arabic studies

Alumni

Passing the Torch: Passionate First-Generation College Student Shirley Celi-Landeo

Posted on July 4, 2022September 5, 2024by Rachel Rumsby

A proud first-generation college student from Newark, NJ (Essex County), Shirley Celi-Landeo is an Anthropology and Modern Language and Linguistics double major. She has concentrations in medical and forensic anthropology, and concentrations in Spanish, German, and Arabic. Shirley is minoring in Latin American Studies and has three certificates of undergraduate studies in Spanish, German, and Forensic Studies.

Shirley poses in a garden.

Shirley looks back at how she made friends on campus.

“I made friends in the Educational Opportunity Fund through the Pre-College Institute and through all the clubs that I’m involved in, especially in Greek life. I just became a sister in the Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Incorporated. With that involvement, I was able to make more bonds on-campus, make more friends, and do a lot more.”

Shirley advises her high school self to take risks.

“Don’t be scared. Take risks, even if it seems kind of cringey and scary, especially coming into a PWI and not having the family support. Do whatever is offered to gain the opportunity to gain the experience. I’m grateful for coming to school across the state.”

Shirley poses outside of Bunce Hall.

A mentor in the Dr. Harley E. Flack mentorship program, Shirley reminisces about her favorite moments being a mentor.

“My partner and I had to create an event or program for our mentees using a resource on campus. We paired up with the Flying First Task Force because a lot of our mentees are first-generation students. We were able to show them the resources on campus not only to them but open to the public. I was able to really get to know my partner as well as like getting to know my mentee a little more. I also developed a really good relationship with my supervisor.”

Shirley hopes to use her platform as a college graduate to help pave the way for others in her community and family.

“I am a minority coming from the city of Newark where the stereotype is that you don’t graduate high school, let alone go to college and graduate college and go to grad school. I am not only the very first college graduate in my family, but I have younger siblings. My goddaughter looks up to me. The babies from my church from back home, I’ll be able to help them navigate when it comes to their time for college.”

Shirley poses in front of the Rowan arch.

Shirley advises current and incoming students to find what they love on-campus, join Greek life, and more.

“Greek life has been a huge thing in my life, and I just became a sister last semester. Also, don’t be scared when you change your major like 20 times like I did. I don’t regret any moments of changing my major. Don’t be scared, do what you gotta do. If you’re the first, be the first and pave the way for your family. Take the risk, and inspire more people.”

In the fall, Shirley will finish up her degree while applying to Rowan’s M.A. in Diversity and Inclusion program. Shirley hopes to go to law school in the future.

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Story by:
Rachel Rumsby, junior communication studies and public relations double major

Photos by:
Stephanie Batista, junior business management major

Beyond the Classroom

We’re Not in Glassboro Anymore: Nadine El Maalem Shares Her Study Abroad Experience in Morocco

Posted on February 2, 2022October 20, 2022by Loredonna Fiore

Nadine El Maalem, a senior Communication Studies major with minors in Arabic Studies and International Studies, is far away from our Glassboro campus. As a Global Ambassador at International Studies Abroad, Nadine is embarking on a non-traditional experience by studying abroad in Morocco.

Nadine learned about the opportunity to study abroad during her Rowan 101 class, a course offered to first year students that highlights a wide range of information on the Rowan experience.

Nadine was inspired to learn more about the program and found a perfect fit: an Arabic program in Morocco. “I thought this would be an amazing opportunity to connect with my own culture. I did the paperwork, and the next semester I was on a plane. That was in 2019. Now it’s 2021, and I’m doing the program a second time because it’s just that good,” she says.

Nadine and a former professor — Nadine and her former Intermediate Arabic professor, Dr. Zakaryae Arsalane, in Meknes, Morocco

Now, Nadine is in Morocco doing an academic and service learning program. This entails four traditional classes and 90 hours of service learning at an organization for class credit. Nadine works at Association Al Amal for her service learning course. “The organization is dedicated to helping women complete/continue their education by teaching them computer literacy skills, offering embroidery courses to make traditional Moroccan clothing, and cooking courses. The organization also partners with local schools to teach students ages 5-16 English,” she explains.

Nadine is getting a much different experience abroad. “I live with a host family and two other student roommates. My host mom is the best. She makes us Moroccan and French food daily. I really feel like I can connect with the culture because I’m totally immersed in it,” she says.

That’s one of the reasons Nadine wanted to go to Morocco again. “I love interacting with the locals and other students. I’m an extrovert, so I find myself chatting with the person who works at the local shops that is selling me cookies. Studying abroad is such a great piece to tack on your resume and is such an amazing experience; “it’s a win-win.”

Fes, Morocco, posing in front of the doors of the King's Fes palace. — Nadine and her classmates in Fes, Morocco, posing in front of the doors of the King’s Fes palace

Back at Rowan, Nadine is a student ambassador with Rowan’s Education Abroad Office. There, she works with the Education Abroad Advisor, Laura Kahler, as well as other student ambassadors at Rowan to promote the different education abroad opportunities available to Rowan students, as well as to provide one-on-one advising, application help, and information about scholarships and funding for study abroad.

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Story by:
Loredonna Fiore, senior public relations and advertising major

Photos provided by:
Nadine El Maalem

Student Activities

I Learned How to Cook Falafel With The Arabic Culture Club

Posted on January 29, 2021January 11, 2021by Rachel Rumsby

Today’s story is by sophomore Communication Studies and Public Relations major Rachel Rumsby from River Edge, NJ (Bergen County). Rachel is an on-campus resident currently living in the Rowan Boulevard Apartments. Here, she shares with us her experience going to a falafel making event with the Arabic Culture Club.

I attended a “Learn How to Cook Falafel! with the Arabic Culture Club” event that I learned about through an email from Rowan with things to do. I went to the organization’s table outside of the Student Center to pick up my falafel mix to prepare for the Zoom meeting that night.

Marc sits at the table for the Arabic Culture Club. — Marc staffed the table where I picked up my falafel mix.

Box of falafel mix.

Later that evening, I logged onto the Zoom call for the falafel making program. At the beginning of the event Maria Mousa, the vice president of the club, described what the Arabic Culture Club is, and told us that food is a big part of Arabic culture. Then, we started to learn how to make falafel. The Arabic Culture Club (ACC) is a club for people that want to learn more about the culture of Arabic-speaking countries, as well as to help students that want to enter careers that require using the Arabic language.

Club member Faiza Zaman led the lesson on how to make falafel. She showed us how to make our instant mix, but she also showed us how to make homemade falafel. First, we prepared our instant falafel. We mixed it with water and put it in the fridge. Then, she started to show us how to make homemade falafel.

Falafel mix mixed with water.

Faiza showed us that to make traditional falafel, you need to boil about 2 cups of chickpeas, and mash them. Then, you add parsley and mix it, but you can add dill or cilantro if you want as well. You also add one diced onion, one squeeze of lemon juice, and one cup of regular flour or chickpea flour. You can leave them overnight if you want as well.

Next, Faiza showed us how to cook falafel, which works for both the instant and homemade kinds. We rolled balls of falafel mix, to shape it.

Balls of falafel batter.

Then, we fried the balls in oil.

Frying the falafel in oil.

A bowl of finished falafel. — The finished falafel!

I enjoyed the program and I would definitely go back for another meeting!

John Georgy, the president of the Arabic Culture Club.

I spoke to ACC’s president John Georgy, a senior Biological Sciences major with an Arabic minor from Giza, Egypt, who commutes to Rowan from Marlton, NJ (Burlington County). He told me about his experience in the Arabic Culture Club. “The Arabic Culture Club (ACC) is a club for those who are interested in learning about Middle Eastern culture. Members are dedicated to spreading the Arabic culture in the Rowan community. Students who are interested in joining ACC will be able to help disadvantaged communities through donations or volunteering! Our main focus is to spread awareness of the Middle Eastern culture and the events that take place in Arabic countries as well as the rest of the world.

“I joined the Arabic Culture Club because I saw the opportunity to help the Rowan community. Since Rowan provided me with invaluable support throughout my college career, I wanted to give back by helping this club become more prominent which will allow us to hold events like the online falafel event, trips to different areas in NJ like the trip to Paterson, NJ, and fundraising events to help countries in a crisis like Lebanon.

“I love being in ACC because it helped me stay in touch with my cultural heritage as well as help others stay in touch with theirs. The connections that I made by being a part of this club will last till after I graduate. A major part of my participation in this club is being a part of the e-board which has opened my eyes to different types of experiences as well as helped me become a better-disciplined student. Getting to know new members as well as strengthening my relationships with existing members has been an extremely rewarding experience for me.”

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Story and photos by:
Rachel Rumsby, sophomore communication studies and public relations double major

Central Jersey (It Exists!)

4 Communications Studies Majors Share One Cool Thing They’ve Learned From Their Major

Posted on November 6, 2020November 12, 2020by Bianca Torres

Exterior shot of the Victoria ECCA building.

From curriculum to content, four Communication Studies majors reveal what they really like about this program.

Nadine posing and smiling for a picture.

“I think the coolest thing about the Communication Studies major is our ability to customize our experiences and tailor it to our specific interests through the addition of other majors, minors and CUGS. There’s a lot of really valuable free elective space, so we are granted the opportunity to branch out, try different things, and further our studies in different areas if we so choose. Students should take full advantage of this, and try something new or declare some other majors, minors, CUGS, etc., in order to really make the most of their time at Rowan University and make themselves stand out!” – Nadine El Maalem, junior, first-generation college student, Communication Studies major, with minors in International Studies and Arabic, French CUGS, from Monmouth County

“One cool thing about my major is the conversation-based classes. I’ve found myself engaged 100% of the class time. I have also learned much more in my major courses than in Rowan Core courses because of the way our professors structure them.” – Lexi Robinson, Junior, Communications major, Bellmawr, NJ (Camden County)

“One cool thing that I learned this major is the different types of communication from interpersonal, mediated, and face-to-face. Learning these concepts helped me to be a better speaker and effective communicator.” – Jonathan DeRose, senior Communications Studies major from Marlton, NJ (Burlington County)

“In a way communications reminds me of psychology, but instead of learning about why people are the way they are you learn about how they react to things you say/do. In return you are able to create better relationships with others.” – Tatianna Addison, senior, transfer student from Rowan College of Burlington County, Communications Studies major from Pemberton, NJ (Burlington County)

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Story by:
Bianca Torres, senior music industry major