LebNet marked a momentous occasion on Friday May 26th, as we celebrated the successful completion of the inaugural LebNet fellowship program at the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at AUB. The ceremony for the presentation of certificates brought together a gathering of 31 individuals, which included 25 fellows hailing from various universities - 7 from the American University of Beirut (AUB), 7 from the Lebanese University, and 11 from the Lebanese American University (LAU). We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Nadine Nakad from AUB and Nicole Bou Farhat from LAU for their invaluable assistance in organizing and hosting the event.
The inaugural LebNet fellowship program, initiated by the Women in Tech community and led by Aya Mouallem, a Stanford University Electrical Engineering PhD student and co-founder of All Girls Code, has achieved a flawless completion rate in its first year. Despite the multitude of obstacles faced in Lebanon, the dedicated women fellows persevered to successfully complete the program. An impressive majority of over 90% of these remarkable women have shared their increased confidence in pursuing careers in the tech industry, while also refining their existing skills and gaining new ones.
“It has been an absolute pleasure hosting and getting to know each and every one of you. I sincerely wish you all a wonderful future ahead. Remember that LebNet and I, personally, are here to support you with any mentoring or coaching needs you may have in the future. You give me great hope for the future of women in technology and for the future of Lebanon!,” said Jeanine Akiki, LebNet Executive Director during her thank you speech.
Aya concluded by saying, “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the fellows for fostering a supportive and empowering environment, creating a remarkable culture that will continue to flourish in this newfound community for the long haul. We kindly request that you continue sharing knowledge and ensure that you give back to your communities, sustaining a ripple effect of positive change. We eagerly await your future endeavors and want you to know that we are always here to support you!”
Keep an eye out for LebNet’s forthcoming plans to expand and extend the reach of this program, bringing its benefits to an even larger number of deserving fellows!
