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They met in July 1966 on the footsteps of Nicely Hall.
Thirty-eight years later they have a successful marriage, a
global business, and above all a wholesome family. There
are over fifty IC alumni couples (that we know of), and the
Bawarshi Pair is one of them.
Mr. Fouad Bawarshi ’67
and
Mrs. Mona Bouazza Gezairi ’67
spoke to us about their
time at IC and its influence
on their lives:
1. Which school did you
attend before you joined IC?
Mona: I attended pre-school
and elementary as well as
first middle at Makkassed,
namely Beit El Atfal,
which was a co-educational
school at the time.
Afterwards, I joined the BLTC, the famous girls-only British
Missionary School, only to enroll at IC my graduating year
in Philosophy (Bacc II).
Fouad: I attended the National Evangelical School of Ras
Beirut, better known at that time as Miss Juraydini’s School,
before joining IC at the 1st Elementary level.
2. How did you meet one another?
Mona: Fouad remembers exactly: it was July 1966, at the
entrance of Nicely Hall. While I was entering the building
to sit for the IC entrance exam, a common friend
approached and introduced us.
Fouad: She was still Miss Mona Bouazza Gezairi when we
met at IC as classmates of the graduating class of 1967. That
was when IC started accepting girls to the graduating class.
If I remember well, I was actually introduced to Mona in
July 1966 at the entrance of AUB’s Nicely Hall, while she
and some other girls from BLTC were sitting for IC’s
entrance exam.
3. Mrs. Bawarshi, you ranked third in you class and graduat-
ed with distinction, while Mr. Bawarshi you were first in
class and graduated with honorable mention. Were you two
competing with each other, and is this still the case?
Mona: At IC I was not competing with anybody, Fouad or
others; I came from a school that was sort of weak in the
official exams and so studying for my Bac I was very hard
for me. When I came to IC the burden of the curriculum fell
on my shoulders and I knew if I worked hard and did all
that the teachers taught and advised, I would pass the offi-
cial exams (which at the time were really scary). So I was
very concerned and conscious of the academic challenge I
was facing.
Fouad: Partners do not compete. They rather complete each
other, and Mona has been a good partner ever
since we met. Whether in class or at home or
later at work, both of us have always believed
in “coopetition” and not in “competition.” This
is the sign of our success.
4. During your days at IC, did you ever study
together or work on group projects together?
Fouad: A lot, but probably more at AUB. I
believe this is how we got to know each other
better. Mona is a great believer in teamwork
and we were a perfect team academically, both at IC and
later at AUB.
5. How does this bear on your current work environment, in
which I assume you must both constantly coordinate with
each other?
Mona: The compe-
tition was never in
school, or at the
university; rather
our completing
each other was
always the case.
Now we both head
the company that
we own, namely
GEZAIRI, and
working for the
same goal helps
remove any trace
of competition. In
our discussions we
analyze things
together and reach
a win-win solution,
as we are aiming
for the same final target.
Fouad: Teamwork got us closer and made us understand one
another. Not all couples can work together, but working
with Mona is nice and challenging. We are very cooperative
and supportive of each other at home and work, like we
were during our days at IC and AUB.
IC and
“
I Do
”
2
Mrs. Mona Bouazza Gezairi Bawarshi ’67 and Mr. Fouad Bawarshi ’67
in their year of graduation at IC.
The Bawarshi Family