VCU news

By Tom Gresham

Hanan Adeeb Abed, who received her master's degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in May, has been selected for a Fulbright Student Scholarship.

Abed, a native of Chester, Va., will study the perspectives university-aged women have of their roles in the United Arab Emirates. Hanan will be based at Zayed University for 10 months. She will begin her research in early September.

Abed received a bachelor's degree from VCU's Honors College in 2004, with a major in psychology. She was a co-founder and co-director of the Arabic Film Festival at VCU and served as vice-president of the Muslim Students' Association during the 2002-03 academic year.

Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program aims to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries, through the exchange of persons, knowledge, and skills. Sponsored by the United States Department of State, the Fulbright Program provides funding for students, scholars and professionals to undertake graduate study, advanced research, university teaching and teaching in elementary and secondary schools.

Abed is the third VCU student to receive a Fulbright Scholarship in the past two years. Sohaib Mohiuddin, a VCU medical student, and Sana Malik, who received her master's in Social Work at VCU in 2006, were selected for the Fulbright Program last year. Mohiuddin and Malik, who are married, are currently engaged in individual research projects in Jordan.