Trio of committed students at Forces AVENIR
Three Concordia students are among the finalists at the annual Forces AVENIR gala, to be held at the Granada Theatre in Sherbrooke on November 10. The event will celebrate 21 projects and 12 prominent students.
Manuel Abellan of Concordia’s Department of Political Science and Yavana Chhem-Kieth of Concordia’s Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema are finalists with colleagues from McGill University, Université de Montréal and Université du Québec à Montréal in the category of Communication, Education and Society.
They mentored 40 Grade 11 students from Montreal’s International School to produce the exhibit, Life Stories – A Chilean Perspective. The project was inspired by Concordia’s CURA project, Montreal Life Stories, which looks at the life stories of Montrealers displaced by war, genocide and other human rights’ violations.
The teens interviewed Chileans, who now live in Quebec, and produced a short film about the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship that draws parallels between the country’s popular and academic histories.
Sherin Al-Safadi, an MBA student from the Concordia John Molson School of Business, is a finalist in the category Personality Award – University Graduate Studies. Recognized for both her leadership and teamwork ability, she was president of the students association and co-organizer of major events.
Fluent in French, English, Arabic, German and even a bit of Spanish, Al-Safadi is proud of her part in the creation of the Redbooks Program and the McGill Cooking Club. She is especially pleased with her contribution to the 2010 John Molson MBA International Case Competition.
Al-Safadi, who also has a graduate degree in pharmacology, intends to devote her career to find new treatments in the fight against cancer.
Forces AVENIR is a non-profit organization that aims to recognize, honour and promote the social commitment and entrepreneurial spirit of young people.
Forces AVENIR lauds projects that enrich knowledge, arouse the desire for success and to surpass oneself, encourage the development of community thinking. The prize recognizes young people who are socially conscious, active and responsible citizens who are dedicated to their community and open to the world.
Related links:
• Forces AVENIR
• Montreal Life Stories
• John Molson MBA International Case Competition