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About The Scholarship Award
Purpose: Recognize and award Arab-American university students who excel in Media Studies.
Scholarship Award Amount: $4,000
Eligibility: University students enrolled in the 2024-2025 academic year. Juniors, Seniors, and Graduate School students majoring in Journalism, Television, Radio and/or Film.
Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2025 Jack Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship!
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is proud to honor seven inspiring Arab American storytellers who are challenging dominant narratives and uplifting their communities through journalism, film, and media.
The Dr. Jack G. Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship recognizes Arab American undergraduate and graduate students who excel in media studies, including journalism, television, film, and radio. The scholarship is offered in honor of Dr. Jack Shaheen (1935-2017), an author, lecturer, and media critic who wrote the award-winning book and documentary, Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People.
Shaheen's work focused on racism and Orientalism, particularly in Hollywood and popular culture, and described his life’s work as "dedicated to trying to humanize Arabs and Muslims and to give visibility to American Arabs and American Muslims — to have us being projected no better, no worse, than anyone else."
Sarah Al-Arshani
A journalist committed to global storytelling, Sarah is pursuing a master’s at New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, where she will study journalism and international relations. Since graduating from the University of Connecticut with a BA in journalism and political science, Sarah has worked as a breaking news reporter for Insider and USA Today and interned at The Jordan Times in Amman.
Sofia Kasbo
A senior journalism major at Seton Hall University and Managing Editor of The Setonian, Sofia is a passionate advocate for student press rights. She has reported on breaking news, protests, and small business features, and has written op-eds on topics such as body positivity. As President of Seton Hall’s Society of Professional Journalists chapter, she leads with a strong commitment to supporting student journalists.
Mariam Bagdady
An Egyptian-American writer and journalist, Mariam is dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Communication, with an emphasis in law, and has worked with social impact organizations through the Goldhirsh Foundation, as well as freelanced for publications including Flaunt, Atwood Magazine, TMZ, and The Daily Nexus. Mariam will continue her journalism journey at Northwestern’s Medill School, where she plans to focus on stories that center Middle Eastern, BIPOC, and Indigenous communities.
Yezen Saadah
A Palestinian American student at NYU, Yezen is studying cinema studies, Middle Eastern studies, and journalism. He recently completed his tenure as Editor-in-Chief of NYU’s Washington Square News and contributes to Palestine Square, the blog of the Institute for Palestine Studies. Yezen’s work aims to challenge Western media portrayals of Arabs and Muslims and elevate Palestinian voices through both creative and critical mediums.
Mena Nasiri
An Iraqi filmmaker based in Michigan, Mena is driven to tell authentic and impactful stories about underrepresented communities, particularly the Arab experience. She has worked across all aspects of film production and is now focusing on documentary work. A soon-to-be graduate of the University of Michigan with degrees in Film and Media and Mechanical Engineering, Mena is passionate about challenging industry norms and brings an interdisciplinary skill set to her bold, justice-oriented filmmaking.
Leena Fraihat
A recent graduate from the University of Virginia, Leena earned her degree in Media Studies with a minor in Public Writing and Rhetoric. This fall, she will begin a Master of Science degree at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Leena is passionate about storytelling, dialogue, and social justice, and aspires to work in broadcast journalism to uplift the voices of diverse and underrepresented communities.
Christian Baba
A San Francisco native and writer, Christian is pursuing a Master’s in Narrative Writing at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. He works as a research assistant at Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center and is currently collaborating with Harvard’s FXB Center on a study of media coverage of the war in Gaza. With experience in marketing at A24 and on the film The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Christian now works in public affairs and community engagement for local and state agencies, bringing a creative, service-driven approach to storytelling.
About Dr. Jack G. Shaheen:
Dr. Shaheen (1935-2017) is an internationally recognized author and media critic who wrote the award-winning book and film, Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People. He has consulted with the United Nations and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and has been featured on numerous national network programs such as National Public Radio, CNN, MSNBC and The Today Show.
