Oakland University in Rochester will be the site of the Lebanese Collegiate Network’s 2011 annual convention from Friday, April 1 to Sunday, April 3, a wide-ranging national event uniting students, professionals and alumni for the purpose of academic and professional development.

The LCN’s annual convention is designed to help Lebanese attendees improve academically and professionally. Photos courtesy of LCN

Featuring a variety of workshops,  networking opportunities, and the 4th Annual LCN Awards Dinner for Lebanese clubs and outstanding individuals on Saturday night, the event’s aim is to unite the United States Lebanese community and to provide the tools necessary to move forward in today’s competitive economic landscape.

Students from universities such as UM-Dearborn, UM-Ann Arbor, Wayne State, Oakland U., Madonna University and more are expected to attend along with many more students and professionals from California, Ohio, Texas, Washington, D.C. and others. Many Lebanese clubs from universities will be represented and honored at the convention as well both locally and nationally.

“Having over 100 students and young professionals registered and expected to be flying in from California to Michigan alone despite the cold weather for our convention makes me strongly believe that the LCN mission will spread for decades to come not only in the USA but hopefully for the prosperity of Lebanon,” said Rami Haddad, the LCN’s VP of Public Relations.

“It’s all because of our tried and true process, transparency, and collective team effort in developing Lebanese academically and professionally in the United States.”

Haddad is expecting to supplement the out-of-state groups with a strong contingent of Michigan attendees, as is Oakland University Dean of Engineering Louay Chamra.

Oakland University in Rochester is hosting the 4th annual national convention for students and professionals.

Chamra, who is Lebanese, has seen the promise offered by Arab American and Lebanese students in particular to other local universities in engineering and other fields, and he pushed for Oakland U. to sponsor the event and help bring it to campus.

The dean was ultimately successful in helping to bring LCN 2011 to Oakland and looks forward to meeting with Lebanese students about their career aspirations while also telling them about what Oakland has to offer as a university as well.

The convention will begin with registration and the distribution of detailed itineraries on Friday, April 1 at the Hilton Suites Hotel in Rochester at 2 p.m. before a President’s forum outlining LCN’s strategic plans and a mixer at the hotel for students and professionals.

Saturday includes specialized workshops and networking opportunities for students, alumni, and/or professionals, elections of new LCN officers, and an awards dinner beginning at 6 p.m. UM-Dearborn’s Lebanese Student Association is expected to host an entertainment event on the same night as well in Dearborn.

Sunday will wrap things up with a breakfast event and local tours of attractions including a possible visit to the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn.

Former LCN President Serge Haddad speaks last year. LCN Elections will be held at the 2011 convention.

The LCN recently announced that Ambassador of Lebanon to the United States Antoine Chedid will also attend the convention. He said he looks forward to meeting the young professionals and students who he believes will become the future of the United States and Lebanon according to Haddad.

LCN VP of Events Judith Farah of Oakland University said that she is excited for the convention to begin after many months of planning.

“I personally believe that this convention is going to be a success, not only for us as LCN board members, but also for our students and professionals attending,” she said.

“The knowledge and wisdom they will be getting after this nationwide convention will help them move forward in their careers as well as their personal lives. I also thank Oakland University for their remarkable support throughout the planning of this great event.”

Registration for the event is being offered at $65 even though the cost per person to the organization is over $200 for food, compensating workshop instructors, and other costs according to Haddad; tickets to the dinner separately can be bought for $50.

“Our success is a direct reflection of the commitment and talent that our members bring to the table, and that success is no more apparent than in the planning and attendance of this 4th Annual Convention for LCN,” said LCN President Sevag Sislian. “We are grateful for the support of our University Lebanese clubs who year-after-year fly across the U.S., as well as our local partners who enable us to host this unique conference. We expect LCN 2011 at Oakland University will be our best one yet.”

Sponsors for the LCN 2011 convention include Oakland University at the top (Diamond) level along with others including DTE Energy, MA Engineering, Print Xpress, the CIA, Mr. and Mrs. Ghassan and Manal Saab, and community sponsors including the Lebanese American Heritage Club, the Arab American Chamber of Commerce,  ACCESS and others.

To learn more about LCN 2011 or to register, visit www.mylcn.org/LCN11. To learn more about LCN’s previous conventions, visit www.mylcn.org/convention.