Management Graduate Turned Fulbright Scholar Is Conducting Research Abroad
Jenan Abu-Hakmeh’s dream career is in law and public policy, and the May 2019 graduate has got it all mapped out. An Albert Dorman Honors College alumna who majored in business with concentrations in finance and international business and minored in legal studies, she plans to attend law school, practice in the field for several years and then work perhaps as a lobbyist or in a governmental capacity.
So it was unexpected that her curiosity about the lauded décor of NJIT’s most historic building, Eberhardt Hall, would ultimately provide her with an experience that aligns nicely with her future professional objectives. “I took advantage of the opportunity to attend an information session being hosted there [and see the inside of Eberhardt], and that information session happened to be about the Fulbright Scholarship,” she said. “As I sat and learned about it, I realized then and there that it would be the perfect postgraduation opportunity for me.”
That was in 2016. Fast-forward to today and Abu-Hakmeh is halfway through a 10-month independent research project in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), courtesy of a Fulbright Scholarship. The program promotes cross-cultural exchange between the United States and partner countries to enable students to carry out research, undertake master’s programs or teach English in their host countries. Her study focuses on gender equality legislation in the UAE.
This follows her many achievements while at NJIT that were driven by her interest in legal affairs and policymaking. She founded the university’s chapter of the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up organization, a global movement dedicated to achieving gender equality worldwide. In addition, she interned at the U.S. House of Representatives and the Superior Court of New Jersey, and on the litigation team of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.
Abu-Hakmeh learned she won the Fulbright this past April, receiving the congratulatory email while lunching with co-workers. “I left the room, paced around a bit and read the email over a few times to make sure it was real before forwarding the news to everyone who helped make it happen,” she remembered of the moment. Then “I sent a screen shot to my family’s group chat with the caption, ‘I’m moving to Abu Dhabi!’ I was full of excitement and gratitude!” (Interestingly, Abu-Hakmeh’s parents, Emad and Amal, and two older brothers, Khaldoon and Ahmad, also are NJIT alumni.)
NJIT reached out to Abu-Hakmeh to learn more about her Fulbright research, hear about her time in the UAE thus far, and garner advice for students interested in applying for prestigious scholarships.
ON HER FULBRIGHT APPLICATION
Abu-Hakmeh spent seven months polishing her research proposal and personal statement essays, with guidance from many advisers at the Honors College. She also received recommendations from Martin Tuchman School of Management faculty Diana Walsh and Hindy Schacter, as well as her Horizon manager who was a past Fulbright Scholar.
“Professor Walsh was a great recommender for me since I took a business law class with her. ... Professor Schacter was also a really helpful recommendation, because it was in her class that I first discovered and studied UAE gender parity laws,” she noted.
The process required her to arrange to have an adviser in the UAE, too. A friend at Abu Dhabi University connected Abu-Hakmeh with her favorite professor, Fauzia Jabeen. Jabeen happily took on the responsibility and wrote a letter of affiliation for Abu-Hakmeh’s application.
ON HER FULBRIGHT RESEARCH PROJECT
The eventual goal of Abu-Hakmeh’s research is to understand the influence of federal Emirati gender parity laws on working women in the UAE. Her work in this area, done with Jabeen, “will provide substantial insight into the UAE’s progressive efforts towards making women feel welcome, comfortable and valued in the workplace.”
She is finishing a systematic literature review on women in the workplace before beginning the crux of her research, which will involve administering a survey to women employed at various select UAE organizations. This survey, she says, “will measure the extent to which they feel the impact of federal gender equality laws” where they work.
ON HER FULBRIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE UAE
“What I like most about the UAE, and what is perhaps the most memorable aspect of my experience living here, is the strong sense of community,” remarked Abu-Hakmeh, who has traveled around the country a bit, to Liwa, Hatta and Dubai to name just a few areas, and has other side trips pending. “Local organizations, both government and private, are constantly planning events and activities for the community to get involved.”
The second annual ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon, in which Abu-Hakmeh participated, is one example. She attended free nightly training sessions, where coaches led dozens of runners through stretches, warmups and workouts and a group photo was taken for posting in the WhatsApp group chat.
ON HER ADVICE FOR FULBRIGHT AND OTHER SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANTS
Abu-Hakmeh offers the following tips for submissions: Start planning early and be very discerning about what to include in the personal statement. “You want to make it seem like this scholarship was meant for you, so show off your best personal traits and experiences that help prove that,” she said, adding, “Let your academic feats speak for themselves. Focus on making sure you come off as a truly interesting candidate who is going to make the program proud.”
