AUS student claims top-tier in global ALD scholarships

American University of Sharjah (AUS) industrial engineering student Mohammad Mahmoud Abdulfattah Abubaker has earned the highest distinction from the Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) international honor society, receiving the Jo Anne J. Trow Undergraduate Scholarship at its top-tier value of US $6,000.

Founded in 1924 at the University of Illinois, ALD has over 280 chapters with one million members and awards scholarships annually to outstanding members across the globe. The Jo Anne J. Trow Undergraduate Scholarship is awarded to students based on merit, leadership and community service criteria. While only 50 scholarships are awarded each year, only five students receive the top-tier $6,000 award. AUS has celebrated Trow recipients in 2024 and in 2025, however Abubaker’s win marks the first time an AUS student has claimed the scholarship at its highest value, placing him as the first student from the MENA region to receive this prestigious honor.

Abubaker, in his sophomore year, maintains a cumulative GPA of 3.87, putting him on both the Dean's List and the Chancellor's List. Balancing his academic commitments with extensive campus leadership activities, he is currently Vice President of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers student chapter, the Organizational Development Officer for ALD, Activities Coordinator for the American Society of Quality chapter, PR Member of the Industrial Engineering Club, Peer Leader for the Student Leadership Program and an ASC Ambassador. He also founded the Grow and Connect Community Service program in collaboration with the Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation and is the Founding President of the Net Impact Student Chapter, which is a first for the MENA region.

"To be the first student from the MENA to rank in the top 5 in the world and the third AUSer in a row to receive this prestigious international scholarship is a huge honor for me," Abubaker said. "This achievement shows the quality of opportunities that AUS provides and is a testament to the global reach and ranking of the students at AUS. Not only locally, but internationally also we are among the top-tier and are recognized around the world."

Abubaker also acknowledged the role of his mentors in his success. “I am deeply grateful to Shahid Bux, Senior Academic Coach and Outreach/Peer Support Coordinator, for his endorsement; Rasha Tawfik, ASC Director and ALD Chapter Advisor, for her guidance on the ALD board; and my mentor, Dr. Abdulrahim Shamayleh, Head of the Department of Industrial Engineering, whose guidance reflects how the university surrounds its students with people genuinely invested in student success,” he added.

Photo caption: Mohammad Abubaker with Dr. Abdulrahim Shamayleh

At AUS, ALD operates as an honor society within the First Year Experience program, one of only two active ALD chapters in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. With over 300 members, the AUS chapter is managed by the Academic Support Center (ASC), which offers academic coaching, skill-building workshops and personal resilience training to support the academic success of every student while linking them to essential AUS resources.

To explore the academic associations at AUS, visit www.aus.edu/life-at-aus/student-life/clubs-and-organizations/academic-as....

To learn more about the First Year Experience program at AUS, visit www.aus.edu/academics/asc.