ELON COLLEGE – Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan will address students, faculty
and staff during Elon’s annual Convocation for Honors at 11 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 12, in
Koury Center. The convocation offers special recognition to President’s List and Dean’s
List students as well as members of the Elon Society, the premier donor organization at
Elon. The convocation is open to the public.
Queen Noor is actively involved in women’s and children’s issues, health care, education
and human rights. She has played a highly visible role in promoting Arab-Western
relations and international understanding of Middle East politics.
Born Lisa Najeeb Halaby in 1951 to a distinguished Arab-American family, Queen Noor
graduated from Princeton University in 1974 with a degree in architecture and urban
planning.
In 1978 she married King Hussein of Jordan, who was a pivotal leader in the Middle
East peace process until his death in 1999 following a lengthy battle with cancer. She
chairs the board of Al Amal Center, which is the largest specialized comprehensive cancer
center in the Middle East. She also is president of the United World Colleges and chair of
the United Nations University International Leadership Academy in Jordan, the world’s
first global leadership training facility.
Queen Noor will receive an honorary degree at convocation, as will L.M. “Bud” Baker,
Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Wachovia Corporation and Wachovia Bank
N.A. Baker served on Elon’s Board of Trustees from 1991 to 1997, chairing the board
during the last two years of his term.
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