By Khassandra Hameg

If people search Haya Qubain’s name online, they quickly discover that she’s known for a lot of “firsts.” Appropriately, the 1986 graduate is the first alumna to be featured in the year-long series “100 Alumni You Should Know.”

Qubain, a Taekwondo master, was the first person from Jordan to be inducted into the Official Taekwondo Hall of Fame. She was inducted in 2015 “into this prestigious fraternity due to her humanitarian efforts utilizing Taekwondo as a tool to help others and her work as an international Taekwondo referee,” said Gerald Robbins, founder and executive director of the organization.

She was also the first Arab female in the world to become an international referee in the discipline giving her the opportunity to travel worldwide. In 2015, she was appointed “Referee Chairman” by His Royal Highness Prince Hassan Ben Talal, a member of the Jordanian royal family.

Qubain studied speech and hearing (now speech-language pathology) at USAO. With her degree, she was the first speech and hearing specialist in Jordan. She also was probably the first Arab female to attend and earn a degree from USAO.

Qubain was the first person to create a program for special needs in Jordan and the first to start a sign language program for the Jordan police. She continues to work with children in speech and hearing and does consultant work.

Qubain has been an avid motorcycle rider since 1982 and was the first Arab female to ride a motorcycle.

“Coming to USAO during the 80’s is one of my greatest life accomplishments. USAO is my pride and joy. The university showed me the meaning of freedom,” Qubain said.

Help the USAO Alumni Association celebrate its 100th anniversary by submitting a 100 Alumni You Should Know profile.