Jay Harik

Jay Harik was born in Beirut, Lebanon [as Jihad Elias Harik] on May 17, 1960. In 1975, with the firm support of his family, he fled his homeland due to the rapidly developing Civil War. Thinking he was only leaving for a few weeks to wait out the rising violence, the reality that there would be no quick resolution soon set in. Exploring options, Jay found an opportunity to move to America as a foreign exchange student. Leaving his life, family, and friends in Lebanon, Jay bravely traveled to America looking for a new way of life. As a non-English speaking high school kid, he found it tough to assimilate into the lively, and sometimes cruel, American culture. After finishing his last two years of high school, he was accepted to Kalamazoo College, a small liberal arts school. Here, he concentrated his studies on Sculpture and Physics. Realizing he needed to be challenged further, he transferred to the University of Wisconsin where he earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Sci