Samir F. Karam International Travel Award

This scholarship was established in 2016 by Adel and Kristin Karam in memory of Mr. Samir F. Karam. Karam was born in 1937 in Cairo, Egypt to a poor working class family, though he loved to read as a young child. He earned his B.A. in Psychology in 1958 and a M.A. in Philosophy in 1961 from Cairo University which led him to a career as a commentary writer at Radio Egypt and the Egyptian Broadcasting Service. He served as a correspondent in China and the Southeast Asia bureau chief for Radio Egypt based in Hong Kong during the Vietnam War. His work and travels offered him to ability to interview world leaders such as Indira Gandhi, Mao Tse Tung, and the Shah of Iran. In the early 1980’s, Karam became the Washington, D.C. bureau chief for the Lebanese newsweekly Al-Kifah and spent the rest of his career as a U.S. and Middle East affairs analyst where he made guest appearances on news programs such as Nightlight with Ted Koppel and Meet the Press. During that time, he held press credentials for the State Department, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Senate, and the House of Representatives, and was a member of the National Press Club. Karam was the first member of his family to earn a college degree and was a firm believer in education. He traveled to more than sixty countries and six continents during his life. This scholarship is available to one or two students annually who enroll in a semester-long study abroad program. They must have unmet financial need and U.S. citizenship is not required.