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The Drama Program at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) presented its production of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, performed at The Black Box Theatre on AUK's Salmiya campus.
Simon's comedy was directed by AUK's new Assistant Professor of Drama, Dr. Kathleen R. Downs, under the auspice of the newly formed Music and Drama Department. It included such veteran AUK actors as Nader Abdullah and Yousef Nayef. Newcomers to the University's theatre community include Eamon Issa, Amran Aldallal, Yacoub Aljaffrey, Ken Downs, Nouf Al Mazidi, and Tori Danner. The production crew included stage manager Nouf Al Mazidi and assistant stage manager and acting understudy Mohammed Al-Saeed, with Mariam Al Refai on costumes and Mohammad Saleh manning the light and sound boards.
The company met nightly for close to two months as they diligently learned lines, rehearsed movement and improvised comedic situations to delight audiences of all ages. The play was performed before a sold out house on three of the four nights of the show.
Despite limited space, the troupe ably performed comedic gags and slapstick routines as they struggled with the question of whether two completely opposite roommates could live amicably together. The story of the two roommates, Oscar Madison and Felix Ungar, has been performed all over the world since the original 1965 production. It also has been made into two television series, a cartoon series and a movie.
AUK is proud to have continued the saga of the two mismatched roommates, who not only survive each other but learn to grow and develop as a result of their friendship. The AUK community looks forward to the next theatrical event, planned for the Spring semester of 2013.
The Department of Music and Drama offers a wide range of opportunities for both beginning and advanced students within the context of a liberal arts education. The Music and Drama faculty of talented professionals work closely with students to prepare them for campus concerts and plays, and to academically challenge them in courses on performing arts. The department fosters artistic proficiency, cultural appreciation, a sense of community, and a lifelong commitment to the arts.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 5th February 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
Important - Last Chance!
Students interested in the Cambridge International Diploma in Business must register for the May 2013 exam before February 14, 2013.
The Cambridge IDB will be discontinued in 2015, and because of this, it is important to register for at least one module before the deadline, even if you don't want to start studying immediately, in order to be eligible to sit Cambridge exams in the future.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 31st January 2013
As part of the daily show "Good Morning Kuwait", Kuwait TV hosted Dr. Hesham Al Awadi, Associate Professor of Political Science and History at AUK to talk about Kuwait's Future Generations Fund (FGF) and its role in boosting the governmental education sector in Kuwait.
The discussion covered several points including, the increase in the assets of the Future Generations Fund (FGF) and the concurrent talks over loans write-off. Dr. Al Awadi expressed his optimism about the rise in educational funds from 10% to 25% of oil revenues. This, in his opinion, should make great contribution to the standard of education in Kuwait, if wisely utilized. Such resources should go to the development of educators and educational resources rather than infrastructure investments. "People need to regain trust in governmental education in Kuwait", stressed Dr. Al Awadi.
The public discussion over loans write-off, in Al Awadi's opinion, should not be seen in separation from the positive efforts in building the educational process. "The mentality of exclusion of opposing views should disappear from our dialogue", Al Awadi commented on the Parliament talks over loans write-off. "Unless we forget about personal interests, we will never be able to build a future for our coming generations" he concluded.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 16th January 2013
After several months of hard work, the AUK Library officially started receiving visitors in the new expanded area on its second floor. In an Open House event on January 10th, the library opened doors to the AUK community to enjoy the new renovations and facilities in the previously closed area.
The new library section now houses part of the book collection, in addition to periodicals display, a reading space, a terrace, and a book display area, with a special stand for books published by AUK professors. AUK Freshman Rawah Al-Hassan , especially likes the "calm atmosphere of the new Library section and the fact that AUK Professors' books are receiving good recognition."
According to Ms. Asma Al Kanan, the newly appointed Library Director, planning and preparations started in the Library during the Summer, while actual work started beginning November and was completed in mid-December. The process was exhaustive as it included transferring and moving a book collection of over 30,000 items without affecting the daily operations and services of the library,. Fiction and Journals' current and old issues were relocated to the new space, allowing the library to free the middle area in the ground floor for twelve new tables. The Circulation Desk was also reduced and moved to the corner to free the middle area and better serve library users. Al Kanan says "I feel very proud of a hard working library staff and a supportive administration. I'm very pleased to see the productive use our users are making of the new space."
The Library Open House saw many students and faculty members, who came to help and enjoy the social and intellectual atmosphere of the event. Among those, was the current Chair of the Library Committee, Dr. Kathy Nixon, who showed appreciation to the work undergone by the Library staff. "I am impressed with the Library staff, they worked really hard," said Nixon "It is a great thing to have this event to show the students how hard the Library staff have worked to support their study process."
The Library Terrace, which has been closed for years, has turned into a lively area during the event. Dr. Marcelline Fusilier, Professor of Management and former Chair of the Library Committee, said she likes the open terrace overlooking the AUK campus. In her opinion, it serves as a breather for students to rest during studying or make conversations that are not possible inside the library "The atmosphere of the Library Open House is very welcoming, it is something new," said Dr. Fusilier.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 15th January 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
Under the slogan "Be a Distinctive Journalist," the organizers of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah Award for Journalistic Excellence launched their awareness campaign aiming to establish a new generation of expert journalists in Kuwait. This year, universities around Kuwait were among the most important targets of the campaign.
On Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012, the organizers visited the American University of Kuwait (AUK) to meet the students and present the competition guidelines, conditions and requirements for eligible participation.
Ayman Al-Ali, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee, conducted the presentation at the AUK Auditorium. He started off by introducing the competition and the motives behind initiating this contest. Al-Ali spoke of Kuwait's keen interest to establish a new generation of expert journalistic writers in Kuwait.
"The main aim of this competition is to entice the youth category, that's why we are operating in means similar to the youth, use of technology, where our registration process is possible via the website, in a way to make it easier for the youth to participate and attract them more. We hope to have high youth participation this year," said Al-Ali.
The competition this year seeks not only to attract the Kuwaiti youth, but also to polish their journalistic skills. Therefore, the conditions for the Kuwaiti Youth category come with more privileges to facilitate the process of their participation. This includes a lower word count and the possibility of English submissions, accompanied by Arabic translation. Additionally, the submissions should be related to Kuwait, yet not limited to a single topic, allowing more space for creativity and innovation to be part of the participation.
The deadline for participation in the competition is scheduled to be the 17th of January 2013. Participants will be required to visit Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) to complete their registration application and submit their work to Yasir Al-Saadi, Media Officer.
In order to have a comprehensive judging approach, the judging panel of the competition will consist of professional journalists and academics. One of the announced renowned members of the judging committee will be Dr. Ahmed Al-Sharif, Head of Media Department at Kuwait University.
From their side, the Communication and Media Department at AUK saw this competition as a valuable opportunity for students to participate and increase their exposure to technical and professional writing. Therefore, in collaboration with the Public Affairs Department, the session was successfully held to encourage interested students to learn more about the competition and share their questions.
"I would like to thank the organizers of the Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah Award for Journalistic Excellence for taking the time to talk to our students. I hope our students realize that participating in this competition will give them an opportunity to compete with other aspiring writers and to improve their writing skills," said Dr. Mohamed Satti, Chair & Assistant Professor at Department of Communication & Media.
The informational session given by Al-Ali did not only attract AUK Media students, but also students from different majors who were interested to know more about the competition guidelines, hoping to submit future contributions.
It is with the support of His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, Prime Minister, and his aspiration to create many initiatives to encourage youth participation and their involvement that this competition is running for its fifth session. Al-Ali, therefore, promised of a paradigm shift in attracting youth and creating more opportunities in future sessions.
Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Al -Sabah Award for Journalistic Excellence was founded five years ago and took the name of the late, Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, with the support and blessing of the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, Prime Minister, who has spared no effort in the development of this award, which aims to encourage excellence journalist and for the first time the Kuwaiti youth, also create a spirit of competition to take them to the ranks of the highest levels of the global media.
Written by: Aya Abdulhamid
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 15th January 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
AUK Associate Professor of International Relations Dr. George Irani participated in a show titled 'The Road to the White House' on Kuwait TV. The show is produced by Dr. Abdallah Al-Shayeji, Chair of the Political Science Department at Kuwait University.
The program covered topics including, President Obama's nominations for the positions of Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense, as well as a discussion on the fiscal cliff in the US. The program also discussed future prospects in relations between Obama and the US congress.
During his conversation, Dr. Irani stressed that the election of Barack Obama to a second presidential mandate is a sign of maturity in the American electorate. According to Dr. Irani, the appointment of the trio-Kerry, Hagel and Brennan-is proof of Obama's aim to build a solid team he can trust and rely upon in his second term. AUK Associate Professor of International Relations Dr. George Irani
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 14th January 2013
The Salmiya Collection is the latest book by Dr. Craig Loomis, Associate Professor of English and Chair of the English Department at the American University of Kuwait. The book, which will be published in March by the Syracuse University Press, deals with the essence of the everyday life in the popular Kuwaiti district of Al-Salmiya.
Through the forty stories in the book, Dr. Loomis unveils the distinct yet complex aspects of the Kuwaiti society that project a holistic picture of the universal nature of characters and situations. As the publisher describes it, "The book captures the spirit of life in modern Kuwait".
The Salmiya Collection received a review by Earl (Tim) Sullivan, Professor and Provost emeritus, American University in Cairo, in which he says "Loomis's stories see the world from the perspective of the characters he depicts, foreigners and Kuwaitis alike...readers will enjoy and be provoked by The Salmiya Collection."
Craig Loomis is also the author of A Softer Violence: Tales of Orient, and his short fiction has appeared in the Iowa Review, Colorado Review, Quarterly West, Louisville Review, and Prague Revue.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 10th January 2013
Throughout 2012, the American University of Kuwait has significantly expanded its support for academic and student services with several IT and technology infrastructure projects. The University has adopted a video collaboration and meetings platform that facilitates a visual connection between professors and staff who are globally dispersed.
Advances in learning support were achieved by optimizing projector, video, and internet connectivity into all classrooms so that more than 100 faculty members on AUK's campus can connect with approximately 2200 students to share resources to make the most of the learning experience.
Using the same space, AUK increased the computer count from 108 to 156 in four computer labs, a 44% optimization. AUK's annual energy cost for the 108 computers was 1,660,954 kW a year. The new 156 computers use 204,984 kW a year. AUK's going green resulted in a 1,455,970 kW decrease (87%) in energy costs.
The University has successfully deployed "mobile applications" through the Ellucian Mobile Connection framework providing smart phone and mobile devices access to useful student services. The performance reporting and analytics platform has been upgraded to the current versions in support of a push to open operational reporting to a wider range of end-users and a critical push to enhance the value of institutional research and planning.
In addition to this outstanding year of activities the IT department initiated a knowledge and cultural exchange via IT internship for a student from Dartmouth, AUK's international partner institution. AUK hopes to continue improving on its integration of technology into our campus and our efforts to save energy.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 7th January 2013
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2013
In partnership with Dar Al-Farasha of Kuwait, Beirut's publishing house Dar Al-Farabi has published the Arabic translation of Abundance from the Desert: Classical Arabic Poetry by AUK's Associate Professor of Arabic Raymond Farrin.
Abundance from the Desert was first published in English by Syracuse University Press (2011). The book introduces classical Arabic poetry to a Western audience, presenting a number of major works from various time periods, regions, and genres and discussing each one in its context. In addition, the book marks an important step forward in the study of Arabic poetry, highlighting the incidence in this tradition of ring composition (a method of composition similar to the arrangement of a necklace, whereby the end is connected to the middle, and the most significant part lies in the middle).
"As I was writing Abundance from the Desert, I realized that the book might well interest an Arab reader, particularly because this approach to analyzing early poetry is not well known in the field of Arabic literature. I resolved then to translate the book into Arabic," commented Dr. Farrin, adding, "The translation was not an easy project-it ended up taking me almost four years-though I hope it was a worthwhile one. I am grateful for AUK's support of the project and for the editing by Kuwaiti poet Dalal Al-Baroud. Now that the Arabic version has come out," he says, "I am more proud of it than I am of the English version, which was my first published book."
Raymond Farrin received his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. He studied Arabic in Cairo before specializing in classical Arabic poetry at Berkeley. He has been on the AUK faculty since 2006.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 7th January 2013
A new book, titled Remote Control: Indian Television in the New Millennium, authored by Dr. Shoma Munshi, Professor of Anthropology at the American University of Kuwait (AUK), was released by Penguin Books worldwide in December 2012. The book's focus is 'What do the TV shows we're watching tell us about ourselves?'
Munshi argues that television is the single most powerful and dynamic agent of change in India today. It is also India's most popular and accessible form of entertainment. The book examines three kinds of programming - 24x7 news, soap operas, and reality shows - that have changed Indian television forever, and analyzes how these three genres, while drawing on different sources, are hybridized, indigenized and manage to ultimately project a distinctively 'Indian' identity. Munshi's book shows us how everyday reality in India in the twenty-first century shapes television; and how television, in turn, shapes us.
About her new release, Munshi comments, "This is my second single authored monograph since I joined AUK. I am particularly happy since this book is dedicated to my father, Wing Commander Anil Chandra Munshi, who came to AUK several times, and whom I lost two years ago, but my father read through and corrected the first draft of the book manuscript."
Munshi's book has already garnered extensive advance praise. Sunil Lulla, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Times Television Network, states "Shoma's book captures the rapidly changing pace in the Indian television domain. Big plots, subtle changes, new scripts, stolen ideas, factual updates, dreams and disrupted plans - all neatly explained. Good if you know nothing about Indian TV. Even better if you think you knew it all." Professor Dale F. Eickelman, Professor of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, USA, and the AUK-Dartmouth Relationship Coordinator, notes "Remote Control is the authoritative and entertaining story of India's rapidly evolving and hotly competitive television programming in the twenty-first century. A must read, it places Indian television on a worldwide stage and is a model for comparable studies elsewhere."
Munshi is the author of Prime Time Soap Operas on Indian Television (Routledge, 2010); editor of Images of the 'Modern Woman' in Asia: Global Media, Local Meanings (Curzon 2001); and co-editor of Media, War and Terrorism: Responses from the Middle East and Asia (Routledge, 2004, 2006). She also has several publications in refereed journals.
Munshi earned her PhD from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), in Paris, France; and her work experience encompasses the University of Delhi, University of Amsterdam, University of Pennsylvania, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New Delhi, India, before joining AUK in January 2006 .
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 19th December 2012
