Silver Society reunion brings one alumna back from the other side of the globe

Author: Unknown Publication Date: Thursday April 21, 2011

The Zaidan family has traveled the world many times. Thanks to Hashem Zaidan’s job with an airline, they’ve been to Austria, Japan and Malaysia in recent years.

So when Halimah Rene Zaidan (BS ’86) of Saudi Arabia received her invitation to attend her Silver Society reunion, the family knew Gainesville was their next destination.

Halimah Zaidan was just one of the members of the class of 1986 who returned to Gainesville this month to be inducted in Silver Society, which recognizes the 25th anniversary of an alumnus’ graduation. Each attendee was honored by his or her college with a medallion and a certificate.

Everyone had stories about what they’ve been doing since graduation, but Halimah Zaidan and her family were standouts. They captivated many of the people who stopped to talk to them.

After graduating from UF with a degree in psychology, Halimah Zaidan — then Roleine Rene of Miami — went to Florida State to study nursing. In her first semester she met Hashem Zaidan, who had come from Saudi Arabia to study electrical engineering, aviation management, and anything else related to aeronautics.

They and their seven children — AbdulAziz, 14; Hanan, 12; Abdullah, 10; Haneen, 9; Eimanne, 7; Amani, 6; and AbdulMajeed, 3 — have lived in Saudi Arabia for 13 years. When they first moved, Halimah Zaidan did not work, as is customary for women in Saudi Arabia. Today, however, she is a clinic nurse at a local hospital.

“We just have a wonderful life together,” said Halimah Zaidan, who attended the event with her husband, her oldest son and her mother, Odette Rene.

One reason Halimah Zaidan wanted to come back to Gainesville was to introduce AbdulAziz to campus. The eighth grader lives in South Florida with relatives, and his mother hopes that he, too, will someday be a Gator.

“Having an education opened doors,” she said. “I’m honored to have graduated from UF. It’s something to be proud of.”

Read more about Spring Weekend activities, including:
The Orange & Blue Barbecue
The Official Ring Ceremony
View photos from Spring Weekend activities, including:
The Orange & Blue Barbecue
Silver Society