About the Cover Illustration

The cover of this edition of LAU Magazine and Alumni Bulletin was created by fourth-year graphic design major Jamie Sue Melki.

Melki submitted her design to the Magazine Cover Contest, launched by the Marketing and Communications Department to increase student participation in the production of the magazine.

With her image, Melki says she wanted to refute the idea of a stalled country, and rather focus on one that is full of life, movement, and, yes, chaos. “I wanted to counter the claim that Lebanon is dying,” said Melki of her design. “We’re a resilient people, and chaos gives us strength.”

She used the platform Photoshop to create a collage of images she took in and around Beirut, her hometown. She hopes her work invokes the energy, movement and color of the country.

A natural-born artist, Melki credits her education at LAU with giving her the tools she needs to pursue her passion. “At LAU, I was given the freedom to experiment, hone my skills and build my confidence so that I could find my own aesthetic.”

As for what she does after graduation, Melki says she hopes to get some more experience in graphic design and animation, and to one day open up her own animation studio here in Lebanon.

Congratulations and best of luck, Jamie Sue!