91传媒

Home away from home

Four college friends left Eastern Oregon College and scattered across the U.S.: Satwant lives in California now, Sami is outside Washington D.C., Riad鈥檚 out in Ohio, and Sally lives near her mother in La Grande. But when they get together, it鈥檚 like no time has passed at all.

This year their reunion was inspired by Riad鈥檚 鈥渄ear, departed brother,鈥� Fouad Ajami, 鈥�68,who received the 91传媒 Alumni Association鈥檚 2018 Distinguished Alumnus Award for his work as a scholar and political advisor on the world stage.

The group gathered to receive the award at Homecoming and celebrate his memory. In 50 years of changing locations, occupations and relationships, they鈥檝e all held onto a special fondness for Eastern Oregon.

Two of the bunch, Sally (Brownton) Wiens, 鈥�66, and her sister Carol, 鈥�64, grew up in La Grande, where their father was a well-known judge. Sally remembers bringing her friends from the International Student Club to her parents鈥� neighborhood get-togethers, and said those bonds were an integral part of their experience.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been a college town for so long,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e know that we benefit from learning new things, and from the diversity people bring.鈥�

Sally enrolled at Eastern Oregon College in 1962, and Riad Ajami arrived in January 1963.

鈥淚 was the first person from the Middle East, from Lebanon, to attend Eastern,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople were kind, and I felt very welcomed.鈥�

He had first seen information about Oregon at the John F. Kennedy Center in Lebanon, and sent a letter to the registrar at EOC. His father was on-board to let Riad study abroad, but he was thinking France or England would do.

鈥淚 wanted the farthest place from home 鈥� Washington, Oregon or California,鈥� Riad said.

He and his younger brother, Fouad, had heard that the U.S. was a place of freedom and opportunity. Plus, maybe they could meet Elvis.

Riad Ajami in 91传媒’s 1965 yearbook.

Riad and his new roommate, Satwant Singh Thind, didn鈥檛 have much in common at first. Satwant, an international student from India and a member of the Sikh religion, wore turbans and a long beard, while Riad blended in more with his American peers.

Riad remembers Satwant asking: 鈥淵ou always have dates on the weekends, what about me?鈥� Riad responded: 鈥淪atwant, I cannot date you.鈥�

His first attempt to set Satwant up with a friend was thwarted by Satwant鈥檚 heavily scented beard wax, as well as his pungent breath.

鈥淏etween girls and garlic, he鈥檇 pick garlic,鈥� Riad said.

Satwant eventually found a date who didn鈥檛 mind his beard or his breath: Carol (Brownton) Lindsay. The two went together when Carol returned to EOC to finish her degree.

On a trip to Walla Walla, Riad suggested that Satwant cut his beard and hair. But Satwant鈥檚 parents would stop his allowance if the annual photo he sent revealed that he鈥檇 shaved.

Satwant Thind in the 1963 yearbook.

鈥淪o I brought six shirts and six turbans to a photographer, and we did photos with each different outfit,鈥� Riad said. 鈥淚 told him, 鈥楴ow your education is assured.鈥欌��

Satwant and Riad soon met the rest of the Browntons, and when the girls鈥� parents embarked on a world tour in 1964, Riad鈥檚 parents were ready and waiting to greet their son鈥檚 American friends.

鈥淢y dad attended a World Peace Through Law conference in Greece for a week,鈥� Sally said. 鈥淎nd they made it a seven-week 鈥檙ound-the-world trip, including a stop in Lebanon.鈥�

Riad鈥檚 uncle, a member of the Lebanese parliament, greeted the Brownton鈥檚 alongside the police chief, whose son Sami Asfahani was Riad鈥檚 childhood friend. During that meal, Riad鈥檚 parents found out their son wasn鈥檛 studying medicine like he鈥檇 promised, but was preparing for a career in engineering.

Sally (Brownton) Wiens in the 1969 yearbook.

鈥淢y dad stopped sending me money,鈥� Riad said. 鈥淗e read me the riot act, but it all worked out in the end.鈥�

Riad went on to graduate from Western Michigan University, and then earned his master鈥檚 and doctorate degrees. He started as an assistant professor at Ohio State University, and has since held positions at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University. He is an expert on the petroleum economy, teaching at Wright State University while conducting research, publishing books, and hosting clinics around the world.

But the Browntons鈥� trip had other effects. Sami and Fouad decided to study in La Grande, too, and arrived in 1965.

鈥淪uddenly La Grande became a hub for Lebanese and Middle Eastern students,鈥� Riad said.

He had taken a Greyhound bus from Portland to La Grande, and he suggested Sami do the same. But Sami and two other students had a different idea. They hired a taxi to drive them 260 miles from the Portland airport all the way to campus.

鈥淚 was in Hoke Hall trying to find coffee or Coke or a date or something, and this car pulls up that says Portland and Sami got out,鈥� Riad said. 鈥淭he story started circulating in town about these rich foreign students who paid a taxi to drive them from Portland to La Grande.鈥�

Fouad Ajami was a more serious student than his big brother, and graduated from EOC in just three years.

鈥淔ouad was smarter than I鈥檒l ever be,鈥� Riad said.

Riad鈥檚 work earned him features in People magazine and on ABC News, but he said his brother鈥檚 famous connections far outstripped his own. After earning his Ph.D. from the University of Washington and taught Middle Eastern Studies at Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University and Stanford University.

He advised three sitting presidents and received the National Humanities Medal from George W. Bush in 2006. He was also a MacArthur Prize fellow and an advisor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

鈥淎nderson Cooper interviewed Fouad extensively on CNN,鈥� Riad said. 鈥淗e knew more important people than most. He was my brother and my friend.鈥�

Riad has established a scholarship through the 91传媒 Foundation to honor his brother鈥檚 memory and his lasting connection to the region.

鈥淟a Grande was a wonderful place for us,鈥� Riad said. 鈥淚 love Eastern Oregon. It was an excellent experience for me, and a great beginning.鈥�