Wednesday, December 14, 2022
The American University of Beirut (AUB) organized its third Giving Day on December 5, 2022. A total of 1,151 alumni and friends in 61 countries in six continents (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America) joined together in the celebration, surpassing the original goals of 1,000 donors from 50 countries. “Giving Day is one of our newest traditions," said Senior Vice President for Advancement and Business Development Imad B. Baalbaki, “but it has quickly become one of our most successful." AUB Giving Day took place on Founders Day, the day on which the university celebrates its founding in 1866 – an event that would not have been possible without philanthropy.
AUB alumni and alumni chapters were especially active on Giving Day, rallying support from former classmates to win the Faculty Challenge – a hotly contested race to determine the faculty with the highest percentage of alumni participation. It was a very tight competition with the lead changing multiple times. It was won by the Rafic Hariri School of Nursing, which received one of two Faculty Challenge trophies, followed closely by the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine. The second trophy recipient, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, received the greatest number of alumni donations. The Maroun Semaaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and the Faculty of Medicine were in second and third places in the competition to secure the greatest number of alumni donations. Both trophies were presented to the deans of the two winning faculties by President Fadlo Khuri during the Faculty Challenge Trophy Ceremony on December 20, 2022. (You will find photos of the Faculty Challenge Trophy Ceremony here.)
The campus was also buzzing on Giving Day – with booths set up outside Assembly Hall and at the Halim and Aida Daniel Academic and Clinical Center at the AUB Medical Center where people could stop by and take photos and make donations, musical performances, cheers for each of the faculties by the AUB cheerleaders, and a wrap party in the evening. (There are some terrific photos here.)
The university received support from 19 Giving Day partners who gave generously – and helped to inspire others to give. “We are very grateful to our partners – to everyone – who took part, on campus and around the world. You could feel the energy," said Associate Vice President for Development, Alumni Relations, and University Events Salma Oueida. “Events such as Giving Day are a great opportunity for the AUB family to come together in support of our university that we love."