FAS AWARDS CEREMONY
Welcome Note
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Farès el-Dahdah, Mamdouha El-Sayed Bobst Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Greetings to all and welcome to the 2025 Awards Ceremony at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences or FAS...
Here at FAS, we exit each academic year, as we often do, with more questions than answers, more ambitions than resources, and more urgency than time. This fact has never been a disadvantage. It is the nature of meaningful work to grow under constraints, to thrive not despite complexity, but because of it.
This past year, we all lived such a reality under extraordinary circumstances. Your education unfolded during a time of profound regional instability, intensified by the outbreak of war that displaced students, disrupted routines, placed an incredible strain on university life, and tragically killed many. At AUB, we felt it all in our classrooms, in our research, and in the quiet determination it took for me, and you, to keep moving forward.
You learned early what many have taken a lifetime to realize. Knowledge, in fact, does not stand apart from the world’s commotions. It strives by confronting the forces that threaten its relevance. Some have even claimed that global cultures have themselves historically been a product of warfare.
Across FAS this year, the work you produced was not performative, it had to be especially substantive. Research crossed disciplines out of necessity, in reaction to challenges that refuse to stay in a single lane. In every field, whether the sciences, humanities, social sciences, or quantitative thought, we saw a shared commitment: to resist the easy narratives of inevitability and decline, and to ask not only what can be done, but whether it should be done.
This is resilience as a method. It is the discipline to work with broken tools, to see clearly without growing indifferent, and to reject the comfort of both cynicism and denial. It is a demanding path that offers no guarantees. And yet, it is the path on which you have inevitably embarked.
We live in a world (and a country) impatient for solutions and uncertain of truths. We are all always tempted to choose speed over understanding, visibility over substance, consensus over integrity. If your education here has succeeded, it is not because it shields you from these pressures. It is because it prepares you to recognize them — and, when necessary, to resist them.
Ours is a world shaped by urgency and short-term thinking, and your task is not simply to fix what is broken, but to imagine what comes after. To think beyond the urgency of the moment toward the deeper, slower, work of lasting change that your generation should be uniquely prepared to undertake.
On behalf of FAS, allow me to congratulate today’s awardees not only for excelling in their studies, but for navigating a reality that previous generations often failed to predict or chose to ignore. Your next semester, next year, or the next chapter in your respective lives will demand not less of you, but more: more imagination, more patience, and more courage to face complexity, without surrendering to it.
We trust you to proceed accordingly and we look forward to the future your respective trajectories will help build, here and wherever your paths may lead.
Thank you too to the AUB community, writ large, that has made today’s awards possible, and this includes donors, the development office, and the student services office, in particular. These awards represent one of the more welcome aspects of American-style higher education, which in AUB’s case, were originally motivated by missionary, and very American, codes of conduct, such as political participation, preservation of indigenous culture, acceptance, and social inclusion. These Awards are also a perfect illustration of that moment when community and university come together in support of a shared future.
Here are a few statistics underlying these awards:
- The total amount to be awarded this year is $70,280 distributed over 66 awards
- 78% of this year’s awards are handled by FAS departments directly… with the lion share going to four departments (i.e., Economics, Computer Science, Education, and SOAM)
- 22% of the awards are handled by the dean’s office
- Students who will be receiving these awards are 36% male vs. 64% female
- Awardees are mostly undergraduates [68%]. Graduate students add up to 30% and the remaining 2% go to diploma students.
By the way, the only real condition in return for these awards is that you be motivated, from now on, by one thing and one thing only: the good of the public.
Before I conclude, I should also offer my congratulations to your families too. I am certain that for most of you, their love and support had something to do with your success now and your success to come. Mabrouk everyone!
DEPARTMENT OF ARABIC AND NEAR EASTERN LANGUAGES
-
Anwar Salman Award in Literature
Anwar Salman is a distinguished modern Lebanese poet who is considered to be one of the pioneers of Al-Shamiyah [the Levantine] school, a trend in Arabic poetry that focused on the aesthetic aspects of the poem, with emphasis on visual and auditory imagery. Established in 2019, the award is given to a graduating undergraduate student in Arabic in recognition of creative writing skills and exceptional research related to poetry and/or the literary works of Anwar Salman.
- Nader Prize for Excellence in Arabic Language and Literature
Established in 2021 by Ralph Nader, this award is presented to a graduating student from the Department of Arabic at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences who has achieved the highest academic distinction or demonstrated exceptional creativity in Arabic language and literature.
This year the award goes to: Philip Raad
- Professor Ramzi Mounir Baalbaki Excellence Award in Arabic
Established in 2017 by Professor Ramzi Mounir Baalbaki; a prolific faculty member, devoted teacher, seasoned administrator, and world-renowned professor of Arabic and Near East languages. This award is given to the top graduating student in Arabic, or to a top graduating student earning a master's degree in Arabic.
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
-
Usama al-Khalidi Endowed Award
Professor
Usama al-Khalidi was an Arab scientist, artist, poet, and astronomer
who dedicated his life to teaching young people to innovate and think
“outside the box." Al-Khalidi was an alumnus, professor, and chairperson
of AUB's Biochemistry Department. This award was established by his
family, students, and friends in 2015 and is given to an outstanding
senior student majoring in biology who has demonstrated academic
excellence and creativity, as well as a commitment to community service.
This year the award goes to: Ibrahim Darwich
- Wadia Noureddin Endowed Award in Biology
This
award is given to a graduating student who demonstrates excellence in
their academic studies in biology, as well as a mature commitment to a
career in the same or related field. The award honors Mrs. Wadia Shaar
Noureddin, mother of Drs. Baha' and Samar Noureddin. As an Arabic
language teacher, Wadia cultivated in her children a love of AUB and of
studying the life sciences. Both Drs. Baha' (in medicine) and Samar (in
nursing) are AUB alumni and have had lifelong academic and service
careers at AUB.
This year the award goes to: Yasmina Chehab
- William Van Dyck Award in Biology
Dr.
William Van Dyck was a professor of biology at AUB and a mentor of
Frank Stewart, whose father was a good friend of Dr. Van Dyck. To honor
his memory and his achievements, including acknowledgment of his work
from Dr. Charles Darwin, Stewart established this award in 2012. It is
given to the graduating senior student majoring in biology with the
highest academic average.
This year the award goes to: Karam Al Gharib and Michel Dagher
CENTER FOR ARAB AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES (CAMES)Ahmad and Fadwa Dannawi Award
Established in 2022 by the family of the late Mr. Ahmad Dannawi to honor his life and passion for Islamic studies. Mr. Dannawi spent his career with the Lebanese Army and always enjoyed reading and learning about Islam. After he retired, he spent his days reading even more about religion and history, helping with charity work in the community, and raising funds for the local mosque, which he cared about deeply.The Ahmad and Fadwa Dannawi Award will be conferred on a graduate MA or diploma student in Islamic studies who has demonstrated academic excellence and commitment.
This year the award goes to: Nada Serhan
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
- Makhlouf Haddadin Award for Outstanding Chemistry Graduate and Undergraduate Students
The
late Dr. Haddadin had a long and distinguished association with AUB's
Chemistry Department. An AUB alumnus, Haddadin earned a PhD in organic
chemistry at the University of Colorado and did a fellowship at Harvard
University. He returned to AUB to begin his career as a research
associate. He was chairman of the Department of Chemistry in the 1970s
and 1980s. He served AUB also as vice president for academic affairs and
acting dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He also served as
acting president on more than one occasion.
In honor of his service
to the university, two awards were established in 2011: the Makhlouf
Haddadin Award for Outstanding Chemistry Undergraduate Student and the
Makhlouf Haddadin Award for Outstanding Chemistry Graduate Student.
- Makhlouf Haddadin Award for the Outstanding Chemistry Graduate Student
Awarded
at the end of each academic year to a graduating MS chemistry student
who has demonstrated research and academic excellence.
This year the award goes to: Karen Hannouche
- Makhlouf Haddadin Award for the Outstanding Chemistry Undergraduate Student
Awarded
at the end of each academic year to a graduating senior chemistry
student who has an excellent academic record and has demonstrated
research excellence through a paper or project.
This year the award goes to: Seungju Moon
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
- The Farah Mokdad Outstanding Sophomore Award in Computer Science
The
Farah Mokdad Outstanding Sophomore Award is a one-time award that goes
to a sophomore female student with the highest cumulative average, who
is completing or recently completed her sophomore year in computer
science. Farah Mokdad was a first-year student in the Department of
Computer Science, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She was the victim of an
Israeli airstrike on her home in the Bekaa Valley (on November 1,
2024), which sadly also took the lives of her family. Farah was a
bright, committed, and motivated student whose enthusiasm and dedication
to her studies and community made a lasting impression on all those who
knew her. Her absence will be deeply felt across our community. This
award is funded by the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Mamdouha El-Sayed Bobst Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
This year the award goes to: Rana Ezzeddine
- Ghazi and Maya Nourallah Endowed Innovation Award
The
award will consist of two guaranteed awards ($1,000 each), one for an
undergraduate student(s) in Computer Science (CMPS) and one for an
undergraduate student(s) in Electrical and Computer Engineering (EECE).
Each department will run its own competition, and the top-performing
student (or team of students) in each department will win the award. The
aim of this competition is to encourage students to identify and solve
real-life problems, particularly local issues, pitch their projects, and
motivate them to create impactful solutions.
This year the award goes to: Lea Salameh, Lea Al Chadraoui and Nour Huda Safa
- Mark Sawaya Endowed Award
Established
in 2014 in honor of Mark Sawaya, this award is given at the end of
each academic year to the graduating senior student in computer science
with the highest cumulative average.
This year the award goes to: Zein Elabedine Hamdan
- MT2 Best Achievement Award
Established
by MT2 in 2019, this award is granted to the computer science
student(s) who prove their achievements through an acquired and
demonstrated skillset across various accomplishments in specific area(s)
of computer science.
This year the award goes to: Haidar Jomaa
- Nabil Boukhaled Endowed Excellence Award in Computing
Established
to honor the life and legacy of AUB’s own Nabil Bukhalid, the Nabil
Bukhalid Excellence Awards in Computing will be conferred on two top
graduating students with very high academic achievements: 1 student
graduating with a degree in Computer Science and 1 in Computer
Engineering.
This year the award goes to: Hussien Hijazi
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
- Dr. Basil Fuleihan Excellence Award in Economics
Dr. Basil Fuleihan graduated from AUB in 1984 with a BA in economics. He went on to earn a master's degree at Yale University and a doctorate at Columbia University. He returned to Lebanon in 1993 to embark on a 12-year political career and advised many of Lebanon's leading politicians. He was appointed minister of economy and trade and elected a member of parliament in 2000. A prominent economist and politician, Fuleihan was tragically killed by the bomb blast that assassinated former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri on February 14, 2005. This award was established by his friends in 2015 and is awarded to the graduating student with a BA in economics with the highest average over their period of study at AUB.
This year the award goes to: Liya Jannoun
- Dana Kambris Memorial Award.
The
Dana Kambris Memorial Award was launched in the summer of 2023 in the
loving memory of Dana Kambris (BA'16). It recognizes a graduating
student in Economics with a genuine passion for and commitment to
empowering the youth, caring for the environment, and/or serving the
wider community through long-term, non-political, and non-sectarian
volunteering.
This year the award goes to: Maria Chirvanian
- Mona Chemali Khalaf Endowed Award
Dr.
Mona Chemali Khalaf was a professor, economist, and director of the
Institute for Women's Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW), and chairperson
of AUB's President's Club. She was an especially passionate champion
for gender equality and women's empowerment. Dr. Amin Khalaf established
the Mona Chemali Khalaf Award to celebrate his late mother's memory and
honor her accomplishments. This award is given to the undergraduate
student majoring in economics who has the highest GPA in the fall term
of their graduating year.
This year the award goes to: Andrew Harrouk
- Nadim Khalaf Memorial Award
Dr.
Nadim Khalaf was a professor at AUB and chair of the Department of
Economics. He was an advisor on several governmental committees and made
a significant contribution to the study of economics. This award was
originally established in 1996 and was endowed in 2014. It is given to
the graduating student in economics who has earned the highest average
during their undergraduate studies.
This year the award goes to: Diar Turkmani
- President Elias Hraoui Endowed Student Awards in Economics
This award was established in 2015 by President Elias Hraoui's wife and former first lady Ms. Mona Hraoui and their son Roland. Hraoui was born in 1926 in Hawsh Al-Umara, Zahle. He studied law and commerce before being elected to parliament in 1972. He served as minister of public works under President Elias Sarkis and Prime Minister Shafik Wazzan from 1980 until 1982. He was elected president of Lebanon on November 24, 1989 and served until November 23, 1998.
- President Elias Hraoui Endowed Student Award in Economics (Graduate)
Awarded to an outstanding graduate economics student who has been accepted to a PhD program.
This year the award goes to: Nour Rizk
- President Elias Hraoui Endowed Student Award in Economics (Undergraduate)
Awarded
to an undergraduate student who is a member of the Economics Student
Society for demonstrating outstanding leadership and scholastic
achievement.
This year the award goes to: Thalia Kattoura
- Remy Rebeiz Award in Economics
Remy-George
Rebeiz was a 20-year-old senior student in economics who passed away in
March 2013 from sudden cardiac arrest. His BA degree in economics with
distinction was awarded posthumously. To honor Rebeiz's memory, his
family established this award and launched the Remy Rebeiz Young Heart
Foundation. Its mission is to save the lives of children and young
adults who, like Rebeiz, are genetically predisposed to heart rhythm
abnormalities. This award is given to a junior student majoring in
economics who has the highest average in a specific set of economics,
mathematics, and humanities courses.
This year the award goes to: Elias Skulte Ouaiss
- Samir Makdisi Award in Economics
Dr.
Samir Makdisi is an emeritus professor of economics and served as
deputy president of AUB from 1993 to 1998. He was founding director of
AUB's Institute of Financial Economics (1984-2007) and has published
important works on democracy, economics, and development in the Arab
world. He was Lebanon's minister of economy and trade in 1992. This
award was established in 2007 and is given to the project or thesis
produced during the academic year that best reflects the values of
Makdisi's work.
This year the award goes to: Nizar Bou Karroum
- Suad Sabbagh Sanioura Memorial Prize
This
prize was established in 2017 to honor Suad Sabbagh Sanioura, a
devoted mother who valued education, self-esteem, and human dignity. She
strongly believed that clear vision, hard work, and integrity would
lead her children to excellence and empower them to serve the general
good. This award is given to a graduating student majoring in economics
who has high academic standing.
This year the award goes to: Rozan Wehbe
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
This
award is given to a graduating student in education (teaching diploma
or diploma) who demonstrates excellence in his/her academic studies. The
award, made possible by their children Thuraya (BBA '84, MBA '86), Imad
(BBA '85, MBA '87), Souheir (BBA '93), and Salwa, honors Mr. Burhan
Baalbaki and Mrs. Rabab Baalbaki for their selfless devotion to their
family, and for instilling in their children noble values and moral
principles, the love of knowledge, and belief in education as the great
equalizer.
This year the award goes to: Naime Kayal
- The Educators' Award in Education
Established
in 2008, this award is given to the undergraduate student(s) who have
demonstrated exceptional involvement in community service, a commitment
to innovation, and academic excellence.
This year the award goes to: Saleh Safieddine and Sarah El-Zahabi
- Dr. Fuad Said Haddad Award in Education
Dr.
Fuad Said Haddad was a professor emeritus in the Department of
Education, registrar of AUB, and a member of the Arab Association of
Collegiate Registrars. He made many contributions to both the study of
education and to the discipline of registration. His wife and children
established this award in 2011 to honor his life and memory. It is
awarded to the graduate student in education who writes the best thesis
as selected by the Department of Education.
This year the award goes to: Fatima Fardoun
- Jack and Hoda Afram Manok Endowed Award
Established
by Maria (BA '04), Georgina (BA '10), and Joe (BS '03) in honor of
their parents Jack and Hoda Afram Manok, this award is given to the
graduating student in education with the highest academic achievements.
This year the award goes to: Sarah El Zahabi
- Khawla Hobeika Rizk Endowed Award in Education
Established in 2020 by the family of Khawla Hobeika Rizk to honor her legacy as an educator.
This award is given to the top senior female student majoring in education.
This year the award goes to: Aya Tajideen
- Nadia Cheaib Hoballah Award in Education
Established
by Dr. Jamal Hoballah to honor the memory of his late mother, Mrs.
Nadia Hoballah.The Nadia Cheaib Hoballah Award in Education will be
conferred on a graduating female student majoring in education who has
demonstrated a passion for the field of education and teaching as
recognized by the department.
This year the award goes to: Lara Chebib Abi Raad
- Randa Azzam Khoury Endowed Award in Education
Established
in 2021 by the family of Randa Azzam Khoury to honor her life and
legacy as an educator. This award is given to a graduating education
teaching diploma (TD) student, preferably in elementary education.
This year the award goes to: Hiba Malaeb
- Samia Abdul Basset Siniora Endowed Award in Education
This
award is granted to an undergraduate student with an excellent academic
record who demonstrates a commitment to the education pledge and
promotes moral and academic excellence, tolerance, inclusivity, and
innovation in education.
This year the award goes to: Lana Al Jamal
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
-
Mrs. Jinan Majzoub Excellence English Literature Award
Mrs.
Jinan Majzoub is the wife of a diplomat and has dedicated her life to
charity work. Her daughter Reem Al Rashash-Shaaban, who is an alumna and
former faculty member, established this award in 2007 to honor her
mother who has a degree in English literature, and to show her
appreciation for AUB. It is awarded to the graduating student(s) with
the highest average(s) in the master's program in English literature.
This year the award goes to: Leen Jradi
- Murad Al-Akl Literary Award
Established
in 1945 by the family and friends of Murad Al-Akl to honor his
legacy, awarded on a competitive basis for the best essay, speech, or
debate on a given subject.
This year the award goes to: Ali Ibrahim Khazaal Fawaz
- Shehadeh Abboud Memorial Excellence Award in English
Though Shehadeh Abboud held several administrative positions during his career, he was widely known as a passionate and dedicated English language teacher. His wife and children established this award in 2004 to celebrate his academic life and his commitment to AUB, which he considered his second home. It is awarded to a graduating student majoring in English language who has achieved the highest average in English courses during their undergraduate studies.
This year the award goes to: Nancy Slim
DEPARTMENT OF FINE ARTS AND ART HISTORY
-
Hana Jabsheh Endowed Award
Ms. Jabsheh had a strong passion for fine arts and music. As a singer herself, she felt the need to encourage art in our region. In 2017, to honor her memory, her beloved family established this award to recognize top students who share her passion. It is presented to the senior student graduating from the Department of Fine Arts and Art History with the highest GPA.
This year the award goes to: Bisan Al Saadi
- Melhem and Tamani Zein Endowed Award in Fine Arts
This award will be conferred on an undergraduate student majoring in Fine Arts, with the highest major average throughout his/her undergraduate years of study.
This year the award goes to: Stephany Bou Chdid
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY
-
Abdallah Lahoud Foundation Endowed Award
The
Abdallah Lahoud Foundation Award was established in 2013 by the friends
and family of the late Abdallah Lahoud to honor the memory of both this
young entrepreneur and of his grandfather, Abdallah Lahoud, a prominent
lawyer and literary figure. Established in 2016, this award is
presented annually to the graduating student with the highest average in
either history or archaeology.
This year the award goes to: Cyril Khoury
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
-
The Mansur H. Jurdak Excellence Award in Mathematics
The Mansur H. Jurdak Excellence Award in Mathematics is conferred on a graduating student majoring in Mathematics at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences with top
academic achievement. Mansur H. Jurdak was one of the very first AUB alumni with a
B.A. degree in Mathematics in 1901 and an M.A. in Teaching of Mathematics in 1907. He
was also a professor of Mathematics at AUB.
This year the award goes to: Seok Ban
- The Muhanna Foundation in Mathematics Award of Excellence
The
Muhanna Foundation is dedicated to the development, funding, and
implementation of actuarial education and research projects and
continuing education programs for professionals in actuarially
underdeveloped countries, particularly in the Arab world. This award was
established in 1998 and endowed in 2013 to support students who excel
in mathematics. It is given to the most outstanding senior Lebanese
student in the Department of Mathematics.
This year the award goes to: Hassan El Bouz and Georges Sakr
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
-
Best Physics Thesis award
Established in 2018 through a generous contribution from the Physics Chair’s Fund, this award is presented to a graduating master’s or PhD student in physics who has demonstrated research and academic excellence and also exceptional care, skill, and creativity in the composition and defense of their thesis.
This year the award goes to: Dima Mrad and Marielle Hachem
- Teddy Christidis Excellence Award in Physics
Established in 2023 by the family of the late Professor Theodore Christidis, an exceptional associate professor in physics and assistant to the dean for laboratory affairs at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.This award is granted to an excelling student graduating with a BS degree in physics, who has demonstrated depth and maturity, and a keen appreciation of physics – from theoretical knowledge to experimentation.
This year the award goes to: Hassan El Bouz
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL STUDIES AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
- H.E. Ghassan Al-Rashash Excellence Award in Political Studies
His
Excellency Ghassan Al-Rashash was a Saudi diplomat who served in
Pakistan, Iran, France, and the US. He was the Saudi ambassador to Niger
as well as to other countries in West Africa. His daughter Reem Al
Rashash-Shaaban, an AUB alumna and former faculty member, established
this award in 2007 in his memory and in recognition of her alma mater.
The award is given to a graduating student with the highest average in
the graduate program in political studies.
This year the award goes to: Mohammed Abuhashhash
- Dr. Randa Antoun Annual Award for Public Service and Civic Engagement (Graduate)
Dr.
Randa Antoun was a beloved alumna and esteemed faculty member in the
Department of Political Studies and Public Administration who was widely
admired both at AUB and in the community. The news of her passing in
February 2014 was met with a tremendous outpouring of love. Her family,
friends, students, and colleagues established this award in 2014 to
commemorate and celebrate her life and her dedication to her students.
This
award is given to a graduating student who demonstrates academic
excellence, engages in and promotes leadership in civic issues, has
worked on a research paper that evaluates a contemporary problem in
Lebanon, and advances a clear and innovative solution to that problem.
This year the award goes to: Yasmine El Berjawi
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY, AND MEDIA STUDIES
- Amal Saidi Memorial Prize
Amal
Saidi graduated from AUB in political science in 1958. She often
described her days at AUB as among the happiest of her life and would
often refer with great fondness to her teachers, among whom she singled
out Albert Hourani and Walid Khalidi. This award was established by her
family in 2000 and is awarded to a graduating senior excelling in
anthropology or sociology.
This year the award goes to: Yara Mroueh
- Antoun Saadeh Cultural Foundation Best Student Essay Award
This
award was established in 2015 by the Antoun Saadeh Cultural Foundation
to honor the memory and legacy of Antoun Saadeh, the philosopher,
writer, and politician who founded the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.
It is awarded to the best graduate paper or thesis dealing with social
reform in the Arab world.
This year the award goes to: Jana Mousa
- Dr. Asaad Khairallah Endowed Award in Social Sciences
Dr.
Assaad E. Khairallah earned a PhD in Arabic, Persian, and Comparative
Literature from Princeton University. He taught at Princeton, Freiburg,
Basel, and Berkeley before returning to AUB as a full professor where he
taught modern Arabic literature and edited (in Arabic and English) Al-Abhath,
the journal of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. His primary fields of
interest are Arabic literature (mainly modern), cultural East-West
relations, and comparative and world literature. He has authored a
monograph, Love, Madness, and Poetry: An Interpretation of the Mağnun Legend (Steiner
Verlag, Beiruter Texte und Studien, 1980) and about 30 scholarly
articles in English, Arabic, German, and French. He is completing a
monograph on modern Arabic poetry for the RoutledgeCurzon Press and
co-editing a four-volume work for Wiley-Blackwell: Literature: A World History.
In this work, he coordinates the literatures of West and Central Asia,
mainly Arabic, Persian, and Turkic-Turkish, and authors the entry on
Arabic literature. This award was established in 2017 in honor of
Professor Khairallah by his former student and distinguished AUB alumnus
Dr. Hamed Alajlan. It is given to the student who submits the best
paper in Arabic during their period of study.
This year the award goes to: Yousra El-Solh
- Dr. Elaine Hagopian Endowed Award
This award will be conferred on a graduate or undergraduate student who has excelled in their studies in sociology or anthropology and has demonstrated a commitment to the pursuit of social justice and human rights issues. The award is named for Dr. Elaine Hagopian, a fearless activist who is also celebrated for her writings and scholarship that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to Arab and Arab American issues of justice and freedom – including and especially a devotion to the Palestinian cause. This award was established in 2024 by the Trans Arab Research Institute and her friends, colleagues, and admirers from around the world.
This year the award goes to: Sahar Allabban
- Kamel Mrowa Award in Media Studies
Kamel
Mrowa was a prominent Lebanese journalist and publisher who was
assassinated in his office in Beirut in May 1966. He was the founder of Al-Hayat and The Daily Star newspapers
and is considered the father of modern Arab journalism. His family
established this award in 2015. It is given to a graduating
undergraduate or graduating master's student majoring in media studies
who has produced the most creative and insightful project (a film,
multimedia presentation, or scholarly paper) related to Arab media.
This year the award goes to: Manar Shourbaji
M&C
Saatchi MENA is a communication agency covering the full spectrum of
creative communication, from offline advertising to online and digital
media engagement. This award was established in 2010 to recognize the
academic achievements of one or more graduating students in the Media
Studies Program at the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Media
Studies.
This year the award goes to: Lana Serawan and Najah Risheq
- Professor Fuad I. Khuri Award in Anthropology
An
AUB alumnus, Professor Fuad Ishak Khuri earned his BA and MA degrees
from AUB. He later received his PhD in social anthropology from the
University of Oregon. In 1964, he returned to AUB to serve as a
professor of anthropology until 1987. Among his noteworthy books are From Village to Suburb, Tribe and State in Bahrain, Imams and Emirs, Being a Druze, and his career memoir An Invitation to Laughter,
published post-mortem. In honor of his life and memory, his wife Mrs.
Sonia Jalbout Khuri established this award, presented to an outstanding
Lebanese student graduating with a master's degree in anthropology.
This year the award goes to: Joy Saade
- Selma Mirshak and Mohsen Slim Endowed Student Award
This award was established in 2015 by Mrs. Rasha el Ameer in honor of her parents Selma Mirshak and Mohsen Slim. The late Mohsen Slim was a lawyer and a pioneer in the human rights movement in Lebanon. Selma Mirshak was an AUB alumna and scholar with an interest in the “Shawam” community. After graduating with a degree in journalism from the American University in Cairo, she joined the Newsweek office in Beirut where she met Mohsen Slim. They married in 1956. Their marriage at the time was a rare example of an inter-religious mixed marriage. The award is given to a graduate student majoring in sociology who has conducted the best fieldwork research.
This year the award goes to: Jemal Adem
- Sheikh Fawzi Azar Memorial Prize
Sheikh
Fawzi Azar studied at AUB and was an active philanthropist and
supporter of education. Born in 1910, he was the CEO of several
companies as well as a member of the Lions Club, later becoming
international director for Lions Asia and the Middle East. The Beirut
Lions Club Lebanon established this award in his memory and honor in
1990. It is given to student(s) in recognition of an outstanding paper
or study.
This year the award goes to: Iona Stewart
INTERDEPARTMENTAL AWARDS
-
Lebanon Renaissance Foundation Award
The
Lebanon Renaissance Foundation works to ensure that Lebanon progresses
to be a free, democratic, and open society while providing people with
choices as to how they live under the rule of state law. The foundation
exerts consistent positive influence on the future political and social
sectors in Lebanon as part of a national rebuilding process favoring
emergence of state attributes. Established in 2009, this award is given
to one or more graduating students in political studies, economics,
social and behavioral sciences, public administration, or history with
the highest academic achievements.
This year the award goes to: Christopher Hage and Diar Turkmani
- Dr. Mohammad Chatah Excellence Award
A
widely respected public servant, Dr. Chatah began his academic career
at AUB, where he earned a BA in economics in 1974. After earning a PhD
in economics from the University of Texas in 1983, he worked at the
International Monetary Fund where he held several positions. He was an
especially astute observer of Lebanese politics and advised many of
Lebanon's leading politicians. He was appointed minister of finance in
2008. Chatah was assassinated when a car bomb struck his convoy in
Beirut on December 27, 2013. His friends and family established this
award in 2015 to honor his memory. It is given to the graduating senior
student in economics, political studies, public administration,
philosophy, or physics who has achieved the highest average at AUB.
This year the award goes to: Hassan El Bouz
- Professor Mohamed Harajli Excellence Award in Humanities
Professor Mohamed Harajli Excellence Award in Humanities will be awarded to the top student in humanities going into his/her last senior year, who demonstrate financial need as evaluated and recommended by AUB’s Office of Financial Aid.
This year the award goes to: Taline Al Amatoury
- Randa Bdeir Award in Gender Equity
Established
by Randa Bdeir in 2023, a recognized leader in electronic payments
and credit card technology in the MENA region and a member of the
Advisory Board of the Worldwide Alumni Association of the American
University of Beirut. This award is given to qualified undergraduate or
graduate student(s) from the Department of Sociology Anthropology and
Media Studies (SOAM) or the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies
(CAMES) who had authored the best paper on a topic related to gender
studies.
This year the award goes to: Jana Barakat
- Salim Ali Salam Endowed Award
Salim
Ali Salam (1868-1938), also known as Abu Ali, held numerous public
positions, including deputy from Beirut to the Ottoman Parliament,
president of the Municipality of Beirut, and president of the
Al-Makassed Philanthropic Islamic Association of Beirut. He was also the
leader of the Beirut Reform Movement and a member of the Executive
Committee of the First Arab Congress which met in Paris in 1913.
Established in 2018 by the family of Salim Ali Salam to commemorate
their grandfather's spirit of enlightenment and call for reform, this
award is granted to the author of the best graduate thesis in Ottoman or
Arab studies in the fields of history, political studies, or Middle
Eastern studies.
This year the award goes to: Mohamad Ali Hasan
GENERAL AWARDS
- A. Karim and Soraya El Cheikh FAS Student Leadership Award
This
award was established in 2022 by the former Dean of the Faculty of Arts
and Sciences (FAS), Dr. Nadia El Cheikh, to honor the memory of her
parents. This award is given to a female graduating from FAS with a high
cumulative GPA and who either demonstrated leadership of an AUB student
club/FAS society or is a member of a varsity team.
This year the award goes to: Racha Saad
- Abdul Hadi Debs Endowed Award for Academic Excellence
The
Makassed Philanthropic Islamic Association of Beirut has founded a
higher technical school, the Abed El Hadi El Debs Vocational Center, in
commemoration of the late Abed El Hadi Mohammad Khair El Debs. El Debs
donated annually to the center and encouraged his children to continue
this support after his death. This award was established in 2000 and is
given to a graduating student, in recognition of outstanding academic
achievement and research excellence as demonstrated by a paper, project,
or thesis deemed by the faculty to be worthy of publication.
This year the award goes to: Sara Mrouwe and Tamar Kanimian
- The Brummana High School Cultural Society Excellence Award
Established
in 2017 by the Brummana High School Cultural Society to support
students who graduated from Brummana High School and then attended AUB.
It is awarded every year to the top graduating student who is a graduate
of Brummana High School.
This year the award goes to: Andrew Harrouk
- FAS Mamdouha S. Bobst Student Award for Civic Engagement and Community Service
Established in 2022 in honor of the late Mamdouha El-Sayed Bobst, dear friend of AUB and former AUB Trustee. She was a generous supporter of various initiatives across AUB and AUBMC. This award is given annually during the FAS Graduation Reception to one or more FAS students (undergraduate or graduate) in recognition of their dedicated contributions to improving communities around them. This may include initiatives that had a positive impact on the AUB campus, as well as service going beyond the campus walls, which enacts positive change within local communities. Candidates for this award will be evaluated based on their volunteer work (number of hours committed and relative impact) as well as excellence in scholarship, leadership, and their commitment to the community.
This year the award goes to: Karim Faraj and Yasmine El Berjawi
- Ibrahim and Loulu Durr Endowed MRVP Award
The Ibrahim and Loulu Durr Endowed MRVP Award was established in May 2015. Proceeds from this award fund will be used to award students enrolled in the MRVP/MRVP-Int'l. The two $1,000 cash Ibrahim and Loulu Durr Endowed MRVP Awards are given annually to two students (preferably one male, one female) enrolled in MRVP/MRVP-Int’l who have demonstrated outstanding medical research capabilities, based on the MRVP committee evaluation. Special consideration will be given to students who have shown outstanding research capabilities in the biochemistry field.
This year the award goes to: Elise Choufany and Karim Aboul Hosn
- Dr. Kassim Shaaban Excellence Award in the Faculty of Arts & Sciences
Dr. Kassim Shaaban is a Professor of Applied Linguistics at AUB and an established scholar in his field. In addition to his tenure as Chair of the English Department and Director of the Center for English Language Research & Teaching (CeLRT) for many years, he was also the Assistant Dean of Arts & Sciences from 1987-1997 at AUB. Since then, he has held executive positions as Dean of Arts & Sciences at Qatar University in Doha and the American University of Sharjah, UAE. Established in 2023 to honor Dr. Shaaban’s scholarly journey from his hometown, this award is presented every year to an undergraduate student from the Bekaa Valley with the highest average in the Faculty of Arts & Sciences.
This year the award goes to: Patricia Kmach
- Majida Sanioura Memorial Prize in Humanities
Mrs.
Majida Sanioura was a writer and author of several manuscripts as well
as a founding member of the “Alkateb Wal Kitab” Association in Lebanon.
Her book collection is now housed in the Majida Al Sanioura Library at
the Lebanese University. After her passing, her family, including her
brother His Excellency Fouad Sanioura, established this award in 1988 in
her honor and memory. It is given to a top graduate senior in the arts
or humanities.
This year the award goes to: Haya Itani
- Dr. Philip K. Hitti Prize
An
AUB alumnus, Philip Hitti taught at AUB before enrolling at Columbia
University to pursue his PhD. After World War I he returned to AUB where
he taught until 1926. He later went back to the US where he is credited
with creating the discipline of Arabic studies. Established in 2008,
this award is given to the senior student who, in the judgment of the
president, the dean of FAS, and the department chair, exemplifies in
their academic career the scholarly spirit of AUB at its best.
This year the award goes to: Seungju Moon
- Poet Said Fayad Graduate Prize in Literature and Humanities
Established
in 2020 by the family of the late Said Fayad to honor his appreciation
for the Arabic language, culture, and history. This award is granted to a
graduate student from, or residing in, the Global South who
participates in and submits the best paper for the Al-Abhath Essay Prize
Competition.
This year the award goes to: Rawane El Helou
- Salwa Siniora Baasiri Exceptional Volunteer of the Year Endowed Award
Salwa Siniora Baasiri, current director general of the Rafic Hariri Foundation, is an AUB graduate (BA Economics ‘67) and was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumna Award in 2015. As an active community influencer, Siniora Baasiri established this university-wide award in 2016 to highlight and encourage community engagement, social responsibility, and civic education. It is awarded to an undergraduate student who has maintained not only a high academic standard, but also demonstrated a commitment to community work and innovative social projects.
This year the award goes to: Ghina Sweidan
- WAAAUB-Abu Dhabi Chapter Student Endowed Award
The
WAAAUB – Abu Dhabi Chapter established this award in 2017 to support
the top student in each faculty and the top freshmen student who
graduated from a high school in Abu Dhabi.
This year the award goes to: Celine Awad and Mayar Mahdi
The
Penrose Award was established to honor former AUB President Stephen
B.L. Penrose, Jr. Born in Walla Walla, Washington, Penrose came to AUB
in 1928 where he taught physics for three years. He served as AUB
president from 1948 until his death in 1954. He is the author of That They May Have Life,
an invaluable history of AUB from its founding in 1866 as the Syrian
Protestant College until 1941. The Penrose Award is given to the
outstanding graduate in each faculty in recognition of scholarship,
character, leadership, and contribution to university life.
This year the award goes to: Diar Turkmani
Penrose Awardee Speech
Diar Tukmani
Good evening, everyone,
Today is a special day to many of us. Today is a day where many of us are celebrating the dedication, hard work, and creativity we have all collectively pour into making the AUB FAS community more vibrant and involved. In light of that, I’d like to extend my warmest congratulations to every single one of you: Mabrouk!
On this day, I’d also like to take a moment to show gratitude to two people who have shaped who I am and provided me with the opportunity to pursue my higher education at this college: Saad Turkmani, my father, and Randa Dandachi, my mother. If it were not for my dad’s sacrifice, working hard and alone far away from home, none of his three kids would be AUB graduates. And if it weren’t for my mother, we would have never truly understood the deep, intricate notions of discipline, dedication, love, and kindness.
Now, beyond celebration, I think it would serve us a great deal to self-reflect on our journey at AUB: what it means to Lebanon and the region during such a pressing time, and what there is to be done in the future.
Today, the Levant is witnessing times that are marked by deep political rupture and uncertainty. After fourteen years of a revolution that turned into a bloody civil war, Syria is undergoing a radical political transformation - albeit a shaky one. Lebanon is recovering from a recent devastating war that has left our beloved Southern Lebanon, Beqaa, Baalbeck, and Beirut suburbs in ruins at the hands of Israel. In Palestine, specifically in Gaza, the situation is much bleaker. While the people of the West Bank face growing settler expansion and apartheid, Gazans are experiencing ethnic cleansing and genocide. As members of AUB’s community, it should be at the top of our priorities to show our commitment and solidarity to the Palestinian cause, to Syrian democracy, and to Lebanon’s prosperity.
This solidarity and commitment, by the way, is not something alien to AUB. Our university has always played a pivotal role in relation to the Levant and the Arab world. Today, I’d like to narrow down our discussion of this role to focus on two matters AUB has historically contributed to: independent knowledge production, and accessible education for all people from this region.
When it comes to AUB’s intellectual output, few recognize just how pertinent this university has been on our politics, historical narratives, and policy literature. All of this rich knowledge production stems from the fact that AUB has always been a beacon of academic integrity and free thought, as well as a safe haven for controversial intellectuals to present their ideas to the Arab world in the hopes of shepherding us in the right direction. It was Constantin Zureiq, an AUB history professor, who coined the term ‘Nakba’. It was faculty members like Philip Khuri Hitti, the first Lebanese professor at AUB, who promoted the Arab perspective on the Israeli occupation of Palestine to the American political establishment and America’s academic sphere. Beyond that era, Sadiq Jalal Al Azm, once a history professor at AUB and a prominent secular Arab thinker, authored monumental books such as “Self Reflection after Defeat”, in which he dared challenge the legitimacy and efficacy of authoritarian regimes in the Arab world that weaponize the rightful causes of this region to strengthen their grip over their people and prevent the Arab world from progressing.
In recent times, we have politicians such as Nawaf Salam, an alumnus of AUB who previously headed the ICJ and is currently leading Lebanon’s reformist government along with 11 other AUB alumni who were designated as ministers. In addition, we also have doctors such as Ghassan Abu Sittah, who has found in AUB a safe space to continue his medical and social activism for Gaza and promote justice and accountability for the genocide.
On a separate note, AUB, throughout its history, was always a welcoming space for the region’s people in times of crisis. AUB opened its doors to Palestinian students after the Nakba of 1948, Syrians after the Syrian war of 2011, and Lebanese people from across the country during the Civil War.
However, today, universities worldwide face mounting challenges to free speech, academic integrity, and sustainable funding. AUB must continue to lead by example, demonstrating that it is possible to uphold academic freedom, produce rigorous scholarship, and maintain financial accessibility at once. This requires not only institutional commitment but also an engaged student body, an active student press, and faculty who are civically present. As graduates, our responsibility doesn’t end at commencement - we must continue to support AUB across different domains to ensure that it remains a place where accessible, high-quality education thrives. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, we must push for the long-sought justice that our people so desperately deserve. We especially owe this commitment to people that are as close as it gets to our community, people such as Farah Mokdad, a student at AUB who was killed along with her entire family by Israel in the recent war on Lebanon, and a person to whom I dedicate this award. In fact, after all that has happened, giving back is not merely a responsibillity and commitment, but an imperative duty, and I urge everyone to keep that in mind as we graduate this year.
يمكن الماضي مر والحاضر ما فيو كتير أمل، بس المستقبل أكيد النا.
On that note, I’m wishing everyone great success in their journey.
Thank you!