Loading ...Arab America Foundation Announces 20 Under 20 Awardees--Class of 2024
For Immediate Release
Washington DC (July 24, 2024): The Arab America Foundation announced today the awardees of their 20 Under 20 initiative. Twenty Arab Americans from throughout the U.S. were announced. Judges from different states reviewed the applications anonymously (without identification of name or ethnicity).
The awardees are Jad Abdel Nour, Layalie AbuOleim, Sophia Barghouti, Adan Eftekhari, Ahmed Eldeeb, Rami Eter, Layan Ghali, Omar Hamarshi, Maher Harp, Mohammed Harp, Safa Hijazi, Omayma Jabara, Essam Jazzar, Hanan Mehdi, Alyamamh Rahimee, Ibraheem Razouki, Yara Reda, Matthew Shadid, Laura Stephan, and Myrna Stephan.
20 Under 20 is a celebration of accomplished young Arab Americans. The program spotlights students (16–20 years old) who achieved spectacular success in academics, work/internships, community service, and extracurricular activities (such as clubs, sports, music, arts, and writing). Also, we acknowledge achievements demonstrating, but not limited to, outstanding leadership, dedication to a career path, new initiatives, and commitment to Arab American heritage and culture.
“As we announce the ’20 Under 20′ winners, we celebrate their remarkable achievements and societal contributions,” said Warren David, co-founder of the Arab America Foundation and president of Arab America. He added, “It’s heartening to see young Arab Americans proudly embracing their cultural identity and making their voices heard. Their success not only fills us with hope for the future but also highlights the promise of a new generation poised to lead, bringing Arab American excellence to the forefront of our global community.”
The awardees are under the age of 20, excel in their studies, work actively in their communities to help their peers and demonstrate a commitment to their Arab heritage. The competition was open to all students who live and/or work in the United States and are of Arab descent. All awardees have shown remarkable leadership in their academics and in their extracurricular activities. They have exemplified what it means to be an Arab American in an increasingly multinational world.
The Arab America Foundation and its board are grateful for the leadership of the initiative’s coordinators, Nabelah Ghareeb and Elias T. Khalil as well as the prestigious panel of judges.
The 20 Under 20 awardees for the class of 2024 will be honored at the Connect Arab America: Empowerment Summit October 25-26 in Dearborn, MI.
About the Arab America Foundation
The Arab America Foundation (AAF) is a non-profit (501c3) educational and cultural organization. The mission of the AAF is to Promote the Arab heritage and empower Arab Americans; Educate Americans about Arab identity and culture, and to Connect Arab Americans to each other and to other communities.
For more information about the 20 Under 20 initiative click here.
For more information about the Arab America Foundation, click here.
For media inquiries, please contact Claire Boyle, click here
The 20 Under 20 Awardees, Class of 2022
Jad Abdel Nour
Jad Abdel Nour is a first-generation Syrian-American from California. He is an incoming freshman at Yale University planning to study Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and earn an Advanced Language Certificate in Modern Arabic. Abdel Nour works with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to pass legislation to prevent the sale of over-the-counter diet pills to minors. He has written testimony to the California, Massachusetts, and Maryland State Legislatures to support these bills and has verbally presented his testimony to state lawmakers. Additionally, he has written four papers for UN Human Rights on climate change, laws restricting human rights, and neurotechnologies. He is co-organizing the 3rd UN Climate Change US youth conference to create the National Youth Statement of policy recommendations for the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Layalie AbuOleim
Layalie AbuOleim, a 19-year-old honors student at the University of South Florida, is studying computer engineering. Of Jordanian and Palestinian heritage, she currently interns at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center as a Computer Hardware Engineer for Launch Control Systems. In her free time, AbuOleim enjoys playing volleyball, a passion she has pursued for nine years. She also dedicates her time to volunteering, having spent seven years with the nonprofit 200 Muslim Women Who Care–where women in the Tampa Bay Area pool their resources to support community charities.
Sophia Barghouti
Sophia Barghouti is a Junior at the University of Oregon studying Political Science and Middle Eastern and North African studies. She currently works as an assistant at the University of Oregon Law School and is interning at Mobility International USA a non-profit for human rights. She interned for Oregon State Senate President Rob Wagner last spring. She currently serves as a University of Oregon Undergraduate Council Student Representative and is a Scholar Ambassador for the university. She has also been involved in various scholar programs within her university. She has published two short stories on Kindle called “Til Bombs Do Us Part” and “Fraudulent Follicles.”
Adan Eftekhari
Adan Eftekhari is a 2024 Coca-Cola Scholar, Yale Bassett Award recipient, United Nations General Assembly delegate, and incoming first-year at Harvard University committed to addressing global health disparities. At the Touch of Life Foundation, Adan has worked alongside Department of Homeland Security representatives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, and Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi to raise $75K in donations allocated to orphanages, refugee camps, and human trafficking rehabilitation centers across South and Southeast Asia, as well as the Middle East. In parallel, his advocacy at Kick4Life F.C. has enabled him to leverage his love for soccer to provide higher education opportunities and funding for HIV/AIDS testing for +1,400 youth in Lesotho. As an aspiring medical student, Adan has also conducted extensive exosome-based gene therapy research for mRNA delivery and co-founded a company developing a machine learning-based application offering users personalized medical, nutritional, and stress recommendations.
Ahmed Eldeeb
Ahmed Eldeeb is an 18-year-old Egyptian immigrant living in Ormond Beach, Florida. He will be attending Harvard University and working on climate and Middle Eastern studies. He is a climate researcher, author and activist who focuses on climate education, specifically targeting youth with learning disabilities. Ahmed wrote the children’s book “Laila’s Toolbox,” which features the often-neglected perspective of a Muslim-Arab woman and is available at major retailers such as Walmart, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million: all proceeds go toward climate relief in Chad. He’s been appointed to the United States Youth Advisory Council for the United Nations Ocean Decade, NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador, and is a NASA intern. His microplastics cleanup prototype and energy pods research have been recognized by the U.S Army, USAID, Stockholm, and more. He’s a 2024 Princeton Prize in Race Relations recipient. Ahmed Eldeeb’s mission is clear: forge a sustainable, equitable world filled with promise.
Rami Eter
With a mission to give back to the community that raised him, Environmental Steward, Rami Eter is set to begin an exciting journey at Johns Hopkins University this fall on a full-ride scholarship. Renowned not only for his academic prowess, ranking at the pinnacle of his class, but also for his steadfast commitment to environmental advocacy, Rami has emerged as a leader in his community. His initiatives, such as founding The Green Project of Dearborn Heights, a local environmental coalition, underscores his dedication to addressing local environmental issues. Embodying the values of leadership, service, and dedication, he has won first place twice at NASA GLOBE conferences, served over 350 hours to his community, competed as a triple varsity athlete, and more. As he steps onto campus, Rami carries with him a profound sense of purpose and a vision for catalyzing positive change, both within the university and beyond its borders.
Layan Ghali
Layan Ghali is a Biochemistry major with a minor in Yoga and Mindfulness at Wayne State University, in Detroit, Michigan. Born in Baghdad, Iraq, she lived in Amman, Jordan before moving to the United States. With a passion for kids and medicine, Ghali works as a medical assistant at Birmingham/Campground Pediatrics & Wellness Center and as a Chemistry Peer Mentor at Wayne. Her favorite undergraduate memories include working as a Phlebotomist for the All of Us Research Program at Henry Ford Health and serving as President of the National Arab American Medical Association NextGen, helping fellow pre-health Arabs. She volunteers as a Pharmacy Technician at the Gary Bernstein Community Health Clinic, a Kindergarten Catechism Teacher at St. Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church, a student volunteer at Play-Place Autism & Special Needs Center, and a research assistant at Karmanos Cancer Institute. She will begin work in Dr. Allen’s Lab at Wayne this fall.
Omar Hamarshi
Omar Hamarshi, a 17-year-old junior from Overland Park, Kansas, attends Blue Valley High School. As student body president and a dedicated violinist for 11 years, he has shown exceptional leadership and talent. Hamarshi also served as the president of PAMA Youth, a charity focused on youth health in Palestine, for two years. He is a competitive student, an avid swimmer, and a poker master. Passionate about his Palestinian heritage, the Arab community, and his family’s role in preserving his cultural identity, Hamarshi exemplifies dedication and pride in his roots.
Maher Harp
Maher Harp is an incoming freshman at Harvard College deeply involved in both my local and the broader Arab American community. His passion for technology led him to develop an educational app on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), which he translated into Arabic to ensure accessibility for Arabic-speaking schools. This app, integrated into multiple school curriculums, earned me the Congressional App Challenge award, granting him the opportunity to speak at Capitol Hill about my mission to enhance global AI and ML literacy. Additionally, Harp draws inspiration from Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, the Arab creator of algebra, whose legacy fuels my aspiration to innovate and become a role model for Arab youth. Through various leadership roles in organizations such as NASA GLOBE, FIRST Robotics, and the National Honor Society, he strives to make a lasting impact in science, technology, and community engagement.
Mohammed Harp
Mohammed Harp is a sophomore at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, actively engaged in both the local and broader Arab American community. His passion for science and technology led him to pursue chemical engineering, focusing on the development and maintenance of devices and processes that produce a wide range of goods, from superconductors to everyday silicone rubbers and life-saving medicines. At U-M’s Liu research lab, Harp contributed to discoveries in drug delivery systems using liposomal cells. His internship at Wacker Chemical further fueled his interest in chemical engineering, demonstrating how a single class of molecules can lead to millions of products. Harp is motivated by the potential for R&D in undiscovered molecules and their global applications. His experiences with the Arab American community in metro Detroit and Dearborn have solidified his commitment to staying local and supporting his community, aspiring to be a role model for Arab Americans pursuing unconventional fields.
Safa Hijazi
Safa Hijazi is a Lebanese-American from Michigan. She is an aspiring poet and senior at the Univeristy of Michigan studying English and creative writing. Her Lebanese heritage and Arab-American background inspire much of her work. Hijzai is also an award-winning writer for her poetry and essays. Some of her awards include first place for Hopwood Nonfiction 2024, and finalist for the Hopwood Theodore Roethke Prize 2024, a long-form poem contest. In 2023, She was the first-place winner of the Hopwood Program’s Keith Taylor Award for Excellence in Poetry. Her poem, “Women of the Valley” was featured by the College of LSA for National Poetry Month 2024. Hijazi’s other works have been published in The Michigan Daily, The Olive Tree Editorial, Xylem Literary Magazine, and forthcoming elsewhere. Currently, she serves as an editorial assistant for the Michigan Quarterly Review.
Omayma Jabara
Omayma Jabara is a junior at Montclair State University, from Ein Yabrud, Palestine. Majoring in Linguistics and minoring in Psychology, she aspires to become a Speech Language Pathologist. To achieve this, she is actively shadowing Speech Therapists and excelling academically as she holds a 3.9 GPA. Jabara has presented her research at three student conferences in just two years. Her recent project, “Bettering the Medical Humanities through the Integration of Sociolinguistics,” was presented at the Midwest Medical Humanities Conference and the MSU Student Research Symposium. She is deeply involved in representing her community as the Vice President of her school’s Student Government Association. Here, she supports over 100 registered student organizations. Previously, she was president of the Arab Student Association, where she created a supportive environment for Arab students and raised hundreds of dollars for Palestine. Additionally, she is an active member of the Students for Justice in Palestine.
Essam Jazzar
Essam Jazzar, a 17-year-old senior at King Abdullah Academy, is the CEO and co-founder of Yalla Apparel, an Arabic streetwear brand recognized worldwide for its impact on the Arab American community. A Palestinian American, he was also interviewed on Al Jazeera News for a story on Kufiyas. Jazzar additionally co-founded Men Talk Mind, a non-profit for men’s mental health. He has led blockchain development and multiple NFT projects where he learned to leverage international relations. Jazzar has volunteered with Fight for Children, improving education and health for underserved communities. As the Red Cross Club Committee Lead, he has also driven community health and many disaster relief efforts. Essam has raised thousands of dollars for Palestinian refugees through UNRWA USA. His ultimate goal is to become an entrepreneur and tech innovator, creating jobs and driving positive change.
Hanan Mehdi
Hanan Mehdi is a senior at Oakland University majoring in Social Work and double minoring in Psychology and Sociology. Passionate about community service, she volunteers with Zaman International and serves on the executive board of the Arab American Health Initiative, organizing events to promote mental health awareness. Her mission is to reshape perceptions and empower communities, focusing on bridging gaps in mental health disparities through education and advocacy.
Alyamamh Rahimee
Alyamamh Rahimee graduated as Valedictorian of Detroit’s class of 2023 with a 4.3 GPA, earning an AP Capstone Diploma and multiple AP certificates. Currently studying psychology on the Pre-Medicine Track at the University of Michigan Dearborn, Rahimee has consistently made the Dean’s List with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. As a community advocate, She has worked with Senator Stephanie Chang and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib to promote the elimination of the Pink Tax on feminine hygiene products. Their volunteer efforts span organizations such as Islamic Relief USA and the United Humanitarian Foundation. An award-winning researcher and published author, her work on cancer research at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center and articles on educational barriers for Arab and Latino communities have been recognized. As President of Breaking The Cycle With Books, Vice President of the Yemeni Student Association, and Treasurer of Equity In Early Education, she continues to lead and mentor their community.
Ibraheem Razouki
Ibraheem Razouki, an 18-year-old Iraqi immigrant from Houston, Texas, is set to begin engineering studies at Texas A&M University. A tech enthusiast, entrepreneur, and activist, he supports underprivileged groups, including underfunded students and refugees. Razouki created “Merhaba,” an app for Muslim and Arab refugees, which has raised over $4,000 in funding from T-Mobile and Taco Bell and is available on Google Play, with an App Store release pending. He has collaborated with Houston’s Mayoral innovation team and NASA on a disaster aid robot prototype, earning recognition from Ashoka Changemakers, the Mayor of Houston, and Congressman Wesley Hunt. His notable roles include being the first high school intern at CompSciLib, Texas Chapter President at Encode Justice, and TEDx Organizer for a Houston tech corridor event. Ibraheem is a three-time Ashoka Changemakers winner, Congressional App Challenge winner, and Points of Light Inspiration National Honoree.
Yara Reda
Yara Reda, a Lebanese student residing in Michigan, is a rising senior at Dearborn High School with the AP Capstone Diploma Award. Her research on air pollution in Southwest Detroit earned her the prestigious ASHRAE Award. As a student at the selective Dearborn Center for Math, Science, and Technology (DCMST), She was also recognized with the Best Appellee Argument award at the Third Circuit District Court of Michigan. Reda demonstrates strong leadership as Vice President of her class at DCMST and is an active member of the National Honor Society. She tutors at the Kumon Learning Center and participates in the EHRA Academy. Her cultural contributions are highlighted by her poems featured in an anthology by the Arab American Museum. Additionally, she represents Dearborn High School as a district-level representative for the Arab Student Union and has dedicated over 70 hours to community service, including tutoring and organizing food drives”
Matthew Shadid
Matthew Shadid is an aspiring finance professional pursuing a B.S. in Business Administration from Babson College. He has experience as a Merger and Acquisition Research Analyst at Habits Inc. and is the Co-Founder of Gen-Z for Financial Literacy, a 501(c)(3) organization. Shadid also leads the Babson College Financial Wellness Program and serves as VP of Member Experience for Scholars of Finance. He enjoys hiking, running, literature, and NBA basketball.
Laura Stephan
Laura Stephan is currently a junior at Michigan State University through the Lyman Briggs and Honors College. She is majoring in Human Biology, while also pursuing two minors in Health Promotion and Bioethics. Additionally, she is a part of the Osteopathic Medical Scholars Program at MSU, and intends to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine in the future. Throughout her undergraduate journey, whether it be shadowing physicians in the Dominican Republic, working as an Urgent Care Medical Assistant, or doing biomedical research in the field of reproductive immunology, these experiences have carved her interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Working with Arab-American communities through the Chaldean American Student Association (CASA), Stephan hopes to, one day, mitigate healthcare disparities in the Middle East, specifically in the context of the social determinants of health.
Myrna Stephan
Myrna Stephan is an incoming freshman at the University of Michigan, enrolling in the School of Literature, Science, and Arts. She is majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, with a minor in Spanish. After completing her undergraduate studies, she plans to pursue an M.D. in medical school. Stephan’s passion for helping others has been shaped by her participation in various hobbies and extracurricular activities. Having witnessed the disparities in third world countries, she is dedicated to addressing and reducing health disparities in the Middle East through her future career in medicine.
Compiled by Arab America
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