Karen Khalife: Torch Award Winner for Exemplary Leadership
September 3, 2024
Karen Khalife, a MEPI TLS alum (’24) and a distinguished graduate of the Adnan Kassar School of Business, has been honored with the prestigious Torch Award for the class of 2024. The award, given to a student who exemplifies leadership, service, and ethical behavior, is an amazing recognition of Karen’s dedication to activism and community service throughout her academic journey.
Reflecting on her time at LAU, Karen shared, “Serving the community and giving back to others is a value that I believe everyone should embody.” This belief was the driving force behind her involvement in various leadership and volunteer activities during her studies.
Karen’s activism began with her participation in the UNDP Youth Leadership Program, where she connected with young leaders across Lebanon. “We learned from each other,” she said, “and were taught how to effectively study and prepare project proposals, reaching out to the right stakeholders to launch initiatives.” This experience laid the foundation for her future leadership roles.
As the president of the UNESCO club on campus, Karen spearheaded workshops and events focused on leadership and Title IX rights. “I worked in teams, divided tasks, and managed the entire process,” she recalled. Her leadership extended beyond the university, as she was selected to participate in the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development at ESCWA, where she engaged in critical conversations about Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to security and peace.
Furthermore, thanks to the MEPI Tomorrow’s Leaders Gender Scholars Program, Karen significantly developed her writing and public speaking skills. “Through this program, I conducted research and reflected my thoughts through policy papers over two courses,” she explained. These skills have been instrumental in her current role as a young leader in the Leadership, Empowerment, and Awareness Program by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung NGO. Karen is now ready to launch an initiative that aims to create a lasting impact on both political and social levels, contributing further to the community she cares about.
Reflecting on her journey and commitment to bringing positive change in her community, she says, “We cannot dream of a better world without taking action ourselves. We are all responsible, and we are all changemakers.”
Karen Khalife’s journey at LAU is a beautiful testimony and an inspiration to take up the mantle of change and make a difference in the world around them.