The Nourhan Nassar Fund in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
In memory of Nourhan Nassar (2019)
"You’ll learn that the most important thing for you to do at [this] point in your life is learn. You’ll realise that fragmented pieces of information and online quotes and short videos are no substitute to a real pursuit of knowledge."
Nourhan Nassar (2019), an MPhil student in Middle Eastern Studies, was a beloved member of many academic and cultural communities, including Queens’ College, during the 2019/2020 academic year. Nourhan unexpectedly passed away in December 2019, leaving behind a meaningful legacy of open-heartedness, strong advocacy for human rights, the exceptional value she held for education, and unending curiosity. Her friends, the Queens’ graduate community, and others, warmly supported by Nourhan's family and the Queens' Fellows, established a Subject Fund for Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) students to give opportunities to others in Nourhan's memory.
Thanks to the generosity of the Queens' community, £100,000 was raised to complete the endowment of The Nourhan Nassar Fund in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. The President and Fellows of Queens' College thank all of those who contributed to the Fund. The contributions of alumni from matriculation years between 1954 and 2021, based around the UK and the world, is a remarkable demonstration of the support for the Fund within our Queens' community and beyond.
This endowment will provide around £3,000 a year to support our AMES students in their academic-related activities so they can take full advantage of everything their degree has to offer whilst at Cambridge. The Fund will assist undergraduates and postgraduates in a variety of areas, including:
- Books and other study or educational materials
- Research and field work
- Travel expenses
- Language tuition expenses
- Participation in conferences (fees, travels)
Grants from the Fund shall be made on the recommendation of the Director of Studies in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Professor Andrew Marsham, pictured with Nadeen Nassar (Nourhan's sister).
For more information about our current fundraising priorities, visit our dedicated page.
Professor Andrew Marsham, Nadeen Nassar and Grace Burton at the Benefactors' Feast in 2023
Professor Andrew Marsham, Nadeen Nassar and Grace Burton at the Benefactors' Feast in 2023
"Nourhan Nassar was a delightful and energetic personality and a brilliant student. Nourhan was already making an academic impact in the history of Arabic-language science and it was a real privilege to teach her. It is a fitting tribute to Nourhan’s memory to have a fund at Queens’ to support students, including those studying the subjects for which she showed so much enthusiasm and aptitude: Middle Eastern Studies and the history of science in the Arab world."
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