This letter is written by Aya Mouallem - Electrical Engineering PhD Candidate at Stanford University and Founder and Director of the LebNet Tech Fellows Program - to announce the launch of the fellowship’s second run. It is also a call to action to recruit young Lebanese talent to join the program. For more information about the LebNet Tech Fellows program, offerings, and eligibility, please visit https://lebnet.us/TechFellows. Applications are open until November 17, 2023. For inquiries, please reach out to [email protected].

The fellowship program this year is led by Hussein Mozannar (MIT), Lama Ahmad (OpenAI), Mariam Dabboussi (Google), Jeanine Akiki (LebNet), and Mouallem. For an overview of the program’s impact on its inaugural cohort, watch this 1-minute inspiring video here. 

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that we are currently welcoming applications for our second cohort of LebNet Tech Fellows, a transformative program that I had the privilege of founding and piloting last year. The resounding success of our inaugural run underscored the urgent need to expand our fellowship’s reach to impact more students across Lebanon. This year, we will need your invaluable help and support to ensure that the fellowship offerings live up to the high caliber of standards and goals that define LebNet and our efforts.

I’m a student, engineer, and researcher by training, and a proud Lebanese citizen by birth. As the only person in my extended family to pursue a degree in technology, I experienced firsthand the dire need for support, mentorship, and guidance regarding critical next steps throughout my undergraduate studies: from choosing the right mix of courses, to approaching professors for research opportunities, to seeking and landing internships. As an engineer, I realized that university curricula in Lebanon, while outstanding at nurturing technical skills, fall short in preparing students for the transition from the academy to becoming engineers in the professional world. The ability to interact effectively with clients and colleagues, craft compelling pitches, and sustainably nurture one’s ambitions remains an elusive skillset, even for the most promising graduates. While education curricula in Lebanon offer solid foundations in diverse technical fields, they often lack connections and access to the most recent developments and most in-demand skills and roles in industry. Finally, as a researcher focusing on scaling technology literacy, I am very well aware of the hidden curriculum in technology majors at universities in Lebanon: a set of resources, experiences, pieces of advice, and opportunities that are only accessible to a small network of students who have the right family and friends’ connections.

I am one of thousands of LebNet members who have carved their paths into careers in technology worldwide, with an unwavering commitment to serve Lebanese youth who are as interested in such careers, and who are unable to access the resources that we’ve harnessed. We founded the LebNet Tech Fellows program to empower the next generation of Lebanese technologists with the skills needed to successfully explore and transition into career and higher studies in technology, with unwavering willingness to give back to Lebanon throughout their careers. The fellowship will encompass a curated series of workshops, panels with Lebanese technology leaders and luminaries, and a wealth of resources and opportunities, including access to networking and internship pipelines. These offerings ensure that fellows graduate from the program ready to proactively and boldly confront the ever-evolving global technological landscape.

We are seeking remarkable young Lebanese talent to nurture into future technology leaders in Lebanon, the region, and the world. We hope you will join us in spreading the word about the fellowship, volunteering your time to mentor our fellows and share your invaluable life experiences, and extending internships or networking opportunities to complement our comprehensive fellowship offerings. The incredible generosity of LebNet donors and subscribers had enabled the pilot and launch of the fellowship. With additional contributions, you will enable the program to provide financial support to the fellows as well, offering micro-scholarships, funds for community projects, and access to certificates and learning materials that have become a luxury for students in Lebanon amidst the country’s economic turmoil.

Last year, 96% of our fellows acquired new skills, significantly enhanced existing ones, and experienced a profound surge in their sense of belonging to technical fields and confidence in pursuing careers in technology. The fellows unanimously strongly endorsed the program to future applicants. We envision tackling even greater heights this year, and we believe that your increased support for the LebNet Tech Fellows program will translate into far-reaching impact, extending our reach to more deserving, incredibly talented students in Lebanon facing unprecedented socioeconomic challenges.

Consider supporting this initiative by subscribing or donating to LebNet.