The LBFP Link, Spring 2008, Volume 1, No. 4

In This Issue

About The LBFP Link

The LBFP Link is a forum for the LBFP and BIP alumnae community to express views, share experiences, and stay connected. Published quarterly, The LBFP Link is sponsored by the Bureau of Near East Affairs, Middle East Partnership Initiative, U.S. Department of State, and produced by AMIDEAST.

How to participate in THE LBFP Link:
Submit your alumnae updates, recommended resources, points of view, stories of current LBFP or community involvement, articles sharing your professional expertise or tips with colleagues, and recent photos to Lia Hutton at lhutton@amideast.org.

Submission guidelines:
Submissions may be edited for style and language. Not all essays/comments submitted will be printed. All submissions must include your name and contact information including e-mail address.

Attendees at the LBFP/MEET joint conference

Over two hundred alumni of the LBFP and Middle East Entrepreneurship Training (MEET) programs came together June 9–11, 2008, in Jordan for a joint event that offered the chance for the two groups of Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) program graduates to share their knowledge, ideas, and experience while participating in a range of professional development-focused activities. It was the first time that LBFP had had the chance to work together with such an extensive group of MEET alums.

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Living the LBFP Life: Hana Bubshait Throughout her Legal and Business Fellowship Program, Hana Bubshait (LBFP 2008, Saudi Arabia) has been bringing AMIDEAST program staff into the experience with lively e-mail updates on her fellowship working at Motorola in Libertyville, IL, and exploring nearby Chicago as well as the United States at large.	Alumnae News Sabah H. Bogasmi (LBFP 2007, Saudi Arabia) has founded her own management consulting firm, the Women Leadership Initiative. “What we need as leaders, entrepreneurs, or professionals is to build our own brand, look at life in a positive way, and give back to the community,” says Sabah. “Even when it’s a crisis situation, there is a lesson to learn from it.
Maverick Rules: Success as an Innovator A speech by William C. “Bill” Taylor, founder of Fast Company magazine and author of Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win, was one of the highlights of the recent joint MEET and LBFP alumni conference.	Maverick Companies: Some Models In Maverick Companies author Bill Taylor examines thirty-two different companies that have had success through innovative approaches. Here are three examples from among those Taylor discussed during his speech at the conference that highlight various strategic aspects of his maverick model for success.
Ending Procrastination Perseverance is about as important to achievement as gasoline is to driving a car. Sure, there will be times when you feel like you're spinning your wheels, but you’ll always get out of the rut with genuine perseverance. Without it, you won't even be able to start your engine.	Question of the Quarter Before every issue, The LBFP Link asks alumnae to provide their own personal thoughts related to a particular topic. This issue’s “Question of the Quarter” is— What is one type of employment that would be a “dream job” for you, and why?

About AMIDEAST
America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) is a private, nonprofit organization that strengthens mutual understanding and cooperation between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa. Every year, AMIDEAST provides English language and professional skills training, educational advising, and testing services to hundreds of thousands of students and professionals in the Middle East and North Africa; supports numerous institutional development projects in the region; and administers educational exchange programs. Founded in 1951, AMIDEAST is headquartered in Washington, DC with a network of field offices in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen.

AMIDEAST supports MEPI in recruitment and selection of LBFP fellows, as well as their placement in executive education program and internships in the United States. AMIDEAST also provides support to LBFP and BIP alumnae through this quarterly newsletter as well as periodic in-region networking events.

About MEPI
The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is a U.S. Presidential Initiative founded to support economic, political, and educational reform efforts in the Middle East and champion opportunity for all people of the region, especially women and youth. The initiative strives to link Arab, U.S., and global private sector businesses, non-governmental organizations, civil society elements, and governments together to develop innovative policies and programs that support reform in the region.

About LBFP
The Legal and Business Fellowship Program (LBFP) seeks to help participating women develop their management, business, and legal skills while gaining experience in the cutting-edge U.S. business environment.

The 2008 LBFP cohort is comprised of women aged twenty-three to thirty-three who exhibit strong leadership potential, academic and work records, and English language skills and who are active in the business and legal sectors of Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen.