SUCCESS is SWEET 2014-2015 AWARDS
On behalf of City Council and the people of Edmonton, Alberta s Capital City, I am honoured to offer my congratulations to the Al Rashid Education Foundation. One of Edmonton s greatest strengths is our diversity. We embrace the many benefits of our multicultural society and are made stronger by the many cultures and traditions that contribute to our city s social fabric. Established in 2013 by local community members, the Al Rashid Education Foundation was founded on a desire to encourage and empower Muslim students to achieve their potential in academic excellence, athletic and artistic achievement and entrepreneurial pursuits while making meaningful contributions to their community. Today it continues to apply its mission to enrich the lives of many as well as enhance our reputation as a culturally diverse city. I thank the Board of Trustees, as well as all applications, advisors and sponsors who make this initiative so meaningful. Your efforts help to create a more vibrant and inspired city for all of us. Yours truly, Don Iveson Mayor
Alsalam Alykum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatoh It is with the blessing and guidance of Allah (SWT) that we launched Al Rashid Education Foundation (AREF). 2013 and 2014 were very busy years for a large team of dedicated volunteers who shared a vision and worked hard to turn that vision into a reality. Today, we stand very proud, having seen the first group of successful candidates receive their scholarships from AREF. We hope and pray to Allah (SWT) that this marks the beginning of a long lineage of successful Muslim future leaders. The AREF team, just as with the rest of the Muslim community, believes that education is key to building a successful society. Muslims have been and continue to be a significant partner in building this beautiful mosaic of culture that form the Canadian society. As such, the Muslim community has stood strong behind the establishment of AREF. The AREF team was pleased, but not surprised, by the generosity expressed by members of the Edmonton Muslim community. Within a very short period of time, and without any significant fan fair, AREF was able to raise upwards of $50,000. These funds helped issue over a dozen scholarships in 2014. As we embark on our second year, we look again to the community for support. We look to build an endowment fund that AREF can invest and use the profits generated from the endowment fund to provide even more scholarships. Our goal for 2015 is to raise $250,000 which will go towards building the endowment and yet still allow AREF to issue over 20 scholarships in 2015. We are confident that this is not such a lofty goal, and that our community will yet again come through for such a worthy goal. We thank all our dedicated volunteers for their hard work and we thank you, our community members, for your continued support. Sameeh M. Salama President, AREF
AREF Board of Trustees SAMEEH SALAMA President Sameeh completed a PhD in Medical Microbiology from the University of Salford, UK. Soon after immigrating to Canada he took on an academic post at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta. He later joined a local biotechnology company first as Head of Microbiology then as Director of Business Development where he now works as Vice President. MAJEDA FYITH Vice President Majeda is a Human Resources Consultant by day and community volunteer any other time, working with a variety of non profit organizations both in Edmonton and abroad. Having received scholarships herself, Majeda is passionate about giving back to AREF so future students can have the same enriching learning experiences in post secondary education as she did. NABIL MOUALLEM Secretary Nabil has been working with Educators at all levels since the year 2000 in varying roles and capacities. People are his passion and helping others achieve and succeed is what he strives for. HALAL JOMHA Director Halal was born and raised in Alberta and is a successful entrepreneur in the auto industry. He is dedicated to not-for-profit (NFP) work and volunteers on several NFO organizations. Halal is also a founding member of AREF.
AREF Board of Trustees AHMED KAMAR Treasurer Ahmed Kamar is a Manager for a Fortune 500 Company with focus and experience on operations management, process improvement and facilitation. Ahmed transfers his knowledge and skill set to the various non profit organizations he has volunteered with. Most recently, Ahmed has joined AREF in the Treasurer role as he is passionate about all facets of business and how business paired with a strong entrepreneurial outlook can enhance community focused organizations such as AREF. AUMER ASSAF Director Aumer Assaf is a managing partner with the award winning firm OCI Architecture Inc. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta in Art History. He studied at the University of British Columbia in the Masters of Architecture program, as well at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and University College Dublin School of Architecture. He is an active member in the Edmonton area with interests in design, education, political action, and social services. OMAR TALIANI Director Omar Taliani is an engineering Graduate from the University of Alberta. Having worked across Alberta and dedicates much of his spare time to non-profit programs. Hopes to continually develop relationships within the Muslim and Non-Muslim community across Canada and Globally. ISSAM KADDOURA Director Issam is currently a Forest Technology student at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). He also is volunteering with the Al Rashid Youth Club (RYC) and was a founding member of the first Edmonton Islamic Academy Speaking Club.
Al Rashid Education Foundation (AREF) Al Rashid Education Foundation (AREF) is a not-for-profit organization promoting higher education for Muslim students in Canada. AREF was founded in 2013 by local community members looking to make a positive contribution to lives of Muslim students both in Canada and around the world. AREF s mandate is to encourage and enable Muslim students to develop their educational, leadership, artistic and athletic potentials. The Foundation intends to accomplish this mandate by establishing a new scholarship fund that will be awarded to student applicants wishing to pursue post-secondary education. Scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate a high level of academic, community and leadership achievements. Funding for the Foundation is provided through the generous contributions of community leaders who place a high value on education and in producing successful and highly motivated Muslim leaders. These leaders will in turn contribute to the advancement of the Muslims within the Canadian society and around the world. All monies raised are invested in an Islamic Sharia a-compliant endowment fund. The profit made through this investment fund is distributed to successful award applicants.
AREF Scholarship Categories AREF offers three levels of scholarships. The scholarships are typically awarded for the January Winter Semester. This $3,000 scholarship is awarded to Muslim High School students in their final year of study who achieve an average of 90% or higher and /or Post secondary students who achieve an average GPA of 3.5 or higher and are enrolled to pursue post secondary studies. Students must also demonstrate community service and Islamic values to be eligible for this scholarship. To win this award, a strong emphasis will be placed on volunteering and community service. LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS This $3,000 scholarship is awarded to Muslim High School students in their final year of study who achieve an average of 90% or higher and /or Post-secondary students who achieve an average GPA of 3.5 or higher and are enrolled to pursue post-secondary studies. Students must also demonstrate community service and Islamic values to be eligible for this scholarship. ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS This scholarship is awarded to Muslim High School students in their final year of study who achieve an average of 80% or higher and are enrolled to pursue post-secondary studies. Students must also demonstrate community service and Islamic values to be eligible for this scholarship. ENTRANCE SCHOLARSHIPS
Award Winners RABEEL QURESHI ZACHARY AL-KHATIB SARA JAWDAT MUHAMMAD UMER KHAN NAYEF MAAROUF YASMEEN ELHAJJ ABDULLAH
ZACHARY AL-KHATIB Leadership Award Winner RABEEL QURESHI Leadership Award Winner Very simply, my life and career goal is to use the tools with which Allah blesses me to serve His creation and make the world a better place. Going forward, I feel like the study of law is the best means for me to do so, given that there is a need for observant Muslims to enter this field - both so that they can help the community and to establish a Muslim presence in the field. My life goal is to obtain Allah s love. My long-term career goal is to become a Senior Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Through my work experience program, I will secure a student placement with the firm in Auditing. I want to use my Accounting knowledge to create opportunities for the youth in becoming business leaders with qualities like the Prophet, in order to earn Allah s love. SARA JAWDAT Academic Award Winner I specifically want to become an OB/GYN. I am on the path to becoming one, and I hope that I can be accepted into a school of Medicine by next year or the year after. I have been studying rigorously in hopes of pursuing this dream, and have achieved a cgpa of 4.0 last year. I hope to continue to strive and do well in my studies, so that I may reach my goal. NAYEF MAAROUF Academic Award Winner My career goal is to become a dentist and open my own clinic and to raise a family based on islamic values. To achieve these goals I am putting my full effort into university in order to get accepted into the dentistry program and hopefully excel in the program. I hope to then employ muslims in my community. YASMEEN ELHAJJ ABDULLAH Entrance Award Winner MUHAMMAD UMER KHAN Entrance Award Winner With the help of Allah Id like to become a doctor of medicine pursuing my goal of becoming a general practition. id like to become and active, more supportive member of the muslim community, through my career goal i can contribute and offer more. Also, through my job i can aidthe muslims in their sickness& achieve the road to jannah IA. I will achieve my goals through sciences at the University of Alberta. I would like to become a righteous and upstanding individual, who is able to aid those in need, whether financially, physically, or emotionally. I hope to engage in Neuroscience research, specifically with Multiple Sclerosis. I would further hope to pursue my education into the MD Program, and use whatever resources I attain to benefit and give back to the Muslim community.
Honourary Mentions PHOTO NOT AVAILABLE MOHAMMED MOOLLA DEENA SHARAB AYA MURRA ABRAR ISLAM OMAR ABDULLAHI AZKA AHMED
All Honourable Mention applicants received a congratulatory certificate along with a $500 monetary award. DEENA SHARAB Academic Honourary Mention I must first, continue my postsecondary education in a University to get B.Sc. degree in engineering to help myself, my family and my Islamic Community. My family is big, there are seven members in my family, we are from Palestine, but we lived in Kuwait all of our lives as strangers, we can t go to Palestine, so we came to Canada because we want to belong to a home to serve and to protect us. MOHAMMED MOOLLA Academic Honourary Mention I have chosen to pursue a Medical Degree with the hope that someday I will be able to spend my life helping those in need. As a result, I strongly believe my education will be an investment into a bright and prosperous future as a medical doctor who provides the highest quality of care to his patients. I know that my education will allow me to be an intelligent, honest, and caring Muslim doctor. AYA MURRA Academic Honourary Mention My goal is to become a psychologist focusing on youth. I believe in the potential of youth and I hope I can help them realize this. I achieved the first step of obtaining my Registered Psychologist Status by completing my Bachelor of Science in Psychology with First Class Standing. My next step is to complete a Bachelor of Education before applying to a Master of Education in Psychology. OMAR ABDULLAHI Leadership Honourary Mention I want to complete my Ph.D. to be a Professor at a Canadian institution before moving to Africa to teach in several years from now. I aim to engender change in social and economic development in the Islamic world. My interests include evaluating the role of educational systems as a major socializing agent in fostering liberation, political and economic development insha Allah. AZKA AHMED Academic Honourary Mention ABRAR ISLAM Entrance Honourary Mention My life s aim is to become a doctor and establish a hospital which will provide free-of-cost services to the underprivileged people of Africa and Asia and I want to complement it with an Islamic school nearby because physical and spiritual healing go hand in hand. I believe that my background in medicine will provide me the required financial assets and peer support needed to fulfill this dream. My career goals are to excel in the profession of engineering and advance though the company I work for in the future. I will use the Bachelors in Engineering I am trying to obtain to do this. While doing this I wish be maintain a strong spiritual life and be a good Muslim. I want a stable income throughout my career so I can give Zakat and donate generously to Muslim projects like Mosques.
How to Donate: Option 1 Step 1: Determine the type of award you want to create Donors may wish to establish a named award to recognize the life and accomplishments of a friend, mentor, or family member. Awards in the form of scholarships, prizes or bursaries. Step 2: Establish an Endowment in your name (or in the name of a loved one) A minimum one-time gift of $25,000. Minimum three years before disbursements commence. Additional gifts may be added to the endowment at any time. Establish an Endowment with no waiting period A minimum one-time donation of $30,000. Provides $1,000 in perpetuity. Donations of more than $30,000 allows you to either increase the size of the annual scholarship or, provide multiple scholarships. For example, a $100,000 donation results in an annual scholarship of $4,000 or 4 scholarships of $1,000 each. Step 3: Set the Terms and Conditions of your Award Donors may designate award to a specific faculty, department, degree program field of study, or year of study. Alternatively, donors may choose to designate an open award with no faculty, field or year of study restrictions. The terms and conditions of your award will be subject to approval by and should be compliant with those set by AREF Scholarship and Awards Committee.
How to Donate: Option 2 AREF appreciates that not everyone is able to create an endowment fund, as outlined in Option One (previous page). For this reason, AREF is providing the following options for those wishing to sponsor a scholarship in their name, or in the name of a loved one, by providing either of the following amounts: $2,000 $1,000 will go towards a $1,000 scholarship in your name, your organization or the name of a loved one The other $1,000 will go to help build the AREF endowment fund Your name will be announced at our Awards Gala $5,000 $3,000 will go towards a $3,000 scholarship in your name, your organization or the name of a loved one The other $2,000 will go to help build the AREF endowment fund Your name will be announced at our Awards Gala Any amounts less than $2,000 How to Donate: Option 3 Your entire donation will go to help build the AREF endowment fund Your name will be announced at our Awards Gala
Speakers KEYNOTE SPEAKER DR. IZZELDIN ABUELAISH Dr. Abuelaish has overcome many personal hardships, including poverty, violence, and the horrific tragedy of his three daughters and niece s deaths in the 2009 Gaza War. He continues to live up to the description bestowed upon him by an Israeli colleague, as a magical, secret bridge between Israelis and Palestinians. He is now one of the most outspoken, prominent and beloved researchers, educators and public speakers on peace and development in the Middle East. Despite his personal losses his doctrine is that hate is not a response to war. Rather, open communication, understanding, hope and compassion are the tools to bridge the divide between Israeli and Palestinian interests. MR. EEHAB TALIANI Edmonton born and raised entrepreneur. Eehab is married and a proud father of four. Mr. Taliani began his career at a young age as an avid investor and business owner. He is well respected in the Edmonton business scene, having achieved great success in the fields of Real Estate, Finance, Property Development, and operating local businesses. Eehab has received many business awards and nominations from various organizations and Chambers of Commerce throughout his career. Eehab was also a proud contributor and sponsor of the Edmonton Islamic Academy project and donates his time to helping the Muslim community continually climb the ladder of success.
AREF SPONSORS Mahmoud Shaben Halal Jomha Sine and Seham Chadi Nooreldin Jomha Wail Jomha Mona Karout Hassan J. Jomha Sammir Assaf Lamia Assaf Yusuf Karbani Ali Shaban Hana Tarabain
Al Rashid Education Foundation (AREF) 13070-113St. Edmonton, AB, T5E 5A8 Tel: 780-447-4663 Fax: 780-447-4654 Email: info@alrashidfoundation.org www.alrashidfoundation.org