Acorn

Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: TRUE DREW

Media Credit: Christa Van Eerde

I managed to catch Fidele Harfouche one afternoon in the short time between her last class and her senior portrait appointment. We talked as she applied her makeup in a thin, full length mirror propped against her bed.

You can tell she is used to running around tackling several things at once. You can hear it in her voice, brimming with that youthful, excited cadence of someone on the cusp and very capable of going out to do big things in the world.

But what else would you expect from someone who has designed her own major (Middle East Studies), founded her own club and was integral in fast-tracking an amendment to Drew's financial aid policy which extended it to also cover study abroad programs, this from someone who originally applied to Drew as a commuter.

The first of her family to be receiving a bachelor's degree, Harfouche had to convince her parents to allow her to dorm on campus. She hesitates at first then concedes, "I had, well, over protective parents." Now, more than merely live away from home, she has now studied in Lebanon and recently returned from a semester abroad in Cairo.

Harfouche has always been one to confront the administration or faculty directly to ask questions about policies, wondering if things could be done differently.

This speaks to her unwillingness to settle. In designing her own major-at the time Middle East Studies was only offered as a minor-with the help of several professors, Harfouche was in essence able to design her entire college experience.

When she found out that her financial aid would not apply to a study abroad program she had found in Egypt, she took her issue up with the college deans and the president in Mead Hall.

Because Harfouche put a problem squarely in the laps of administrators she was ultimately able to finagle a compromise and saw the policy change to the benefit of future students. That she was able to this with relative ease and support is something that Harfouche lauds about Drew.

"She really throws her whole heart into things.  What I admire most is her passion, whether you agree with her or not you have to respect someone who cares so much," Professor of Economics and Director of the middle East Studies Program Nora Colton says.

As Harfouche would put it, "If you have the will, you have the means here at Drew."

So when something like the Muslim Student Association didn't cut it for Fidele, she decided to start her own club, the Middle East Students Association (MESA).

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools