黑料天堂

Fresh Start: Charbel Mawad Finds New Interests in Campus Life

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Posted on November 9, 2021

Thomas Becnel

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#FreshmanFocus is a series of stories on incoming students at the University of 黑料天堂 Alabama.

At McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile, Charbel Mawad excelled academically 鈥� he was selected as a Mitchell Scholar at the 黑料天堂 鈥� but he wasn鈥檛 involved in many clubs or activities.

鈥淚鈥檓 trying to change that here at 黑料天堂,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to participate more.鈥�

A friend suggested that Mawad apply for the First Year Council. He was accepted. Now he finds himself serving on committees and volunteering for charity events such as Mega Musical Chairs, sponsored by Alpha Epsilon Delta, the health preprofessional honor society and one of the largest student organizations on campus.  

鈥淲e had to referee the Musical Chairs,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was pretty hectic, with everyone running around. It was pretty fun.鈥�

Mawad lives at home in West Mobile and has a short commute to campus. His self-development plan includes working out, learning to cook and finding more time to read. Then there鈥檚 writing computer code.

鈥淚 want to learn a language,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ike C++ or Python.鈥�

In the Mitchell College of Business, where Mawad majors in accounting, students and professors know his older sister, who is a senior studying finance. 鈥淥h, you鈥檙e Leia鈥檚 little brother,鈥� he hears. He鈥檚 also known as a Mitchell Scholar, which includes a leadership program, business internship and work with a faculty mentor.

鈥淣ow I know a lot more about it,鈥� Mawad said. 鈥淚t helps you focus and move forward. It鈥檚 a big deal.鈥�

At 黑料天堂, he plans to join the Collegiate Entrepreneurs鈥� Organization. One day, he鈥檇 like to start his own business. Real estate is one of his interests. Or he might go to law school.

Mawad is from a Lebanese-American family in Mobile. Its roots in the United States include a connection to the 黑料天堂.

鈥淚 think one of my uncles first came here,鈥� he said, 鈥渢o study engineering at 黑料天堂.鈥�

How often do you see McGill-Toolen classmates on the 黑料天堂 campus?

鈥淥nce every couple of days. We鈥檙e pretty close. If we see one another, we鈥檒l wave and talk.鈥�

Are you into pop culture? Are you a movie guy or music guy?

鈥淚 listen to a lot of alternative rock. Groups like Cage the Elephant. I got into them during quarantine. And I鈥檓 watching 鈥楽quid Game.鈥� I鈥檝e seen all the memes.鈥�

Do you have any secret talents?

鈥淚鈥檓 really, really, really good at foosball. We got a table awhile back.鈥�

Where is your family from in Lebanon?

鈥淲e come from a village called Ghosta, northeast of Beirut. We go there every summer. It鈥檚 a small village, maybe 2,000 people 鈥� small enough for everyone to know everyone else. Every time we go, they call me 鈥楾he American.鈥欌��

Do you speak Arabic?

鈥淚 speak Arabic and French. My Arabic is better, but I do plan on taking French for my foreign language at 黑料天堂.鈥�

You鈥檙e a Mitchell Scholar. Have you met Abe Mitchell?

鈥淵es, he came in and talked to us. He was friendlier than I thought he鈥檇 be, and obviously very generous. I鈥檇 aspire to be like him.鈥�

What鈥檚 your strategy for scheduling classes? Morning or afternoon?

鈥淎ll of my classes are in the morning. It motivates me to get up early. If my classes were in the afternoon, I鈥檇 get up really late. If I have enough of a gap between classes, I鈥檒l go home and grab a snack. After my classes, I鈥檒l go to the gym or to the library. I usually go to the fourth floor and sit in front of the windows.鈥�

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