Impact Stories

Samer Karimeh grew up in a middle-class family in Tripoli, Lebanon. The youngest of three sons, he looks up to his older brothers. “They are my backbone and my role models,” he says. His father, who retired recently, was a medical laboratory doctor. His mother is a housewife. He always dreamed of attending AUB. “I knew that this special opportunity would lead me to a higher level of education and knowledge in my field,” he says. Samer also knew that he would need financial assistance to make his dream come true – especially these days.

Like many families in Lebanon today, Samer’s family has been deeply affected by the collapse in the value of the Lebanese currency in recent years. “Most of our family’s income is in Lebanese pounds,” Samer explains. His family has also been affected by the restrictions imposed by Lebanese banks that have made it impossible for Samer’s family – and many other depositors in Lebanon – to access their hard-earned savings.

The His Highness, the Father Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Scholarship through the Embassy of the State of Qatar is enabling Samer to pursue a master’s degree in finance – and to look ahead to a brighter future. He is hoping to pursue a PhD in finance after he completes his master’s program.

“It is impossible to exaggerate the impact a scholarship can have on the life of a young person like Samer,” says Senior Vice President for Advancement and Business Development Imad B. Baalbaki. “Through the scholarship he established, His Highness, the Father Emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani has provided a lifeline for Samer and 14 other AUB students.