Student Name: Hashem Al Hattab
Major: Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Aman, Jordan
Object: LUSSI bag
Meaning Behind the Object: A LUSSI bag was one of Al Hattab’s most important items from his time at Lehigh, helping him in his first days on campus. Not only did the bag help him collect and preserve brochures with information from those early days along with simply carrying a water bottle, it also helped signify to other students he was a LUSSI member. When he was just finding his place, and his friends, the LUSSI bag helped him connect with many others like him around campus. It helped calm his nerves and even become an icebreaker to meet his new classmates.
Advice for first-year students: You are here to make a change in a sense and it's beautiful to see how the people around you are doing that too. If I would sum it up in two words: pressure is privilege. … Enjoy the pressure, but uphold that pressure because you are maybe the only person, or one of the very few in your bloodline that will be able to make an impactful change that will last with these opportunities.
The Class of 2026 reflects on the keepsakes, memories and milestones that shaped their Lehigh experience. Through personal stories and meaningful objects, these Future Makers share moments of growth, discovery and connection. Read the stories behind the keepsakes, or view the expanded photo essay.
