Ibrahim Salih, Ph.D., professor of political science, traveled to Saudi Arabia Dec. 27 -Jan. 7, as part of the National Council of U.S.-Arab Relations' (NCUSAR) Saudi Arabia Exchange/Malone Fellowship.

Salih is one of five educators in the country selected for this prestigious fellowship.

It was Salih's first trip to Saudi Arabia.

"It was an incredible experience," Salih said. "I even had the opportunity to visit with one of my current Texas Wesleyan students who was at his home in Jidda for the winter break – he made it a point to meet me while I was in his home country."

The Fellowship, which lasts for approximately one calendar year, consists of a pre-departure preparation period, study visit to Saudi Arabia and fellowship year. Now in his fellowship year, Salih is charged with sharing his new-found knowledge of Saudi Arabia.

"I hope that as I share my experiences with the community, many of the misconceptions about Saudi Arabia will be overcome," Salih said.

The Fellowship is a cultural and educational exchange experience for undergraduate students and Model Arab League faculty advisors. Five educators are selected for the program. Salih represented Texas Wesleyan alongside educators from Baylor University, Missouri Southern State University, Texas State and the Marist School, a college preparatory school in Atlanta.

Salih has coached the Texas Wesleyan Model Arab League team for more than a decade and has served as a professor at Texas Wesleyan for more than 45 years. His expertise is in European government, international law, foreign policy and international relations. Salih received his bachelor's degree from the University of the Pacific and his master's and Ph.D. from American University.

The Malone Fellowship

Since 1984, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations has provided American professionals in academia, government and business unparalleled educational experiences in the Arab world through the Joseph J. Malone Fellowship in Arab and Islamic Studies. The Fellowship projects its participants into the dynamics of Arab-U.S. relations and provides firsthand exposure to the region's considerable cultural, economic, political and social diversity pursuant to increased knowledge and understanding.

The fellowship is named in honor of Dr. Joseph J. Malone (1924-1983), an educator, historian and author, who devoted his life to promoting better understanding between Americans and Arabs.

The Malone Program provides, through a study visit to an important Arab country, an exceptionally powerful educational experience that includes introductions to host-country government officials, businessmen, academics and scholars, and the opportunity to discuss Arab world issues and Arab-U.S. relations with American and Arab scholars, policymakers and other specialists.

Study visits under the Malone Program are normally one-to-two weeks in duration.