Brian Pellot
University of Missouri
Fall 2008 and Spring 2009

“My time as a Clinton Scholar at AUD has been a truly unforgettable experience. Taking classes with students from all over the world creates a diversity of perspectives that is hard to find at most universities. While at AUD, I have been actively involved with the International Aid Club working on projects in Cameroon and Somalia. The friends I've made at AUD from the Middle East and beyond have broadened my perceptions of the world, and I've learned as much from them as from my excellent courses focusing on the region”.

Marielle Remillard
Austin College
Fall 2008
"Given the opportunity, I would return to Dubai in an instant. During my study abroad experience, I fell in love with city, the culture, the sights, the sounds, the energy and the people. I loved the limitless ingenuity and imagination found in Dubai, a city filled with engineering marvels and opulence. While abroad, I traveled to Oman and Jordan, experienced Ramadan, enjoyed the night life, camped in the desert, swam in the Arabian Gulf, skied in the mall, dined with a Sheik and made a number of lifelong friends. Yet, what I most enjoyed about the study abroad experience was the insight I gathered into another culture. As an American, everything I knew about the Middle East was highly stigmatized and filtered through media which depicts the Middle East as violent, oppressive, and extremist. Living for four months in Dubai helped me to understand the diversity in the region and to gain an appreciation for a rich and beautiful culture. The American University in Dubai played an essential role in exposing me to new ideas and people from all over the world. Furthermore, through programs at AUD and through the Clinton Scholarship, I had a number of opportunities I would not have had with a different study abroad program. For instance, I got to meet important political figures such as the Consular General and several American senators, as well as members of the Global Clinton Foundation. It was entirely a worthwhile and life changing experience, and I would recommend the program at AUD to anyone who has considered studying abroad."

Andrea England – Clinton Scholar
University of Cincinnati
Spring 2007

"Dubai is known worldwide as epitomizing modernity - but the city has so much more to offer than its well-known skyline or luxury services. As the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and Asia, the UAE in general and Dubai specifically has a long and rich history as a bastion of cultural exchange. The most valuable aspect of my experience in the city was without a doubt the exposure to individuals from so many different ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Not only does the diversity of the student body at AUD enhance academic debates, as each individual brings a truly unique set of experiences to the classroom, but a simple shopping trip more often than not granted me the opportunity to learn something new about another part of the world. The ever-present cultural plurality of Dubai honed my cross-cultural communication skills, a competence that will serve me both in my personal life and my professional future."

Gina Syarif
Dominican University of California
Spring 2007

“Studying abroad in Dubai was the highlight of my college experience. The atmosphere in AUD, both in the classrooms and out, creates such a diverse academic experience that one cannot learn from a textbook. I was surprised to hear horrible stories from friends that studied abroad in other countries because my experience in Dubai was flawless. Thanks to the friendly and helpful staff members and students, I had no trouble adjusting and felt very much at home. After returning home to California, I truly missed the friends I made there, which I still keep in close contact with. At job interviews, companies always ask me about my experience in Dubai because they've seen and read about it on TV and on the internet, but have never met anybody that has studied/lived there. The fact that I've studied at the business capital of the Middle East and the fastest growing city in the world, sets me apart from everybody else. So having that on my resume is a big plus! If I could relive my experience in Dubai, I would do it in a heartbeat”.

Jeff Mc Kinney
University of Michigan
Summer 2003

“I came over to study for just the summer quarter in the summer of 2003. I came from America (I was living in Alaska at the time, working as a school teacher). I was enriched by the subject, the instructor, and my classmates. I hope to have the pleasure of visiting Dubai, and AUD again”.

Justin Dunnavant
Howard University
Fall 2006

“I had a wonderful time during my matriculation at The American University in Dubai. The university allotted me the opportunity to enroll in classes that were not available through my home institution. The faculty and administrative staff were also very supportive and helpful in assisting the students. The dormitories and cafeteria are first-rate. While at AUD I established lasting friendships with other students from all across the world. The UAE itself serves as a melting pot of people from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds. I thoroughly enjoyed myself in Dubai, between snowboarding at Emirates mall and weekend trips to the beach there was rarely a dull moment. AUD may not be the best choice for students wishing to perfect their Arabic however; its diverse student body makes it an excellent place for those hoping to interact with students from all over the Middle East, Asia, and Africa”.

Kyle Lee
Setan Hall University
Summer 2008

"My choice to study abroad at the American University in Dubai was the best decision I made in my college career. I learned so much about the Middle East and made friendships that will last a lifetime."

Nina Hamad
Virginia Tech University - Blacksburg
Fall 2007

“I would say that choosing to study abroad at AUD was one of the best decisions I made in my life so far. It was a great learning experience that felt like a four month long vacation. In that vacation time I got to make lots of great new friends that I still keep in touch with today, experience a different culture, learn new ideas, experience a different academic setting, and learn more about myself by challenging myself each day. I got to see things and travel places that I never would have been able to elsewhere and learn about many different topics in such different ways than my normal academic setting. I do not have any regrets about studying abroad at AUD and am so happy that I made the decision to take a risk and do something out of the norm for me. It was a risk well worth it that gave me memories for a lifetime”.

Ruth Cardona
The George Washington University
Winter and Spring term of 2005

“My experience as study abroad student at AUD was extremely positive. It gave me the opportunity to make friends with people from all over the world, explore the UAE and other parts of the Middle East and also helped me decide where I wanted to live after I graduated...I have been living and working in Dubai for the past 2 years and plan to stay so I think that says a lot of my experience!”