"Once a student... now a mentor. Once a dreamer... now a Fulbright Scholar."

At 28, Leen Qatouni is living a full-circle moment. Once an English Literature student at the American University of Madaba (AUM), she now stands on the other side of the classroom — teaching, mentoring, and shaping young minds with the same passion she once admired in her own professors. At AUM, you don't just attend classes, you find your calling.

“At AUM, the professors were true educators who went beyond just entering a classroom, lecturing, and leaving,” Leen expressed. “They created an environment that made me want to pursue education myself after graduation.”

Professors at AUM don’t just teach or build minds; they empower student futures.

One of her most memorable moments at AUM came just days before her graduation project defense. Her graduation-project supervisor pulled her aside, not for a discussion about technicalities or citations, but for a conversation that would stay with her long after graduation.

“She told me to enjoy it. Not to be anxious or overwhelmed. That this project was the product of everything I had learned and achieved over four years, and it was my time to showcase it.” That encouragement reminded Leen that education is more than deadlines and grades. It is about growth, discovery, and purposeful human interaction.

Leen’s academic journey also took her across the world through AUM’s Study Abroad Program where she spent a semester at Gannon University in the United States. “AUM prepared me for my experience in the U.S. It encouraged individuality and helped me engage with other cultures.” Now, years later, Leen is returning to the U.S., this time as a Fulbright Scholar, preparing to pursue her Master’s degree in English Literature at the University of Vermont.

When asked if she was nervous about the big move, Leen expressed proudly, “Honestly, I’m not nervous. If I could do it at 18 when I was at AUM, I can do it at 28.” She added that her experience with the Study Abroad program went far beyond academic exposure. It gave her the confidence and adaptability she needed to navigate new environments and take this next step with ease. AUM shapes stories worth telling.

Leen’s story is one of quiet determination and purpose, fueled by the right environment, supportive mentors who transform lives, and a belief in the power of meaningful education. Today, Leen is teaching English and getting ready to begin her next chapter as a Fulbright scholar. Her journey began with a single conversation in a professor’s office and continues across borders, driven by passion, motivation, and the desire to truly change lives.

At AUM, education is not about what you learn; it’s who you become; it is where learning inspires becoming.