Student Life

From BA to MA: Leen Al Daqqaq

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When Leen Al Daqqaq arrived on AUP’s campus for the first time, she was seventeen, and seeking a university with sprawling energy, endless opportunities, and English-speaking courses in the heart of France. Almost immediately, she knew she had come to the right place.  

Although Leen had grown up studying from American curricula in Dubai, speaking English, French, and Arabic, Leen still reveled at the novelty of studying alongside students from all over the world while also adjusting to life in France. “It was a kind of double culture shock,” she admits. But what follows this initial chapter of uncertainty, so many AUP students say, is an empowering transformation.  

By the end of her first year, things clicked into place for Leen. While working toward her BA degree, double-majoring in International and Comparative Politics and Middle East Pluralities, she joined clubs on campus and began tutoring AUP students in Arabic. As a sophomore, she ventured off campus to teach French students English, and found that, although English was not her first language, she could relate to students learning languages for the first time—something that elevated her approach to teaching.  

Leen’s AUP experience was supported by the AUP Scholar Award, a scholarship covering 75% of tuition, granted to students who demonstrate exceptional academic potential. When she received the award, it was a huge surprise, she says. At past institutions, she felt her achievements were sometimes overlooked, but this scholarship demonstrated the care that AUP took to see the potential in all kinds of students. 

Leen’s potential, and her desire to act as a resource to others, quickly took shape. She served first as a Student Advisor and later as a Residential Advisor, helping first-years adjust to life on campus. She took on leadership roles in various clubs, representing the History and Politics department, organizing campus events, and tutoring students in Political Economy and Arabic. Beyond academics, she’s been a passionate member of the student clubs Arabesque (celebrating Arab voices on campus), Students for Justice in Palestine, and Baytna à Vous (supporting refugees settling in France)—eager to build up those near and far. With the help of an AUP alum, she even secured an internship as an external affairs assistant with the International Development Research Network. At AUP, she says, these opportunities are offered on a silver platter. The more you take advantage, the more you will shine.  

She credits her involvement on campus, too, to AUP professors like Professor Ziad Majed, who helped shape her academic aspirations and pushed her to apply lessons outside of the classroom. Others, like Professor Sharon Weill, led Leen and her classmates in AUP’s Justice Lab, where they examined the role of courts in addressing global challenges, and worked extensively on research on French Asylum Courts. Together, AUP’s faculty made all the difference.  

With graduation around the corner, Leen had a decision to make. Although she was initially attracted to a program at Science Po, one class with Professor Susan Perry was enough to change her mind. AUP’s MA in Diplomacy and International Law caught her eye and would open the door to a career in diplomacy.  

The difference between her BA classes and MA classes was distinct, she says. Although class sizes remained small—10 to 15 students on average—she found the level of passion and commitment to the subject material inspiring. “Undergraduate students are still exploring, trying to figure out if they’re in the right place,” she explains, while graduate students bring a wealth of professional and practical experience from diverse backgrounds. She’s particularly looking forward to the program’s École de Guerre, a simulation that casts MA students as humanitarian actors protecting civilians in the context of war, using law and diplomacy to solve real-world problems.  

The advantage of completing both bachelor's and master's degree at AUP, according to Leen, is that you’ve already acclimated to life in Paris, the campus, and speaking French. Instead of starting from scratch elsewhere, Leen felt empowered to dive into her work, pursue internships, and knew exactly which professors she wanted to study with. 

When she reflects on her journey from BA to MA, Leen thinks about how scholarships have the power to maximize the potential of others. Our support for higher education, like the AUP Scholar Award and other dedicated funds, signals to students that we recognize their ability to make a difference, among their peers and within their communities. Leen explains that the act of learning together and having meaningful conversations where everyone has a seat at the table, can lay the foundation for a more educated, more peaceful society. 

Learn more about graduate studies at AUP, the MA in Diplomacy and International Law and how to support AUP today.