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From the President
Dear Friends and Alumni:
In January 2005, we crossed the $100 million mark in our five-year $140 million fundraising Campaign for Excellence. This achievement would not have been possible without a very few extraordinarily generous gifts. You will read about some of them in more detail in this report—people like former AUB Trustee, the late Suliman S. Olayan; former Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon Issam Fares; Trustee Kamal A. Shair and Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (Shair and Partners); Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC); Artemis Joukowsky and Trustee Martha Sharp Joukowsky; and the Abu-Haidar Family. This University owes these men and women an enormous debt. Their support is making it possible for us to invest in new and renovated buildings that are transforming the appearance of our campus and, more importantly, will mean a qualitative improvement in the research, academic, and recreational facilities available to our students and faculty.
Although I recognize and appreciate this support, I was most moved this past year by another achievement: the fact that almost one half of those graduating from AUB in June 2005 chose to make a gift to the Fingerprints Endowed Scholarship Fund—a fund established by students to help other students in need.
AUB’s graduates—its alumni—have always been a big part of what makes this university special. Despite the fact that AUB has changed enormously over the years—and continues to change—this aspect of university life has remained constant: AUB alumni share a commitment to their alma mater that sets this university apart.
This year, as we do every year, we are highlighting those groups that would not exist without the support and dedication of volunteers. Some of these names are familiar to you. They have worked to support this University for many years: the President’s Club, the Women’s Auxiliary, the Society of the Friends of the AUB Museum, and the Scholarship Fundraising Committee—in addition to Fingerprints. Moreover, for the first time, we are reporting on the Brave Heart Fund that was established to raise money to treat children suffering from congenital heart disease.
As you leaf through the pages at the end of this report, you may see a number of familiar names. I hope you will also notice that the list of names of those who are giving in support of AUB is growing. We have worked hard during this campaign, both to raise $140 million and to increase the number of first-time supporters of AUB. This effort is critical to the long-term health of the University. Each individual gift, no matter how small, does make a difference. If each one of our estimated 45,000 living alumni gave just $10 a year, it would total $450,000!
A substantial $31 million has been raised so far for “bricks and mortar” projects such as the new student center, the business school, the engineering complex, refurbished laboratories, and classroom renovations. We plan to increase that number to $61 million by the end of the campaign to ensure a dynamic, evolving campus that embraces technology and accommodates increases in the faculty and student body, while preserving the renowned beauty of AUB.
I want to thank all of you who have already contributed to AUB for your support. I hope you will consider renewing that support in the current year. If you have not yet made a donation to AUB, I invite you to do so now. We need your help. Thank you.
With best regards.
Sincerely,
John Waterbury
President
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