The Draft: Stories, Conversations, and Ideas in Progress

Three-ish generations, one microphone, and very different ideas about getting it right. Dr. Reine Azzi sits down with Joe Khoueiry, a millennial instructor who types his birthday cards; Ella Waked, a Gen Z grad student who’d rather hand you her writing and leave before you read it; and Lucas Tannous, a Gen Alpha fourth grader (and her son) who keeps his key words “in big fonts” in his brain. They take on the terror of the blank page, whether chatbots kill creativity, why one stray 'P' can haunt an otherwise 'perfect' paper, and whether eye contact and filler words should cost speakers grades at all. There’s an unpublished novel, a word for throwing someone out of a window, and at least one disagreement nobody saw coming. Grab a seat: this is the draft in progress.

If AI can produce a decent paragraph in seconds, why should students still learn to write one?In this episode of The Draft, we look at how LAU’s English sequence and literature courses have responded to generative AI. The changes go beyond individual assignments and reach into the courses themselves. We talk about what has changed so far and what had to be rethought. We also get into the challenge of keeping pace with the tools while giving instructors room to teach in their own way.Dr. Reine Azzi is joined by Ms. Mona Shahine, Ms. Evelyn Dabaghi, and Ms. Dana Hodeib-Eido. Together they talk about the changes they’re proudest of, why productive struggle still belongs in the writing classroom, and how to make the case for it without simply banning the tool. They also share the one message they’d leave first-year students about writing and AI.Listen now and join the conversation.And if you think you have a podcast idea or would like to just share your feedback, you can reach out to us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

We're sharing a draft. An unfinished product for a podcast series that will be released very soon. In keeping with our mission on 'The Draft', we celebrate this pilot episode and the mission of its creator, Dr. Samar Aad. Dr. Aad, an Assistant Professor of Management at the Lebanese American University, wants to make research more accessible to a general public, allowing everyone to benefit from unique insights.Here's the description of the first episode in her new podcast. Enjoy!The Freedom Myth: What Really Makes Entrepreneurs Happy?Ask any entrepreneur why they left a stable job, and you will almost always hear the same word: freedom. We studied 3,757 entrepreneurs across six countries in the MENA region. Autonomy was essential in exactly zero pathways to satisfaction. Not one. What appeared in every single route was something far more personal: who is standing beside you.In the pilot episode of Research to Impact, Dr. Samar Aad sits down with Dr. Moustafa Haj Youssef to unpack the research behind the freedom myth.

In this special edition of The Draft: First Takes, we meet the emerging podcasters behind three new ideas developed through the Writing and Communication Center’s Podcast Incubator.Ms. Jinane Tannous, Physics Lab Supervisor at Lebanese American University, and Ms. Caren Hachem, an engineering student, explore the stories, contributions, and visibility of women in science. Mr. Hassan Mokdad, a mechanical engineering student at LAU, turns to the uncertain but necessary world of entrepreneurship, reflecting on first drafts, early ideas, and the courage to build before everything is fully figured out. Finally, Ms. Razan Zantout, a final-year medical student, and Ms. Aya Ballous, a psychology student, examine the process of becoming: how it is formed, why it matters, and its impact on mental health.Together, these conversations reflect what podcasting can do at its best: make space for emerging voices, bring academic and personal questions into dialogue, and invite listeners to think more carefully about the ideas still taking shape.

Four future podcasters. Four ideas worth hearing before they become finished products.In this special mini-series of The Draft, host Dr. Reine Azzi sits down with four emerging podcasters as they take their first steps from concept to conversation. Developed through the Writing and Communication Center's Podcast Incubator, these pilot interviews showcase projects that seek to inform, preserve, and inspire.Meet Dr. Zahy Ramadan, who explores the challenges and opportunities of strategic planning in higher education; Dr. Samar Aad, who advocates for making research accessible and impactful through clear, plain-language communication; Ms. Manale Abou Dagher, who examines how the Sustainable Development Goals can shape communities and institutions; and Ms. Maya Nahra, who highlights the importance of recording oral histories before valuable personal and collective memories are lost. These conversations offer listeners a behind-the-scenes look at ideas in development while demonstrating the power of podcasting as a tool for scholarship, storytelling, and public engagement. Each episode reflects the spirit of The Draft: celebrating ideas in progress, meaningful conversations, and the value of sharing knowledge beyond traditional boundaries.Join us as we meet the next generation of podcasters and discover the questions, stories, and conversations they believe are worth bringing into the world.

What makes a Writing and Communication Center matter in a world where AI can generate text in seconds?In our first episode of The Draft, we explore how the center became a space for connection, conversation, and growth. From removing the stigma of asking for help to navigating COVID, regional crises, and the rise of AI, we discuss why students still need human listeners, not just smart tools.Joined by the founding director and the dedicated academics who helped shape the Center over the years, we talk about tutors as sounding boards rather than judges, the value of struggle in learning, keeping your own voice in the age of AI, and why process matters more than product.Dr. Reine Azzi is joined by Dr. Rula Diab, Ms. Paula Habre, Ms. Maya Akiki, and Dr. Jordan Srour as they also tackle the biggest question of all: what will make it all matter five years from now?Listen now and join the conversation. And if you think you have a podcast idea or would like to just share your feedback, you can reach out to us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!