JSerra Gets Its First Fulbright Scholar

From a JSerra Catholic High School newsletter:

When alumna Norah Arafeh, class of 2010, touches down on Jordanian soil later this year, she will be the first JSerra Catholic High School graduate to represent the United States as a Fulbright U.S. Student Award winner. 

The Fulbright Program, a flagship international exchange program of the United States, chooses only the best and the brightest in a highly-competitive selection process. The program operates in more than 140 countries worldwide.

Throughout her four years at JSerra, Arafeh was a member of the cross country team, president of the National Honor Society and enrolled in AP classes. She also studied Arabic in Syria for two summers after her sophomore and junior years. She will be graduating this May from the University of California, Berkeley.

"I loved my JSerra experience and am always proud to be a JSerra Lion," Arafeh said.

Her project for the one-year assignment in Jordan is to analyze how Jordanian institutions are helping accommodate Syrian university student refugees in Amman, Jordan. 

"I'll be working with various non-governmental and international organizations throughout the year and working with Syrian refugees," she said.  "It's my small way of giving back to my community that I love so much." 

Fulbright U.S. Student Award winners meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country by sharing daily experiences - helping them gain an appreciation of other viewpoints and beliefs.  Through engagement in the community, Arafeh will interact on a one-to-one basis with Jordanians in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity and intellectual freedom - thereby promoting mutual understanding. 

Olivia Huie, who is director of counseling, was Arafeh's counselor during her four years at JSerra.  "We are so proud of Norah," said Huie. "We look forward to being a part of her incredible journey."