Five students from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) Student Leadership Program (SLP) participated in Al Maktoum College Summer School Program 2018 held in Dundee, Scotland, recently. The AUS delegation consisted of Mira Alansari, Moza Alzarraee, Alia Alhazami, Lyanne Murad and Nadwa Alsawan. The program provides Emirati women students with an opportunity to explore their leadership potential in a multicultural environment.

Sharing her experience, Nadwa Alsawan, a senior student majoring in international studies, said:

“This was a very insightful experience for me as I got to learn how to live alone, away from home, with people I barely knew. I learnt how to deal with situations outside of my comfort zone. I also learnt a lot about the Scottish culture and got a very good idea of the history of the country as a whole.”

Electrical engineering senior, Mira Alansari, also spoke of her experience in Scotland:

“The program introduced us to many aspects of Scottish culture, which incorporated site visits to historic monuments and castles throughout the country. The leadership portion of the program was also quite motivating as we were able to meet influential leaders in the community and listen to their stories and the challenges they faced. All of them had one common characteristic of determination and a drive to take their passions forward. This, of course, showed me that through hard work and a clear goal, anything is possible. Moreover, the nature of the program makes it quite easy to make friends and form tightknit relationships, as the experience is new to all students.”

Dr. Moza Alshehhi, Dean of Students at AUS, said:
"Al Maktoum College Summer School Program is a great opportunity for AUS students to improve their leadership skills and expand their cultural understanding. We encourage more students to take advantage of this valuable program.”