FACULTY RECEPTIONS HONOR GRADUATING STUDENTS AND AWARD RECIPIENTS
- Date: June-09-2017
The week preceding AUB’s commencement exercises was nothing less than a celebratory week, where each of the six faculties honored its graduates by organizing receptions, during which awards were handed out to students.
The Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FAFS) organized a seated dinner in Le Bristol Hotel on May 23. Attended by Provost Mohamed Harajli, FAFS Dean Nahla Hwalla, faculty, staff, and graduating students, the dinner also served as a farewell to Dean Hwalla who will be stepping down from her role as dean after 11 years of service to FAFS.
“During her tenure, Dean Hwalla set clear strategic priorities for FAFS and abided by them, resulting in excellent results that elevated the faculty to one of the most esteemed schools worldwide,” said Provost Harajli. “The standards of excellence set by Nahla were invaluable to keep AUB a vital force in the region and beyond.”
Addressing the graduates, Dean Hwalla said, “The days to come will prove to you how wonderful it is to have been part of this University with its great tradition, and which over decades made a difference in the lives of people in Lebanon and the Middle East.”
On the same day, the Suleiman Olayan School of Business (OSB) organized a reception in the OSB yard, during which OSB Dean Steve Harvey, alongside the donors, handed out awards to outstanding graduating students.
Dean Harvey encouraged the students to always work towards serving their communities. “Like any graduating class, you will be encouraged to take on the world, but if you look at the values of our school of business, you see those forceful attempts at moving ourselves as a society,” he said.
The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) organized its award ceremony on May 29, in a student oriented and energized setting. Students performed skits to an enthusiastic audience. Awards were also handed out by FHS Dean Iman Nuwayhid and generous donors.
Dean Nuwayhid addressed the graduating students with four tips to face the challenges of the world and play an effective role in the community. “Never stop learning. Your AUB degree is a great achievement but it is not enough. Keep exploring. Adopt a new way of thinking—challenge yourself and do not hesitate to re-educate yourself, think outside the box, and even undo what “education” might have done to you,” said Nuwayhid. “Always aim at challenging and breaking the status quo. Be disruptive if the status quo undermines people’s rights and dignity. Never forget those who do the little things; those who may not have the big ideas or the tools to disrupt and change, but still have big hearts and enough generosity to derive their happiness from other people’s success.”
The Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (MSFEA) organized a reception on the Bechtel terrace on the evening of May 30. Graduating students and their parents joined faculty members, donors, MSFEA Interim Dean Alan Shehadeh, and President Fadlo Khuri as awards were presented to top students.
Interim Dean Shehadeh prepared an unofficial oath to which the graduating students affirmed: “I promise to work for a more just and sustainable world. I will not use my education for any purpose intended to harm human beings or the environment. Throughout my career, I will consider the ethical implications of my work before I take action. I will not permit prejudices based on religion, nationality, race, gender, party politics, or social standing to intervene between my duty and my work. I will keep an open mind and I will read. Voraciously.”
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) organized its reception on the Green Oval on May 31. The reception was attended by President Fadlo Khuri, FAS Dean Nadia El Cheikh, donors, parents, graduating students, faculty members, and staff.
“This is the first college of this University, the college of Arts and Sciences that later became the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and it remains as it was a 150 years ago, the very core of everything we do,” said Dr. Khuri. “This is a college which teaches the most undergraduates and students overall. It has the largest faculty, and is really the beating pulse of this University.”
“FAS is home to a myriad of foci of excellence, whether in social sciences, in the natural sciences, the theoretical sciences, literature, or art,” Dean El Cheikh told the students. “I am confident that your years in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences have instilled in you the AUB values of the ‘Humanities’.”
Penrose Award Recipient Ali Amhaz gave an inspirational speech to the audience, recalling his memories and lessons he learnt on AUB campus, saying that “change starts from campus.”
“AUB is a training ground, a sort of arena for future active members of society,” said Amhaz. “This is what makes every bit of positive change in it so valuable, because it ripples across AUB constituents who move on to become change-makers wherever they go.”