Your Partnerships at Work

General Partnerships

Friends of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures

This partnership represents the broadest possible support for MELC. The Friends of MELC Fund makes it possible for us to host our student convocation at the end of the year where we acknowledge the excellence of our students for their parents and friends. It also allows us to enhance any of MELC’s programs by way of speakers, special events, colloquia, and faculty and student projects.

Michael A. Williams Endowment for Excellence

To honor Michael Williams’ incredible service and commitment as Chair of MELC (1997-2005), MELC Board Members Pamela and Robert Miller generously established this endowment to provide tuition support for MELC graduate and undergraduate students. The College has kindly agreed to match all contributions from faculty and staff made to this endowment. This year's fellowship was awarded to William Reed, a MELC master's student.

MELC Graduate Fellowships

This general graduate fellowship fund allows MELC to support its graduate students in any of its major areas of study. It is important to stress that the Dean of the College has supported this fellowship with matching contributions. Recent MELC Graduate Fellows include Deborah Rohan, Elizabeth Lott, and Matthew Erickson.


Partnerships in Arabic and Islamic Studies

The Bateh Fellowship Fund

This partnership allows us to award fellowships to students studying Arabic who not only have demonstrated academic merit, but also have experience, understanding of, and a deep commitment to the Arab world. This fund significantly enhances our efforts to encourage students with outstanding potential to pursue the study of Arabic.

The Farhat J. Ziadeh Endowment

The partners who have created this endowment make it possible for MELC to host the annual Farhat J. Ziadeh Distinguished Lecture Series in Arab and Islamic Studies. The 2010 Lecture featured Professor Yvonne Haddad, Professor of the History of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations in the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University. The 2011 Lecture featured Roy Mottahedeh of Harvard University, who presented on The Duties and Limitations of Following a Religious Guide in Contemporary Shi‘ite Law.


Partnerships in Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies

 The Biblical and Ancient Near East Studies Fund

This fund continues to enrich our overall program in these fields by co-sponsoring speakers or events of interest to faculty, students, and the community. Past year’s events were co-sponsored with the American Research Center in Egypt, Northwest Chapter and included Thomas Schneider, "Egyptology in the Nazi Era," and Chloe Ragazzoli, University of the Sorbonne, Paris, "When Scribes Pass By: Visitors' Graffiti in Ancient Egypt."

The Paul Leroy Scholarship for Ancient Egyptian Studies

This partnership allows for an annual student competition for excellence in Ancient Egyptian Studies.


Partnerships in Persian and Iranian Studies

Friends of Persian Studies

This new general support fund will allow us to sponsor special events that enhance Persian Studies at the University of Washington. We look forward to recognizing MELC’s special partners who made this fund possible with new programs this year.

The Afrassiabi Endowment in Persian Studies

This partnership with the Afrassiabi family makes possible our Annual Hooshang Afrassiabi Distinguished Lecture, now in its tenth year. Past speakers have included Terence Ward, author of Searching for Hassan: A Journey to the Heart of Iran, Professor Janet Afary (Purdue University) who spoke on Justice, Purity and Sexuality in Modern Iranian History and Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi (University of Toronto-Mississauga) whose talk was entitled "Matriotic Nationalism and the Making of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution of 1906-1911." Both events boasted record turnouts of more than 700 attendees. These events reflect the community’s growing interest in Persian Studies at UW.

Cole and Firoozeh Papan-Matin Endowed Student Support

This partnership, made possible by the generosity of our own Professor Papan-Matin, offers support to graduate students engaged in Persian and/or Iranian studies. This year this endowment will provide for graduate fellowships, student teaching, research, travel, and conference attendance and honoraria for community activities.

The Naficy Family Scholarship in Persian Studies

Our partnership with the Naficy family allows us to offer an annual award that honors the excellence of our students pursuing work in Persian Studies. The previous recipients were Abel Kereval, M.A. SISME, Nasim Babazadeh, senior MELC and Neurobiology, and Behrooz Soleimani, senior Biochemistry.

The Roshan Institute Fellowship for Excellence in Persian Studies

Through a wonderful endowment from the Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute, MELC now offers a competitive annual award that provides a generous stipend and tuition waiver to UW Ph.D. students at the advanced dissertation stage of their doctoral studies.


Partnerships in Turkish and Ottoman Studies

The Turkish Endowed Fund

Thanks to the enthusiastic support of so many of MELCs partners we are now able to sponsor speakers, special colloquium, or other initiatives that focus on Turkish culture and language. Watch for future announcements concerning these events.

The Turkish and Ottoman Literature Endowed Fellowship

The exceptional generosity of an anonymous donor, coupled with a significant match from the College, has recently made available a fully-endowed graduate fellowship plus tuition in Turkish and Ottoman Studies.


 This growing list of endowments and funds represents the diversity, breadth, and uniqueness of MELC’s faculty, students, and activities. Each partnership is vital to MELC’s continued growth and success. We ask that you please consider becoming a partner with MELC by giving to the funds of your choice.

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