is able to maintain a familial structure within its small
community. It makes it even more pleasing to see that despite
this year’s drastic increase in the number of Carnegie Mellon
students, this close relationship has persevered.
So, if the first few weeks of my freshman year are any
indication of what the future holds, I can tell that not only will I
be bombarded with a ton of assignments that will truly teach me
the Carnegie Mellon definition of “hard work,” but I will also
be surrounded by a friendly, supportive environment that will
Members of the Carnegie Mellon Qatar community during the Fall 2007 orientation.
be engraved in my and every Carnegie Mellon Qatar student’s
memory forever.
So, in the spirit of unity, it seems only fitting to quote
former U.S President J.F Kennedy when he said “united, there
is little we cannot do…divided, there is little we can do.”
This academic year not only joyously welcomes the
Class of 2011, but it will also bid farewell to the Class of 2008,
our first graduating class. Their journey as Carnegie Mellon Qatar students was, and still is, unquestionably challenging and
draining, full of twists and turns.
In the words of British women’s rights activist Emme-
line Pankhurst, “you cannot make omelettes without breaking
eggs.” The Class of 2008 has persevered and the fruit of their
hard work should, and hopefully will, pay off as they become
proud Carnegie Mellon University graduates.
So on mentioning this bittersweet occasion, all I really
have to say is: Watch out Qatar, here come the Tartans. Together
as a full student body - freshmen through seniors - we celebrate
this milestone in Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s history.
And in another four years we will be celebrating the
graduation of the class that has finally completed the set…Class
of 2011.
Information Systems major added to Carnegie Mellon curriculum
By Ian Lacey
IS Program Coordinator
On Sept. 18 Carnegie Mellon Qatar formally launched
its new Information Systems undergraduate degree.
The program is based in Carnegie Mellon’s College of
Humanities and Social Sciences. IS is a unique and innovative
interdisciplinary program and draws on a wide range of exciting college and university strengths. Information Systems is primarily about applying software applications to solve real-world
problems; most often, those applications involve databases, and
increasingly a web interface.
However, the applications are not the issue. In IS,
understanding the technology is almost always secondary to
understanding how it can be used and the implications it may
have.
The IS program examines the organizational, technological, economic and societal aspects of information systems.
The focus will be as much on determining the true nature of a
business problem as the application of computing technology to
solve it. A thorough grounding in organizational theory, decision-making, teamwork and leadership, as well technology are
the keys to success.
“We’ve brought the program to Qatar at the request of
the Qatar Foundation, following studies by the Foundation and
the university into the need for the program,” says Ian Lacey, IS
program coordinator.
“The university’s research
showed there is a great and rising
demand in Qatar and the region for
graduates of such a program. Our research showed that as well as a rising demand for graduates with
high technical skills, there is also a growing demand for professionals who understand both business needs and how technology may (and sometimes may not) solve those needs.”
What’s really exciting, Lacey says, is that this is the
first time that an additional major has been introduced to one of
the existing universities in Education City.
Information Systems is a major that is a perfect complement to Carnegie Mellon’s existing programs: Business Ad-
ministration and Computer Science. Information Systems combines many of the technical aspects of Computer Science with
the analysis skills of Business Administration.
The core courses focus on the skills necessary to analyze, design, implement and test information systems. Many of
the core professional courses will be a great interest to students
in the other programs. Two of these courses are project-based
experiences in which small teams of
students develop and communicate solutions to real information problems for
clients.
In Pittsburgh many of these clients are charitable,
non-profit or educational organizations. We will continue this
practice here in Qatar, so that our students may continue to contribute to the community so that others may benefit from their
learning.
Freshman will be able to apply to the IS program in the
fall of 2008. Existing students will have the option to transfer
into IS in coming months. For more information on IS, log onto
www.qatar.cmu.edu/is.
Page 2
October 1, 2007
All Around
Service
Learning
Students get their hands dirty on Jordan trip
By Saleh Al-Khulaifi
Official Photographer
As a part of Carnegie Mellon University’s community
service activities, Student Services scheduled a trip to Jordan.
The trip’s main goal was to introduce the concept of service
learning and to spread the spirit of helping others among the
students themselves.
“I wanted to do something for the people and the
country, which is something I have neglected for so long. There
should be no hesitation when presented with the opportunity to
help others,” says Ramsey Ramadan (Tepper, 2009).
While in Jordan, the group was given the task to help
a local family expand their home to accommodate their son and
his new wife. The house was so small that it could by no means
hold an entire family.
The group received a tool kit from the people in charge
of the construction site and began working. They were assigned
tasks from working on wires to moving and placing the bricks.
Work had been distributed amongst the students in order to effectively manage the time they had.
The trip was in association with Habitat for Humanity
Organization. HHO projects are based on helping people who
are unable to afford much needed work. By either building them
a house or expanding the one they live in, families can then
move forward with their lives. The services of the HHO project
are also targeted at those who want to start new lives by getting
married or immigrants who have no shelter.
Students themselves were overwhelmed with having
the opportunity to help another member of the Arab society and
to interact with members from another culture. Moreover, it was
good to know more about construction and handling the project
with their own hands.
“I didn’t feel like I was away from my family, because
Jordan is a safe Arab country. Everyone was so kind and pleasant. Because I’m a girl I thought I would face some difficulties,
however, everything was perfect and I didn’t feel that I was dif-
Students spent
the weekend in
Jordan building
a second story
onto an existing
home. The new
living quarters
will house a
young man and
his new wife.
The project was
in conjuction
with Habitat
for Humanity
Organization.
FEATURE
ferent,” says Maha Alkhulaifi (Tepper, 2009), one of the Qatari
female students who joined the trip.
Another benefit of the trip was the students and members of Student Services were able to bond. “As a staff member
on this trip, one of the most rewarding things was being able to
interact with the students outside of the campus setting. I felt
that we all worked together very well, and I was glad to know
more about their lives outside of school,” says Caryl Tuma, Student Services staff member.
During the five-day trip, which ran from August 30
to Sept. 3, the students and staff had time to accomplish the
tasks they were assigned and also take a tour around Jordan. The
group visited the city of Petra, which is one of the New Seven
Wonders of the World.
While it was a lot of hard work, the experience is one
that will stick with students for a long time because they were
able to see how much of a difference they can make in someone
else’s life. As Naif Al-Kaabi (Tepper, 2010) put it, “we helped a
man start a family.”
Nine students and three staff members from Student
Affairs went on the trip. The students were: Hicham Nedjari
(Tepper, 2009), Naif Al-Kaabi (Tepper, 2010), Saad Al-Matwi
(Tepper, 2010), Ramsey Ramadan (Tepper, 2009), Maha Mahmoud (Tepper, 2009), Nasreen Zahan (Tepper, 2010), Hillary
Smith (Tepper, 2010), Megan Larcom (Tepper, 2010), and Maha
Al-Khulaifi (Tepper, 2009). The Student Affairs staff were Dave
Stanfield, Gregory Smith and Caryl Tuma.
October 1, 2007
Page 3
All Around
THE APPRENTICE
They ate, drank and breathed BUSINESS
Maha Al-Hanzab
cmBA Board Member
On Sept. 9 and 10, 2007, students at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar lived one of
the most compelling, intriguing and stressful two days of their lives.
Thirty-five students participated in a mini version of The Apprentice. The objective of
the adaptation of the popular American reality show was simple. Five teams, each consisting of
seven members, were given 300 Qatari Riyals and 20 white T-shirts. Each team was to come up
with a strategy that would result in earning the largest profit.
CMBA
The most interesting and encouraging part of the competition was that the team who
earned the most profit would go home with not only their cash, but also the combined profits of
all of the teams.
The clock started to tick at noon on Sunday, Sept. 9. Each team received its package of
money and T-shirts, and the game began. “It was like walking into a portal and entering a different world for a short period of time. Eyes were filled with
competitiveness and you could see all the students, active
and running around like never before,” says Rasha Mkachar
(Tepper 2008), a contestant on Team One.
Students were not thinking about assignments,
quizzes or exams. Instead they were consumed by The Apprentice. Some students did not sleep, and one student spent
two whole nights baking and cooking breakfast to sell it to
the members of Education City.
The level of intensity and competition, not to mention strategic business rumors, increased each hour. “Within only 48 hours, I saw passion, commitment, resignation, hope, dead ends, gossip, trust, despair, anger, sympathy, love and hate like
I’ve never seen over the years,” Mkachar added.
However, all these emotions gave birth to creativity. Teams came up with imaginative
tactics that earned them high profits. One team acted as a marketing medium for local companies,
others sold the T-shirts to the VCU fashion department and some participants spent time in the
scorching heat selling refreshments and snacks outside local football stadiums. All this enthusiasm and commitment targeted at a chance to win The Apprentice.
Within 48 hours, the sum profit of all teams was an impressive 14,565 Riyals. cmBA
congratulates the members of Team Three, who tagged themselves as ‘Market It,’ for this great
achievement; earning the largest profit and winning the cash prize.
Members of the second place team did not go home empty handed. They received brand
new Nokia cellular phones courtesy of Ettisal, a member of Al-Sulaiman Group and authorized
distributor of Nokia products.
Ettisal/Technoworld sponsored the event and cmBA hosted it. cmBA is a student organization that aims to cultivate the strongest business students in the region, immerse business minds
in a business culture and establish long-term relationships with the business community.
Be on the look out for cmBA’s upcoming events, and remember folks: Eat, Drink and
Breathe Business.
The winning team took home QR 14,565. Not bad for two days of work.
2007-08 Adamson Visiting Writers Series welcomes Eugene Gloria
Marium Chandna
Staff Writer/Copy Editor
On the chilly evening of September 13, 2007, Eugene
Gloria kicked off the 2007-08 Adamson Visiting Writers Series
at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
It did not take him long to hypnotize his audience as
he combined his recital charm with the powerful words that
seemed to roll off his tongue. He commenced the evening with
an excerpt from a poem dedicated to his brother, who served in
Vietnam, and gracefully carried his audience into a realm where
he lay ahead of them his revelations based on profound writers such as American poet James Wright and Sudanese author
Tayeb Saleh.
As Gloria enlightened the Carnegie Mellon community
with his great works, he also shared with them his experience as
a figure in the world of global literature. He focused his address
on the time he spent in Spain, and dedicated a verse to Alhambra, a fortress entitled to the Moorish monarchs of Granada.
An intense poet, Gloria hails from The Philippines.
He is the author of two
captivating
literary
publications Drivers at
the Short-Time Motel
(2000) and Hoodlum
Birds (2006).
While the former
earned him the 2001
Asian-American Literary Award, the latter
gained widespread recognition as a deep, poignant piece of literature
exploring the correlation
between man and his perception of the world.
Gloria earned his BA from San Francisco State University and his MA from Miami University of Ohio. He also holds
an MFA from the University of Oregon.
Gloria concluded his part in this series of accomplished
literary presentations by reciting a love poem that harbored the
essence of Season of Migration to the North, a moving story by
Tayeb Saleh,.
Eugene Gloria currently resides in Greencastle, Indiana, U.S.A., and is a Professor of English and the Richard W.
Peck Chair in Creative Writing at DePauw University.
An excerpt from Eugene Gloria’s “Saint Joe,” after
James Wright:
“When the choppers churned and swayed
the swift brown current like a field of cogon grasses,
we dropped a rope below,
but the native girl, no older than my daughter,
was too weak to hold on, and let go.
We had to leave her to refuel, although we knew
what the river would do.”
Poem Courtesy:
http://www.poetrysociety.org/egloriapoem.html
Image Courtesy:
www.lib.odu.edu/litfest/24th/gloria.jpg
Page 4
October 1, 2007
All Around
Sixth anniversary of a tragedy...or a conspiracy?
By Rifki Bahri
Politics Editor
September 11th 2001, U.S. citizens desperately dialed 911 as they witnessed their symbolic Twin Towers being hit by two hijacked air crafts. Moments later, the buildings collapsed
into gigantic piles of dust and another historic site was born.
Was the attack that took place on 9/11 a coincidence to the emergency number that the
citizens had to call for help? No one knows.
It has been six years since the September 11th attack on the U.S. was carried out and
some 3,000 American lives were lost. Sadness and sorrow filled the atmosphere in the New York
City as Americans held a series of ceremonies to mark the anniversary of the tragedy.
The ceremony, which took place at ‘ground zero,’ included a total of four minutes of
silence to mark the moments of the devastating attack that left the buildings collapsing to the
ground. As they did with all their ceremonies in the past, the names of the victims were read out.
This year the names of all emergency workers, including the surviving firefighters who were on
duty at the time, were also read.
Even though Osama Bin
Laden (pictured above)
claimed responsibility
for the terrorist attacks
on Sept. 11, 2001, many
people still believe the
entire event was a U.S.
Government conspiracy.
At left, fire balls light
up the sky of New York
City as the World Trade
Centers catch fire after
being struck by airplanes.
OPINION
To this day, there are still many rumors of a conspiracy behind the attacks. Most of the
public believes the Twin Towers collapsed when the steel melted, which was a result of the burning kerosene fuel. However, other people believe that was not the reason why the monumental
towers collapsed.
Most people find physics confusing, however it’s physics that can explain why the theory
proved to be wrong all this time. Physics states that kerosene burns at a temperature of around 900
degrees Fahrenheit. However the hardened steel that was used to support the massive structure
of the World Trade Center has a melting point of about 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit, which is three
times the burning temperature of the kerosene fuel.
So how is it possible for the steel to melt, resulting in the collapsing of the two towers,
when the temperature caused by the kerosene is nowhere near the temperature to melt the steel?
This is just one of the questions that is continuing to fuel conspiracy theories around the attacks
on Sept. 11.
Another interesting fact is that the U.S. government created a drafted document in the
year 2000 called the Project of New American Century. The PNAC talks about how to transform
America into ‘tomorrow’s dominant force.’ This document alleges that it will require a long process to transform America unless there is “catastrophic and catalyzing event - like a new Pearl
Harbor.” One year after this document is drafted, the U.S. came under attack. So was the 9/11
incident considered to be the new Pearl Harbor?
If this were the case, the plan has worked out well. America has turned into a dominant
force that is feared by almost every nation in the surface of this dying planet. However the big
question now is: What else will it take until we can witness peace all around the world?
Editor’s Note: A film exploring conspiracy theories and government cover-ups related
to Sept. 11, 2001 can be found at www.loosechange911.com. The movie delves into the possibility that the U.S. Government orchestrated the attacks as an excuse to wage a war on the Middle
East. Other theories explored are that the attacks were organized to drive a rift between Christians and Muslims; that the two towers were brought down via a controlled demolition; and that
Flight 93 did not crash in Shanksville, PA, nor did a plane hit the Pentagon. The movie even
claims that 9 of the 19 believed hijackers are still alive and well. Loose Change 911 is a free
downloadable movie.
Interning at Shell Egypt
A summer of professional and personal growth
Yasmine Abdelrahman
BA senior
The manager of our department knew the
family of his employees and even invites them to
his house. Also, the employees hang out together
during weekends and sometimes travel with each
This summer I had the chance to intern with the
other. I have come to find that employees form comCommercial Team in Shell Egypt, and it was a very remon interests groups especially with those from a
warding experience both on the personal and the professimilar age group.
sional level.
However, at the same time, they enjoy the
company and wisdom of older age groups through
occasional outings.
I also discovered something peculiar while
interning at Shell Egypt. Though it might be dif
The most challenging aspect of working in the
ficult for many of those who know me to believe,
Commercial Team of an energy company is that at any
but for the first time people around me told me that
point in time, while you are working on an assignment,
I do not appear Egyptian. It was a strange feeling
someone you do not know would walk in and request
when your own people do not recognize you as one
information regarding the production statistics of some
of them, when those from different nationalities algas field in the Western Desert and you have to know the
ways tell you “God, that was so Egyptian.”
answer or at least know where to dig for such informa
As a matter of fact, a couple of people
tion.
made
the
comment that my Egyptian accent sounds
In addition, I learned that the quality of educaYasmine Abdelrahman in the middle of an important phone call.
American, and a couple of other people even came
tion we are receiving here in Carnegie Mellon truly does
prepare us for a highly stressful and demanding work environment. Many times, I used Excel up to me and asked “are you Egyptian?” with a puzzled look on their face after they heard me
tools that I never thought I would use; I applied Porter’s 5 Forces to the energy industry while talking on the phone or explaining some work that I had done.
In the beginning, I used to feel quite offended, I know that I look Egyptian, everyone that
doing analysis; and I compared investments of different projects using Net Present Value.
On a personal level, I learned how it is important to “go with the flow” and quickly adapt sees me in Doha says so. However, as time passed, I realized that there is some truth in what they
to the different social environment. Working in Egypt is similar to going back to college, where are saying. And as more time passed I realized that it does not only apply to me but to every other
you continuously socialize with those you compete and collaborate with, outside and inside the expatriate who has been living in Doha.
I took a look at my close friends and saw how unconsciously we all have this same acwork environment.
Though the official working hours are from eight in the morning until five, many actually cent that has been mutated over years of living in Doha. Although we originally speak different
work well into the evening. You would expect such a hard working environment to be socially Arabic dialects, we have reached this one dialect that marks us as outsiders of our respective home
countries.
intense, but it is quite the opposite.
FIRST PERSON
October 1, 2007
All Around
Page 5
HOLA!
A fortnight
wrapped in
Spanish
By Dana Hadan
News Editor
As part of its mission to make its students insightful
and productive citizens of the international world, Carnegie
Mellon Qatar organized a two-week study trip to Salamanca,
Spain.
A group of 10 loyal Spanish addicts headed to Salamanca during May 2007 to spend the first two weeks of their
summer vacation totally immersed in the Spanish language and
culture. Accompanied by Spanish professors Erik Helin and
Sylvia Pessoa, the students joined Estudio Sampere, a learning
center in Salamanca, and began taking extensive Spanish lessons.
The program consisted not only of indoor classes, but
outdoor activities that helped the students learn more about the
Spanish culture and the history behind the city of Salamanca.
It included tours within the city of Salamanca in which behind
every brick, rests an ancient story. Led by their Spanish teachers
from Estudio Sampere, the students further familiarized themselves with the Spanish language, especially the accent and pace
of a native speaker.
FEATURE
Both inside and outside of the classroom, the students
took full advantage of this exceptional opportunity. They benefited from getting involved in cultural activities organized by
the center, such as flamenco dancing lessons.
Furthermore, some of the students had the enriching
experience of living with native families. This made the twoweek stay a complete immersion in Spanish, boosting the students’ confidence at fluently speaking the language.
“Living with a family didn’t just help me improve my
Spanish skills. It also contributed to my overall growth as a person by making me more responsible, more open to other cultures and always willing to share my culture with others,” says
Maha Mahmoud (Tepper 2009), one of the participants and a
level three Spanish student.
In their classes, the students on the trip interacted with
students from all over the worlds. Even though they were from
different walks of life, everyone was brought together
through their Spanish-speaking tongues.
Surprisingly, some of the other students in the
center were seniors and juniors studying Spanish as their
major. Yet the Carnegie Mellon students proved to be more
fluent and of a higher communication level than most of them.
The credit goes to the tireless efforts of their professors.
“My confidence to speak is so much better now. I knew
that this trip will be a life-changing experience. Now I know
that I have 500 million people in the world who I can communicate with fluently,” Says Fatima Farghaly (CS 2009), another
participant from Carnegie Mellon Qatar.
Now that Spanish is on its way to becoming a universal
language, Carnegie Mellon Qatar students are catching up with
the world’s needs and expanding their horizons. The study trip
was really more of a journey towards self-discovery, than just a
language study trip.
While the students got the chance to strengthen their
Spanish communication skills, throughout the process they also
deepened their realization of the importance of cross-cultural
understanding.
One of the
highlights
of the trip
was meeting Tabaré
Vázquez
(pictured left in
the white shirt),
the President
of Uruguay, on
a plane. Above,
students pose
for a picture in
Salamanca.
Below,
students
spent many
hours
studying
Spanish.
Page 6
October 1, 2007
All Around
‘OCU’ TRANSITION –HOWZZAT BEEN!?”
By Olympia Datta
Opinion Editor
Words of honesty did not fail the 2011 freshmen when they where asked the following question. “What do you think about your Orientation-Convocation-University or in short, your OCU Transition?” They sure had a lot to say.
Douaa Marwan Dalle (CS 2011)
Smiled, cocked her head to a side and said, “Orientation, OH MY GOD! I wanna go to University. Convocation, Oh, really wanna graduate. Convocation…
umm,” glanced down at her pages of history assignment, scratched her head and screamed, “What the
hell am I doing?!”
Raji Mohammad Al Hammourr (CS 2011)
Silently summed it all up, “Fantastic.”
Samee Ul Amin (CS 2011)
“It wasn’t nice in the beginning, but things got better. But the cafeteria food is not up to its standard.”
Looking around the student lounge. “The burgers are
boring!” added as an afterthought.
Nada Al-Mahmeed (Tepper 2011)
Looked up from her calculus book and said, “Orientation, CRAZY. Convocation, inspiring. University…” Gazing down at her calculus book, sighed, “Hard
work…”
Abdulla Ali Al-Kuwari (Tepper 2011)
“Orientation was Awesome – One of a kind. I
enjoyed it and I wish I was a freshman again to
attend another one,” Stops to breathe and continues. “The Convocation was really great and
my favorite part was when he asked us to light
the candles. It was very spiritual and meaningful. Great idea.” He stopped and shook his
head and looked at his computer screen. “First
three weeks of university, they suck. It’s very
very hard!”
Shahan Mohammad Jamal (CS 2011)
Looked away from his notebook and said, “It’s been
good. I’ve had no problems. It’s been a smooth ride.”
Hind Al Khulaifi (Tepper 2011)
“The transition I experienced is not as dramatic as I expected it to be,” looks
back at her friends, “CMU was very welcoming.”
Muhanna Al Rumaihi (Tepper 2011)
“Orientation was helpful, Convocation; Boring and
long, University…”, leaned back and said, “Easy.”
Amna Al-Hitmi (CS 2011)
Gave a huge smile and said, “It was amazing!”
Rifki Pratoma Bahri (Tepper 2011)
“Overall, it was better than I had expected.”
Mohammad Mohsin (CS 2011)
Uttered without a thought, “Fantastic,” and continued playing ‘foozeball’.
Hadi Murtada (Tepper 2011)
“Orientation, I thought was lame at first but after experiencing it I realized it
was actually useful and educational. The atmosphere was friendly. The HOCs,
OCs and OLs were great in managing it. The convocation was boring and
inspiring at the same time. University is hard work. I really care about the way
the professors care about us.” Suddenly he exclaimed, “Since I am good at
basket ball, hopefully I’ll make it to the team!”
A word from the All Around's new Editor-in-Chief
Dear Readers,
I welcome you to a fresh, new semester. And to the first issue of the All Around, the official newspaper of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, for the Fall 2007 semester.
As the new academic year has added value to our organization in terms of fresh, innovative talent, we aspire to maintain our tradition of catering to the distinct interests of the Carnegie
Mellon Qatar student body.
Since this issue kick-starts a vigorous yet productive semester for our first-time complete
student body (freshmen through seniors), it holds a special place in my heart. My team already
shares my vision and passion for this prolific beginning. Now I would like to share it with you.
While our success is beyond belief of many, including myself, I do believe that this
achievement required a strong, talented and motivated team, which I am proud to introduce the
team of All Around as. As the new Editor-in-Chief, I am very grateful to and proud of all of the
members of my team, who have helped make the All Around not only a widely read newspaper,
but also a highly professional, competent and reputable organization.
As of now, the All Around will further flourish as it rolls in with its dynamic team,
implementing its conventional journalism, research and development strategies. The day is not
far when the All Around will position itself on a dais as a proud representative of Carnegie Mellon
Qatar.
Having said that, such a scenario is impossible without the support of our loyal readers,
who not only await each issue of the All Around but also voice their ideas and opinions in order
to make it their newspaper.
With success comes responsibility. It humbles me to be handed over such a great team
and flourishing organization by Noor Al-Athirah (Tepper 2008), who precedes me as Editor-inChief. As I pursue my own dream as a Carnegie Mellon student, which is to be successful in
every position I undertake, I also intend to do justice to Noor’s decision of entrusting me with her
baby. It is now up to me to raise this baby and nurture it with the help of the All Around team and
the entire Carnegie Mellon community.
After bagging “ Organization of the Year” and “The Most Active Club” awards last year,
the All Around is back for another year of news, views and the most up-to-date happenings from
all over campus.
I would finally like to pay my gratitude to Noor Al-Athirah once again for her hard work,
tremendous amount of dedication and an everlasting impact she has made on the All Around in a
short three years. Thank you Noor, for being a constant support. The All Around would never have
been what it is today, if it were not for you.
Happy Reading.
Noor Al-Jassim
Editor-in-Chief
October 1, 2007
Page 7
All Around
THE STORY OF HER LIFE
BY Lina Menshawy
Features Editor
She parked her Passat in the same space she did every
morning and walked up to the elevator, unconsciously saying
“Good Morning” to people she has seen and not seen before.
Entering the elevator with four other women and two men, she
pressed the 4th floor. She walked out and into the busy portal,
which was the Finance Department.
The floor was split into multiple cubicles, each supplied
with its own computer and telephone. On the opposite side of the
elevator were two offices that took up the entire side of the wall.
They were mirror images of each other, each with a mahogany
wooden desk accompanied by a matching chair, two tall filing
cabinets and a view of the bustling city facing the glass wall,
separating the offices from the tiny cubicles.
Walking to her designated area, she saw heads popping
out of the cubicles, shouting numbers and words to one another.
It was mayhem. It was like Wall Street. It was the usual. As she
sat in the chair, she started typing in her login password on the
computer. A man from her neighboring cubicle popped his head
in and handed her some files. She sighed and flipped open the
first one.
A SHORT STORY
As she continued to the third file, she drifted off. It was
her usual dream, which recurred day after day. At least thrice a
day she would think about this while she sat in her tiny cubicle.
Prior to working here, she had declined a job offer after two
months of training because the firm was disorganized and she
was given responsibilities that were outside her job description.
She had tons of responsibility but was not provided with any
guidance from any supervisor in the firm.
She had to quit. She has been working for Yestfor Establishment for the past six years. She had been hired fresh out
of college and two years into her career she had asked to take a
year off to continue her studies and get her Masters in Economics. They had declined, guaranteeing that she did not need it and
would be given a raise soon because of her hard work.
For four years ‘soon’ had not come yet. ‘Soon’ had
come to other employees. ‘Soon’ even came to employees working less efficiently than her. ‘Soon’ always came to employees
that knew people high up in the business ladder. Nevertheless,
she remained patient. She knew that she would get her break
‘soon’. She looked towards the two offices. She longed to own
one of them. She didn’t mind which one.
The only time she entered any of them was to get a signature from one of the occupants. It wasn’t a dream as much as it
was a target. She felt the need to prove to herself that she could
manage the entire floor. She was determined and she was on the
right path to achievement. She had worked hard and she had
earned it. A large lady, the Finance Manager, who talked on the
phone all morning and was in conferences all afternoon, engaged
the office on the left corner.
More than once the large lady had told her how much
she appreciates her hard work, efficiency and dedication. She
wanted to tell the large lady how much she was determined to
make it to one of the offices but every time she wanted to express
her dedication, she ended up telling her how much she loves
working with her and how much she loves her job. She was too
scared to get turned down for the position.
“It was mayhem. It was like
Wall Street. It was the usual.”
She parked her BMW in the same space she did every
morning, walked up to the elevator, unconsciously saying “Good
Morning” to people she has seen and not seen before. Entering
the elevator with four other women and two men, she pressed the
4th floor. She walked out and into the busy portal, which was the
Finance Department.
The floor was split into multiple cubicles, each supplied
with its own computer and telephone. On the opposite side of the
elevator were two offices that took up the entire side of the wall.
They were mirror images of each other, each with a mahogany
wooden desk accompanied by a matching chair, two tall filing
cabinets, and a view of the bustling city opposite to the glass
wall separating the office from the tiny cubicles.
Walking to her designated area, she could see heads
popping out of the cubicles, shouting numbers and words to one
another. It was mayhem. It was like Wall Street. It was the usual.
As she sat in the chair, she started typing in her login password
on the computer. A young lady knocked on her office door. She
immediately recognized the young lady and beckoned her to
come in. The thin lady only came in when there were things to
sign.
The young lady had declined a job offer during her
months of training because they had given her responsibilities
that she could not handle. The young lady had been working for
Yestfor Establishment for the pat six years. She had been hired
fresh out of college and two years into her career, she had asked
to take a year off to continue her studies and get her Masters in
Economics. She had not actually gone through with her plan.
She knew she was dedicated and could put in 100-hour
workweek if she was asked to. She had done it before. Many
other employees have been given raises. Many of them were not
as efficient as the young lady.
She wanted to tell the thin lady about giving her an assistant position but every time she wanted to share her thoughts,
she ended up telling her she appreciates her hard work and dedication and as usual the answer came back just the same. She
loves her job. She was too scared she would turn down the position. She was too scared to lose her best employee.
Student Majlis funding allocation for the 2007-2008 year
Basheera Banu
Vice President for Finance,
Student Majlis
Keeping in mind that a certain
amount of your tuition includes the “Activity
Fee,” we believe that you have the right to
know how this money is utilized for building
an active college campus.
Hereby, the Student Majlis will publish, each month, the budget allocated for the
clubs as well as update you with how much
of the budget has been used by each club and
organization on campus.
The total budget allocated for the
year 2007-2008 is QR. 103,000, of which
30% or QR. 30,900 is held with Student Majlis and 70% or 72,100 is distributed among
the clubs and organizations as follows:
If you have any questions regarding
the budget and spending, please contact me
or the Treasurer, Maha Mahmoud.
Organization
Name
Active Women
All Around
Computer Science Club
CMBA
Culture Club
Fine Arts Society
fUnlimited
Health and Fitness Club
Human Rights Club
Indoor Gaming Club
Live Green
Model Arab League
MyEc
NeoMotion
Total
Budget for
the 2007-2008
year
QR. 6500
QR.20350
QR.5000
QR.9000
QR.6000
QR.2500
QR.16000
QR.1000
QR.1500
QR.1000
QR.1500
QR.1750
No funding
No funding
QR.72100
Budget for
the Fall 2007
semester
QR.3250
QR.10175
QR.2500
QR.4500
QR.3000
QR.1250
QR.8000
QR.500
QR.750
QR.500
QR.750
QR.875
requested
requested
QR.36050
All Around
Chairman
Noor Al-Athirah
Editor-in-Chief
Noor Al-Jassim
Secretary
Maha Al-Khulaifi
Business Manager
Ramsey Ramadan
Marketing Manager
Khalid Ziya aeen
Designers
Alya Bwazir, Mina Assad
Copy Editors
Marium Chandna, Hind Al-Khulaifi
News Editors
Dana Hadan, Maha Obaidan
Features Editor
Lina El Menshawy
Business Editor
Noura Al-Ansari
Political/World Events Editor
Rifki Bahri
Opinion Editor
Olympia Datta
Entertainment Editor
Omar Alouba
Entertainment Team
Aeshah Anani, Al-joharah Al-obaidli,
Fatima Hilal, Nada Al-Mahmeed
Staff Writers
Yara Saeed, Benazir Anis
Web Editors
Yasser Khan, Shashank Jariwala
Publishing Coordinators
Abdullah Alothman, Iyed Jouini,
Mohammed El Haja
Photographers
Saleh Al-Khulaifi, Maryam Alsemaitt
The All Around is a bimonthly student
newspaper.
It is Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar’s
budding student body voice.
The first issue was published on the
28th of September 2004.
A team of four students were successful in
publishing 8 issues in the first year
along with the help of their advisor, Kristin
Gilmore.
You may forward any contributions,
enquiries, questions, or suggestions
to our official e-mail address
all-around@qatar.cmu.edu.
Page 8
All Around
October 1, 2007
Entertainment Page
Ramadan Kareem
Ramadan is about :
Ramadan is the holiest month in Islam.
Here is some information on prayers for
Iftar, as well as what Ramadan is, and
what it is not.
• Dua recited by Muslims when
they break the fast: Iftar
• Allahumma inni laka sumtu
wa bika aamantu [wa 'alayka tawakkaltu] wa 'ala rizq-ika aftarthu
Translation: O Allah! I fasted for You
and I believe in You [and I put my trust in You] and I break my fast with Your sustenance ["wa
'alayka tawakkaltu" is quoted in some books of knowledge - but not all, hence it is in brackets]
[abu Dawud]
• dhahabadh-dhama'u wab-tallatil 'uruuqi, wa thabatal arju inshaAllah
Translation: The thrist is gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is confirmed, if Allah
[Ta'ala] Wills [abu Dawud 2:306]
• Dua recited by Muslims when they break the fast at someone’s home:
• Aftara 'indakumus saa'imuna, wa akala ta'aamakumul-abraaru, wasallat 'alaikumul
mala'ikat. Translation: May those who are fasting break their fast in your home, and may the
dutiful and pious eat your food and may the angels send prayers upon you.
[abu Dawud 3:367, ibn Majah 1:556, an Nasa'i]
Verse from the Quran relating to Lailatul Qadr (the night of power):
"Surely we have revealed the Qur'an on the Night of Al-Qadr;
The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months;
The Angels and the Spirit (Jibrael) Descend in it
by their Lords' permission, with every decree.
Peace it is, until the break of Dawn."
- Fasting, humbling yourself, helping those that can’t help themselves and constantly praising
and remembering Allah.
- Living each moment of the month in worship and praise of Allah.
- Eating moderately, enough to satisfy your hunger. Not enough to make you too lazy to pray the
night prayers.
- Educating yourself more about your religion and how to better yourself and benefit those
around you.
- Holding your every day urges to ‘relieve stress’ and not being so irresponsible with what you
say.
- Respecting every human being as equal, with or without their presence.
- Taraweeh prayers and Quran recitation at night.
Ramadan is not about:
- Fasting until the sun sets ONLY.
- Sleeping in, until the sun sets.
- Eating as much as you can upon breaking your fast.
- Watching Egyptian drama series to “pass the time.”
- Swearing.
- Talking behind people’s backs.
- Shisha tents at night.
All these points must be followed within all months of the year and not only in Ramadan. After
all Allah’s vision of you is not limited to one month, but is never ending. Regardless, the human
being is weak and so has been generously granted this one month of forgiveness to show Allah
that they are willing to put the effort into bettering themselves and their societies.
Meet Beza!
Beza is a BA major. Her favorite subjects are
economics, English and history courses in general. She
enjoys reading, which she does not do often but never
fails to catch up on during summer. She is the kind of
person people pass by and can’t help but smile.
Her favorite color is yellow, which suits the
“sunshine” nickname she so effortlessly bestowed on herself. But don’t be fooled by this free-loving girl. There’s
more to her flaky attitude than meets the eye.
Only time will tell what Carnegie Mellon Qatar has in store for these two of a kind students…
Carnegie Mellon in Qatar, please open your doors and welcome Beza and Bu Jaava!
Programmers
hail your king!
This is Bu Jaava, the cockiest programmer alive.
His favorite activities include catching up on the latest technologies around, making more advanced findings than those
provided in the current market and constantly keeping him
on top of the ‘technical world.’
He also never hesitates to ridicule those that try to
emulate (but fail miserably) his inventions. No one has ever
matched this ahead-of-his-time genius, nor has anyone ever
dared to question his ‘advanced programmer’ status. No one
that is, until now.
Will Bu Jaava finally find his match within Carnegie
Mellon Qatar Quarters? Will the king of Java finally fall?...
First day at
Carnegie Mellon