WAAAUB’s alumni chapter in Australia – the “Land Down Under”
May 26, 2022
“We have wanted to establish an alumni chapter in Australia for a very long time,” says Associate Vice President for Development and Alumni Salma Dannawi Oueida, “but it has been challenging because our alumni and friends are spread out among different cities that are quite some distance from each other.” Australia Chapter President Maya El Hajjar (BBA ’09), who worked in AUB’s Alumni Relations Office in Beirut until August 2020, is one of the more recent arrivals to Australia. “There are quite a few of us who have emigrated to Australia in just the last couple of years because of the situation in Lebanon,” she says. “Like me, they too are eager to get together with other AUB alumni.”
Because of the pandemic and the strict lockdown restrictions in place in many cities in Australia, it was not possible to organize in-person gatherings until fall 2021. “That’s when I started to reach out to people,” remembers Maya. The chapter organized its first event on March 19, 2022, a casual dinner and get-together at Taste of Turkey, a restaurant in Sydney. About 50 alumni and friends attended the inaugural event, including alumni from the Lebanese American University. “It makes sense,” says Maya. “Many AUB alumni – including me – are also LAU alumni – or are married to LAU alumni.”
The chapter is planning to organize small gatherings in other cities in Australia – including Canberra and Melbourne – and a gala dinner towards the end of the year. “The chapter is off to a terrific start,” says Oueida. “I am looking forward to visiting our alumni in Australia – hopefully soon!”
(If you’re in Australia or planning a visit and want to get in touch with other AUB alumni, you can contact the Chapter at australiachapter@waaaub.org to update your details. You can also reach the chapter on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @AUBAlumniAustralia.)