Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Office of Advancement, advancement@aub.edu.lb
AUB Giving Day 2024, held on December 2, 2024, was another remarkable milestone for the American University of Beirut. As it does every year, AUB's 5th Giving Day coincided with the university's celebration of Founders Day, which in 2024 marked the 158th anniversary of AUB's establishment in 1866. “Today marks our Founders Day and our fifth Giving Day. How appropriate that is. We all need to be giving in this much more challenging environment. We would not be a university at all without the generosity of donors who heeded the call of our first president, Daniel Bliss, as he also crossed continents seeking partners who believed in our mission and our plan," noted AUB President Fadlo R. Khuri. Senior Vice President for Advancement and Business Development Imad Baalbaki echoed President Khuri's sentiments and added, “the American University of Beirut was established thanks to the support it received from people who believed in its mission. This enduring support, along with that of AUB's friends, alumni, and committed and generous beneficiaries today, inspires hope for a brighter future."
This annual event brings together AUB's global community to celebrate the spirit of giving and the vital role philanthropy has played in the university's legacy and continued growth. This year's event was another success, largely thanks to the 1,318 donors in 78 countries who joined together to support Giving Day. Additionally, AUB set a record this year receiving donations from every state in the US, and 7 out of 10 Canadian provinces. Associate Vice President for Development, Alumni Relations, and University Events, Ms. Salma Oueida observed with elation the “record-breaking global support for AUB. It is heartwarming to see our dedicated, worldwide AUB family come together during hard times such as these. The fact that we set new records with the number of countries covered (78), including all 50 states in the US and Washington DC, and 7 out of 10 Canadian provinces, shows the resilience and strength of our never-faltering community that keeps on giving."
This year's Giving Day was held only five days after the announcement of a ceasefire to end the war that has devastated Lebanon in recent months. As a result of the war, more than half of the student body, faculty, and staff at AUB were displaced. However, all seven faculties still managed to engage their students, faculty, staff, and the broader community of alumni and friends to support Giving Day and faculty priorities. Booths were set up on campus and at the medical center near the Main Gate and in the Halim and Aida Daniel Academic and Clinical Center (ACC). Students, staff, and faculty stopped by the booths to give back to their university.
President Khuri, SVP Baalbaki, Trustees Mu'taz Al-Sawaf (BARCH '74), Ricardo Karam (BS Chemistry '91), and Huda Zoghbi (BS Basic Medical Sciences '76), and Trustee Emeritus, Hisham Jaroudi (BARCH '66), along with academic deans and senior AUB leadership were among the attendees who posed for photos at the Giving Day booths.
Despite the fact that AUB could not organize an official Faculty Challenge in 2024 because of the war during the months leading up to Giving Day, President Khuri and senior AUB leadership gathered to recognize the achievements of AUB's seven faculties on December 17, 2024. “I truly believe we should be awarding seven trophies this year," noted AVP Oueida during the trophy ceremony. The awards were presented to the winners as follows:
Highest Percentage of Alumni Donors: Rafic Hariri School of Nursing
Greatest Number of Alumni Donors: Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Greatest Number of Faculty Friend Donors: Faculty of Medicine
This year's donations will support a range of initiatives, including faculty priorities, the AUBMC Emergency Response, and the AUB4Students Scholarship. Despite the challenges, the global AUB community once again came together in a powerful display of solidarity with their region, country, and university on its 158th anniversary – an institution that for long, has been committed to serve the people of Lebanon, the region, and beyond. As President Khuri expressed, “Long may the spirit of AUB - to serve, to heal, to innovate, and to educate all - continue to inspire and endure."
(Here is a link to photos taken on the AUB Campus during Giving Day.)