Nicolla Hewitt Saudi Gazette NEW YORK — As tributes pour in from heads of state all over the world paying respects to the late Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, one community who is feeling his loss very hard are the over 80,000 Saudi students studying in the United States. King Abdullah is being remembered by them for the impact he had on their chance to have a free education in the United States thanks to the King Abdullah Scholarship Program that was founded in 2005 via an agreement with former US President George W. Bush. Adham Ghari is the founder of "Us to US" organization that gathers thousands of Saudi students together in the United States to learn to volunteer. In an interview with Saudi Gazette, he said: “This King was kind and a great leader. He believed in youth and we believed in him. We are all so sad.” The late King Abdullah was clearly always at the forefront of many Saudi students on a daily basis, with them all aware that it was the King's vision that gave them the chance to study in the United States. Ghadah Alghunaim who studies in Florida told the Saudi Gazette: “I couldn't stop my tears since I heard the bad news. I feel I lost a family member, not a King. He was so close to his people, especially the students abroad. He is our Father. Because of his vision I am who I am now, I owe him and my country all my successes.” Abdullah Aldahmash, who is studying at Cal State University in San San Bernardino, echoed those feelings on the West Coast of the United States. Speaking to the Saudi Gazette he said: “When I heard the news I just couldn't believe it. Once the Royal Court confirmed it we were so sad. We lost such a great leader who gave us this chance to study abroad. Saudis finally had an equal chance, and an equal moment for education overseas. It was a transforming moment for our rights. These have been huge steps for us the past 10 years.” Mohammed Hakeem, a Ph.D. student in Canada tweeted, “I am scholar. I am the son of his dream. The son of Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz. My heart is broken." When the late King Abdullah launched this student scholarship program in 2005, there were less than 5,000 students studying in the United States. Now hundreds of thousands of students have experienced student life outside of the Kingdom. A decade later Saudi Arabia is now the fourth largest sponsor of international students to the United States. This visionary scholarship program, truly opened the doors to those who could only dream of being educated overseas. Speaking at length remembering King Abdullah, Adham Ghari of the University of Ohio said, “Our family will remember him forever because of him and this amazing program. We started our life and we will have a good future. King Abdullah named us the Saudi ambassadors around the world, and we aim to be as he wanted us to be.” Elsewhere across the United States, as news of the King's passing continued, students gathered at their friends' apartments to watch the televised scenes of mourning and remembrance from the Kingdom. Social media sites talking about the King were full. Perhaps this one posting on Twitter echoed the sentiments of each student mourning his loss. In remembering the late King, this tweet from Hafith Zakri, the director of the Saudis in USA program, wrote: "In my class room next to the American student I pay nothing for my education while the other does. Abdullah made me a King.”
