Awards

College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award - 2014

About Naser al-Hujelan

Naser al-Hujelan, a champion of literacy and cultural advancement in Saudi Arabia, sees education as the key to a bright future for all. As deputy minister of cultural affairs in Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and Information, Hujelan works to support and encourage what he calls a “culture of reading and publishing” in the kingdom and to strengthen ties between Saudi intellectuals and the rest of the world.

He has pushed to elevate the role of women as intellectual and cultural leaders and has worked tirelessly to establish educational centers that encourage entire families to actively pursue literacy, learning and culture.

Before joining the cultural ministry, Hujelan was director of academic advising and the dean of libraries at King Saud University in Riyadh. In 2008, he earned a doctorate in modern Arabic literature with a minor in folklore from IU’s Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures.