SCOTT MEHAN

Co-Founder and President 

Co-Founder and President of Refugee Utility Project, Scott Mehan has had a fascination for the Middle East and Central Asia for many years. His interest in these regions began when he toured the Middle East during a deployment while serving as a U.S. Navy Corpsman in Afghanistan. After returning to the United States, he earned his Bachelor's degree in History at William Jessup University, where he had the opportunity to attend a study abroad program in the Middle East and North Africa.

During his stay, he fell in love with Palestinian culture and the Arabic language, and subsequently decided to go on his own to study for a Master's degree in International Cooperation and Development at Bethlehem University in the West Bank. There, he lived with a local family for two years, taking intensive language courses in his spare time and immersing himself in the culture. After graduating, Scott moved to Zarqa, Jordan, one of the poorest cities in the country, and saw first-hand the hardships and struggles Syrian and Iraqi refugees face on a daily basis. This is where his NGO, Refugee Utility Project was born.