Impact Stories

The story of the AREC ’78 and Friends Endowed Scholarship Fund begins more than 40 years ago when a group of 25 AUB students – all members of the Class of 1979, all majoring in agriculture – decided to contribute the money that was left over from an end-of-year party to a scholarship fund. Several of them made additional donations to supplement that initial contribution.

In the more than 40 years that have passed since then, this group of AUB alumni and friends has continued to contribute to the scholarship fund, gradually, year after year. The group raised more money in some years than in others, but it never gave up. Although they have reached their original goal of $100,000, they are committed to continuing to fundraise through 2023 because of the present financial conditions in Lebanon. “AUB and students in Lebanon are in need of all the help they can get,” explains Edward Srour (BS ’79, MS ’81). “We AREC ’78ers believe that there is no better time to give to this fund. Supporting agricultural students translates into supporting agriculture and food security in a region in dire need of innovation and new ways of doing business,” says Lamia Fattal (MS ’83).

The group’s determination is an extraordinary testament to their dedication – and their generosity. The scholarship fund they established is also a powerful example of the impact that even a small group of people can have when they come together: the AREC ’78 and Friends Endowed Scholarship Fund, which is currently valued at more than $150,000 (as of June 30, 2021), has provided 25 partial scholarships so far.

“We were 25 contributing students back then,” remembers Nadim Khouri (BS ’79, MS ’82). “Now, we average about 10 donors per year from the core group but the fraternity among us keeps us going.” The fraternity they share was forged during the seven months they spent at the “AUB farm” (also known as “AREC”) in the Beqaa Valley in 1978. Eighteen members of the Class of 1979 made a return trip to AREC in 2018 when the group gathered in Lebanon for its 40th reunion.

The success of this group initiative has helped to encourage two other groups of AREC students to establish endowed scholarship funds: the AREC ’80 Endowed Scholarship, which was established in 2006, and the AREC ’82 Endowed Fund, which was established in May 2021. “What we did,” says Khouri, “is something that any graduating class can do. If anyone is interested in finding out how, we are happy to help.”