Cross-cultural learning: one Saudi student’s experience at USD and beyond

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Name: Metaeb Alohali

Country: Saudi Arabia

Major: Electrical Engineering

Languages: English, Arabic

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I am Metaeb Alohali (far right above photo) from Saudi Arabia. I study Electrical Engineering and am in my junior year. I chose USD because I have always dreamed to come to San Diego when I was in high school. Two of my uncles have studied in the 80’s in San Diego, and from what I heard from them, it is heaven on earth. When I looked at the schools in San Diego, USD was my first option. I choose my major because I have always been passionate about math and sciences, and thankfully I still enjoy it. Since I entered USD, my social life has changed in several aspects. First, I get to meet people from all over the world and become friends with them. Having diverse friends made me think differently and better understand different cultures and religions. Second, I enjoyed joining the executive board members of the Muslim Students Association, Saudi Students Association, and the club of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers also known as IEEE.

Last semester, Fall 2014, the OISS at USD hosted the “A is for Arab”, a traveling exhibit that examines stereotypes about Muslims and Arabs in pop culture. The brilliant guest speaker Dr. Mietek Boduszynski (far left in above photo), a political science professor at Pomona College and former US diplomat in Albania, Kosovo, Japan, Egypt, and Libya, was invited to make the key-note speech. What made Dr. Boduszynski’s experience so special was that was in the Middle East during the Arab Spring; moreover, he was assigned to Libya when the tragic assassination of the US ambassador to Libya happened. At the exhibit Dr. Boduszynski spoke about his experience, some facts about the Arab world and clarified some of the wide spread stereotypes about the Arabs. After his speech, I had a great chance to chat with him and he asked my Arab friends and me to meet personally with his students at Pomona as part of his Middle Eastern Affairs class.

We visited his class in March and I made sure to choose a diverse group of students to go there, so that his students would hear different experiences and political views. Jamal Jamal from Kuwait (Muslim-Shia), Huda Kahin from Somaliland (Muslim-Sunni), and myself (Muslim-Sunni). Jamal and I first began speaking about our countries and the Arab Spring for about 10 minutes. Then, the students started asking all of us questions about politics, religion, culture, and so on. They asked smart and deep questions that indicate they have a very good knowledge about the Middle East. The students seemed very eager to meet Middle-Eastern students and get a personal view about the Middle East. Students asked questions about the current political events in Saudi Arabia and the region and our views about them. They also asked how we view our conservative culture and whether we agree with it or not. They had a little misconception between our conventions  and the governmental rules in Saudi Arabia; for example, they asked why every Saudi girl that studies abroad has to have her brother or father with her. The reason is not because their families won’t let them, but because the government won’t give them scholarships.

It was a really great opportunity to go there and speak about my country and answer questions they thought were taboo about religion, culture, and the government. I was told that there are no Saudi students in Pomona College, so for some of the students I was the first Saudi they ever met which made me feel honored.

Studying abroad in US for me is a really good chance to learn about the American culture in particular and other cultures in general. Though, to me, studying abroad alone is not enough to get a good knowledge about a certain culture, it’s also important to make friends with people from different backgrounds and hang out with them. Since I came to the US, I learned so much about different cultures and eliminated the stereotypes I had. Also, engaging with different people makes me more open-minded to try diverse habits and behaviors that are not in my culture. Fortunately at USD, I rarely find stereotypes about Saudi’s. The majority of people I met at USD are well educated and have knowledge about the outside world. Another factor is there a lot of Saudi students who study at USD which made it easier for me to introduce or clarify things about my culture. Also, San Diego is an open and diverse city, therefore, the community is less vulnerable to believe stereotypes that are spread in the media and often discriminate against Arabs and Muslims. All in all, I will never be able to explain my experience in the US in couple of hundred words, but it is absolutely a joyful and successful part of my life that I will never forget.

-Metaeb Alohali

 

 

Naumana’s Peacebuilding: Strengthened by Love

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From Inside USD – “Love” is a word Naumana Suleman uses to describe her journey in life. Within that journey is a heartfelt desire to spread compassion throughout the world.

Currently pursuing a Masters of Arts in Peace and Justice Studies in the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, Suleman will be graduating this month. Originally from a large Christian community settlement in Pakistan, Suleman came to the University of San Diego to pursue a focus in peace studies.class-of-2015

Suleman, photographed in the second row on the far right, with her classmates in the 2015 Peace and Justice Studies Cohort

Influenced by her parents, Suleman credits them for her upbringing and aspiration to “contribute her part for a positive change in the world.” Adopted at an early age, Suleman recognizes her parents’ love as a key part of whom she is today saying, “it enriched me as a person.”

Growing up in Lahore, Pakistan, which is called the “heart of Pakistan,” Suleman describes Lahore as a historic city, “a city of people with lively hearts.”

“People know that Pakistan has been facing terrorism and faith-based violence, along with some other human rights issues, which has damaged the social fabric of Pakistani society. But people should also know the bright faces of Pakistan, which are Human Rights Defenders. Many have sacrificed their lives and many are still struggling for a just and peaceful society in Pakistan. Moreover, Pakistanis have talents and a lot of abilities, but they face a lack of opportunities and a conducive environment,” Suleman said.

While working for a few years as a teacher in a government school, Suleman saw firsthand the discrimination towards different minority groups.

“I saw the discrimination, which was going on in regards to the minority children studying in that school,” Suleman said. “If the teachers, who are well-educated, are still not able to be not biased with regards to their colleagues or with regards to their students, how can this be?”

Since 2006, Suleman has worked with the National Commission for Justice and Peace, a part of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, and has witnessed the challenging situations for “the general masses and specifically the marginalized and minority communities in her country.” Because of this work, Suleman was inspired to pursue higher education in peace and justice studies. Choosing the USD program, Suleman praises the faculty as well as her peers, marveling at friendships she has made along the way.

“For me, this program, at this stage of my career, is an incomparable opportunity. It is something that has helped me to reflect and to learn about issues more in depth,” she said. “Having conversations and studying with my colleagues from different parts of the United States and the world, making new friendships, … and the courses being taught here are very much connected and close to my work in Pakistan.”

For Suleman, her passion for peace has always been a part of who she is. “I have chosen a human rights path because, for me, it’s the basic notion of life … the basic notion of equality.”

In a country where she sees discrimination against minorities, notably religious minorities, Suleman hopes that equality will overcome any barrier, and that one day she will see a rebuilding of the social fabric that has been damaged by religious, ethnic, and linguistic tensions.

Going forward, Suleman realizes that alone she is not able to create change, but she has the desire to contribute any way she can, hoping to “work for a world where people can enjoy their rights on the basis of equality,” and that one day, everyone will experience the joy and peace they deserve.

Suleman acknowledges that the pursuit of equality is necessary but involves risks, recognizing the importance of creating a just and peaceful society.

“We should not lose hope. We should be optimistic. I know there are several challenges. We should be a kind of strength … keeping our hope and faith and letting the light of love guide us,” she said.

— Allyson Meyer ’16

At The Top of Her Class

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 Name: Paulina Canizales

Country: Mexico

Major: Finance

Languages: Spanish, English, French

 

The San Diego Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI) granted the 2015 Outstanding Student Award to School of Business Administration senior Paulina Canizales ’15 BA in April.

This award is given to the top 85bd8cb49c4db1306c1cc179e6a9d3ccfinance student at each university including the University of San Diego, San Diego State University and California State University San Marcos.

Graduating summa cum laude, Canizales is the top graduating finance major, and she is also receiving departmental honors in finance, which is given to all students who have a 3.5 GPA or higher.

“I attribute much of my success to my parents who instilled the values of responsibility, discipline and hard work in me.” she says.

Getting to the top of her class wasn’t easy.

“I came to the U.S. from Mexico on a student visa,” she says. “It was a tough transition. The education system is completely different. The Mexican education system focuses on memorization while the U.S. system leans toward analysis and critical thinking.”

Born near the Arizona border in Hermosillo, Sonora, English was a second language.

“Since kindergarten, I have been studying English. However, speaking and reading English on a daily basis and maintaining a 4.0 GPA was intense,” Canizales says.

During her four years in the School of Business Administration, she perfected the language and is now fluent in English. She studied abroad in Madrid and Nice and is now fluent in French too. Fluency in Spanish, English and French combined with her experiences abroad have opened her eyes to varying business styles across many cultures. USD’s International Student Organization (ISO) made her transition to USD easier and she wanted to give back. In fall 2013, she was the ISO President and managed the organizations finances.

After getting a taste for the finance world, she sought out an unpaid internship with BANORTE Bank in Hermosillo, Sonora. There, she broadened her experiences working in investment banking, human resources, mortgages and her favorite department, currency exchange transactions. This internship and her global experiences gave her direction and the confidence to secure a job. After graduation, Canizales will work in Guadalajara, Jalisco, assisting the CEO of Fintegra, a financial services firm.

“The education I received at SBA refined my critical thinking abilities and gave me the technical skills and know how regarding financial operations,’ she says. “The best class I took in SBA was Professor Conroy’s Macroeconomics class. It taught me real-life concepts that I have been able to apply on a day-to-day basis.”

She will take this knowledge back to Mexico and hopes to focus on the needs of her country. Through her position with Fintegra, she wants to be a part of making sure the money of Mexican taxpayers is well spent by assisting state and local governments in efficiently financing community projects. She also hopes to continue her education and obtain her Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential and a MBA in finance.

— Victoria Johnson ’04 BA (Communications Studies)

Five International Toreros Earn Postseason Accolades!

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Names: Uros Petronijevic, Filip Vittek, Jordan Angus, Romain Kalaydjian

Countries: Serbia, Slovakia, United Kingdom, France

Majors: Communication, Business Administration and Management

Languages: Serbian, Slovak, English, French

The No. 22 University of San Diego men’s tennis team (20-4, 9-0 WCC) swept this year’s postseason awards in all categories. The West Coast Conference recognized head coach Brett Masi, Uros Petronijevic, Filip Vittek, Jordan Angus, and Romain Kalaydjian, which was announced on Tuesday afternoon.

 From left to right: Uros Petronijevic, Filip Vittek, Jordan Angus, and Romain Kalaydjian 

After leading the Toreros to an undefeated conference record for back-to-back seasons, Masi was named Coach of the Year for the second time in his career (previous, 2011). Junior Uros Petronijevic earned conference Player of the Year for the first time in his collegiate tenure as well, while also capturing a spot on the All-WCC Singles First Team with teammate Filip Vittek. Additionally, Vittek and partner Jordan Angus were named to the All-WCC Doubles First Team. Angus, a junior, picked up two accolades as well — achieving an All-WCC Singles Second Team spot in his first year as a Torero. Junior Romain Kalaydjian also grabbed an award, receiving an Honorable Mention selection for singles.

Masi has clearly left his mark on the Torero program in only his sixth season. Not only has he led the Toreros to four-straight NCAA second round appearances, Masi is the first-ever coach to hold the longest-running undefeated record against conference play at 20-0. Masi also claims the highest winning percentage in program history at .833 (previous, .818 1980). This season, Masi and the squad captured the West Coast Conference regular season title, only allowing five points versus conference play.

Petronijevic, the Toreros’ No. 1 singles player, is currentlyranked No. 52 inthe nation. The Serbian currently rides a six-match winning streak in singles, while boasting an overall record of 20-10 and dual season record of 12-5. Petronijevic has filled very big shoes after Clarke Spinosa’s departure defeating seven nationally-ranked opponents in the 2014-15 season (No. 18 Denis Nguyen of Harvard, No. 45 Gage Brymer of UCLA, No. 29 Harrison Adams of Texas A&M, No. 6 Yannick Hanfmann of USC, No. 93 Henry Craig of Denver, No. 42 Alen Salibasic of Drake, and No. 105 Freddy Gelbrich of San Diego State). Posting a 3-1 mark against league opponents, Petronijevic is only the second player in USD history to receive the prestigious Player of the Year award (previous, Dean Jackson 2011).

NCAA Tennis: WCC Championships77th-ranked Vittek, who has played primarily at the No. 2 spot, is 5-1 in conference play and has moved up significantly in singles since his freshman year — previously receiving Honorable Mention selection recognition in 2014. With an overall record of 23-7, Vittek holds the team’s most singles victories, while most notably defeating 38th-ranked Ben Lott of Drake and No. 37 Quentin Monaghan of Notre Dame earlier this season. The Slovakia native received three West Coast Conference Player of the Week honors for singles, the most in conference this season. However, Vittek is no stranger to doubles success. The sophomore claims a spot on the All-WCC Doubles First Team for the second year in a row. Teamed up with Angus, the 45th-ranked pair have helped claim 18 of the Toreros’ 24 doubles points this season. The talented duo have only dropped one match against league opponents at 7-1 and have defeated squads such as No. 6 Sasha Gozun and Roberto Cid of South Florida and No. 56 Thomas Colautti and Zack McCourt of Princeton. The pair has been ranked as high as No. 28 by the ITA national rankings (September 8, 2014).

Transferring from one of the top Division I tennis programs in the country, Angus begins to wrap up his first-year as a Torero on a high note. All-WCC Singles Second Teams comes well earned as the Englishman posts the team-best conference record at 8-0. Playing primarily at the No. 3 spot, Angus boasts an overall record of 20-8, whiling winning eight of his last nine matches. Angus also received West Coast Conference Player of the Week previously this season (April 1, 2015).

Wrapping up the singles awards was Kalaydjian. Kalaydjian has undoubtedly been a significant asset to the Torero squad and is known for his down-to-the-wire clutch victories. The junior has won five singles matches in a row and posts a 6-1 record versus league opponents.

The Toreros, who received the top seed at the West Coast Conference Championships for the second year in a row, received a bye for the first round of the tournament beginning this week (April 22-25, 2015) at the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, Calif. The squad will prep for their first match in the quarterfinals scheduled for this Thursday, April 23rd, at 12:00 p.m. — PT.

For more information, go to www.usdtoreros.com