American University of Beirut

​​​​​​​​​FAS AWARDS CEREMONY
Dean's Welcome Note

Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Farès el-Dahdah

Hello everyone and thank you all for attending this ceremony.

I am Farès Dahdah, the Mamdouha El-Sayed Bobst Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Today's ceremony is my second yet this year remains a year of firsts. It is the first year, as far as I can tell, when students can nominate or self-nominate for these awards that we are about to announce. It is also the first year when we will make statistical figures available… i.e., how many are being awarded and to whom? Doing so will give us a benchmark against which to compare progress and hopefully make distributions more equitable across departments. So here are a few of these statistical figures:

• The total amount to be awarded this year is $65,000
• There are only three new awards introduced to the list, among the previous many
• 85% of this year's awards are handled by FAS departments directly… with the lion share (i.e., 60%) going to only four departments (i.e., Economics, Computer Science, Education, and SOAM.
• 15% of the awards are handled by the dean's office
• 75 students will be receiving these awards distributed almost equally by gender: 45% male vs. 55% females
• Awardees are mostly undergraduates [70%]. Graduate students add up to 25% and the remaining 5% go to freshmen and diploma students.

With such figures in mind, it now becomes on us to keep adding more awards, increase the total amount, give departments more say, etc. Figures and numbers aside, it is my pleasure to also congratulate you all for having achieved, in one form or another, a degree of excellence for which many of you are about to be particularly recognized. These awards represent one of the more welcome aspects of American-style higher education that were originally motivated by such protestant codes of conduct as political participation, preservation of indigenous cultures, tolerance, and social inclusion. They are also a perfect illustration of that moment when community and university come together in support of student efforts… This happens when community decides to reward excellence where it matters most, and it does so with its own future in mind. After all, you are about to embark on career trajectories that should, I hope, have this supportive community in mind. The only real condition that comes with these awards is that you be motivated, from now on, by a single factor: the public good.

As you all, and your families know all too well, Lebanon and this region are crisis prone and torn apart by many forms of sectarianisms, which is why I sincerely hope that the education you received at AUB made you not only both civic minded and tech savvy and but also a bit less partisan. I am also hoping that this education through which you have just gone prepared you to survive and thrive in a world where automation is changing the nature of available careers. Hopefully you will succeed where others have failed… Please go out and fix a country and a region that need you more than ever... and if there was ever a moment when the promise of a career should have a socially meaningful outcome, this may well be it.

May I, therefore, suggest that, going forward, you act responsibly when many before you did not... lest we keep having to suffer the consequences of what was once qualified as positive advances in science, be they those that led to nuclear proliferation, to climate change, to wealth concentration, or to social media's negative impact on expertise and truth.^[1]

My colleagues in the Dean's Office and I, wish you all the best ahead... and congratulations to your families too. I am fairly certain that for most of you, their love and support had something to do with your success now and your success to come.

Thank you!

[1] “Science Institutions for a Complex, Fast-Paced World," by Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Sciences, and Michael M. Crow, president of Arizona State University.​

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.
This year the award goes to:  Sara Tello

• ​ Nader Prize for Excellence in Arabic Language and Literature​

Established in 2021 by Ralph Nader to be awarded to a graduating student at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Arabic who has achieved the highest academic distinction or achieves the highest levels of creativity in Arabic language and literature.
This year the award goes to:  Anis Amer ​

• ​ 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 with a master's degree in Arabic.​
This year the award goes to:  Hala Al Khatib​​

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:  Daron Soussani ​​​

• ​​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:  Fady Mikhael

• ​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:  Khaled Ghanem and Rony Imad El-Hachem ​

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:  Sara Moussalli

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

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 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:  Amir Nasreddine

• ​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:  Daniela Sayah

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

​Henri Qais Naccache Computer Science Student Development Fund
This fund was created to recognize students engaged in promising computer science projects, including those training to participate in the ACM Collegiate Programming Contest, one of the most prestigious computer science contests worldwide. The fund also supports the acquisition of software and hardware required for senior student projects and grants awards to the best and brightest students in computer science.

• ​ ​Henri Qais Naccache Best Graduate Student Award

Awarded to a graduate student in computer science who has completed the thesis and has attained the highest cumulative average in courses.
This year the award goes to:  Rami Hoteit

• ​Henri Qais Naccache Best Project Award

Awarded to an undergraduate student in recognition of exceptional projects that demonstrate interesting and impactful ideas, thorough design and implementation, and remarkable team work.
This year the award goes to:  Adam Harb, Adam Sleiman,  Ayla Hmadi, and Joelle El Homsi

• ​ Henri Qa​is Naccache Best Thesis Award

Awarded to a graduate student in computer science who has defended the best thesis.
This year the award goes to:  Mohammad Sonji

• ​Henri Qais Naccache Service Award

Awarded to an undergraduate student in computer science who has demonstrated excellence in service.
This year the award goes to:  Osama Iskandarani​

• ​Henri Qais Naccache Undergraduate Research Award

Awarded to an undergraduate student or group of students in computer science who have demonstrated excellence in research.
This year the award goes to:  Joudy Al Ashkar,​ ​​Khaled Gheith, and Nour Obeid   

• ​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:  Leen El Mir

• ​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:  Maurice Salameh, Mohamad Chaaban​, and Rawan Darwich

• ​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.​ The Nabil Boukhaled 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:  Miguel Merheb

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:  Tracy Ibrahim 

•  ​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:  Dana Dghaidy 

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. From 1980 to 1982, he served as minister of public works under President Elias Sarkis and Prime Minister Shafik Wazzan. He was elected president of Lebanon on November 24, 1989 and served until November 23, 1998.

• ​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:  George Andrea 

• ​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:  Majd Shams Eddine 

• ​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:  Maya Mallak 

• ​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:  Antoine Rizkallah 

• ​ 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:  Marc Moukheiber

• 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:  Mayssaa Jammoul 

• ​ 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:   Marc Mouawad​

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

• Burhan and Rabab Baalbaki Award in 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:  Mahmoud Fawaz

• ​ 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:  Shahed Taha

• ​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:  Rola Katerji and Souhaila Nassar​

• ​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:  Suekaina Nassereddine

• ​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:  Marwa Al Houssami​

• ​​Nadia Cheaib Hoballah Award in Education

• 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:  Aya Nawwar

• ​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:  Malak Zantout

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:   Fatima Kassem Moussa

• ​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:   Sara Kalloumeh ​​

• ​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 senior student majoring in English language who has achieved the highest average in English courses during their undergraduate studies.
This year the award goes to:   Jana Massoud

DEPARTMENT OF FINE ARTS AND ART HISTORY

• ​Hana Jabsheh Endowed Award

Ms. Jabsheh had a strong passion for fine art 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:  Vanina Barbour​

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:  Edward Tashjian

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

• ​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:  Maria Saab and Walid Tabbara​

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

• ​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:  Garo Kerdelian​ and Semaan Karam

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:  Christopher Jones

• ​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:   May Baaklini

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:  Daniela Ayad 

• ​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:  Jude Abu Haidar

• ​Dr. Assaad 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:   Rawan Al-Ahdal ​

• ​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:  Ghada Dagher 

• ​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:   Bachar Bzeih

• ​M&C Saatchi MENA Award

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:​   Thalia Tabbara ​

• ​ 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:  Rayane Chbaklo 

• ​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:  Roy Inkidar 

DEPARTMENTS OF ECONOMICS, HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY, POLITICAL STUDIES AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, AND THE CENTER FOR ARAB AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES (CAMES)​

• ​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:   Omar El Chmouri

• ​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:   Fares Sinno​
​

DEPARTMENTS OF ECONOMICS, PHILOSOPHY, PHYSICS, AND POLITICAL STUDIES AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

• ​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:  Garo Kerdelian 

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY AND MEDIA STUDIES, AND THE CENTER FOR ARAB AND MIDDLE EASTERN STUDIES (CAMES)

• ​​ 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:  Shatha Hanaysha 

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:   Maria Saab 

• ​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:  Amir Jaber Chehayeb and Fatima Kassem Moussa  ​

• 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:  Daniella Georgette Razzouk

• ​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 equity, diversity, and inclusion.
This year the award goes to:  Christina Nohra and Elvira Abi Zeid​

• ​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 & Science.​
This year the award goes to:   Lynn El Zoghby

• Majida Sanioura Memorial Prize in Humanities

Mrs. Majida Sanioura was a writer and author of several manuscripts as well as a founding m​ember 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:   Zeina Bazarbachi

• ​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:   Ronald Kassab

• ​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:   Riccardo Paredi 

• ​ 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:  Yara Rouhana El Feghali and Yara Wehbeh

• ​ 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​ 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:  Fatima Nazar and Layana Takieddine ​

• ​Penrose Award

​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:  Garo Kerdelian ​

Penrose Awardee Speech​
Garo Kerdelian - BS in Physics

Esteemed trustees and faculty,
Dear friends and family,
Fellow awardees,

When I was nominated to receive the Penrose Award and draft this speech, I faced a difficult challenge: how could I summarize three years into five minutes? Three difficult years of hard work, sleepless nights, and endless assignments. Three enjoyable years of new friends, interesting conversations, and joyful moments. Three years of AUB that passed by in a whirlwind and turned my life upside down.

​My family story is one of generational struggle. The trauma of exile my greatgrandfather lived through during the Armenian Genocide in 1915 turned into a struggle for success for my father, who became the first in his family to get a college education, often studying by candlelight during the Lebanese Civil War. Looking back on how much my family made out of the little they had, I marveled at the relatively stable life I enjoyed. Yet, at a time when Lebanon suffered from its worst hyperinflation, fuel and bread shortage, and currency devaluation, I asked myself a question most youth ask today: should I leave Lebanon in hope of better opportunities, or should I stay and attend university in my own country?

​​On June 22nd, 2021, I received a call from the American University of Beirut. I had been awarded the prestigious President Merit Scholarship that covered 100% of undergraduate tuition fees for my excellence in high school and the SAT. AUB believed in me. Starting from that moment, and with the loving support of my father, mother, and sister, without whom I would not be here today, I have strived to seize every opportunity, excel in every endeavor, and give back to the institution that supported me.

​Three years later, I am honored to stand before you today to receive the Penrose Award, famously dubbed the most prestigious award at AUB, a place I am now proud to call home. However, this award is especially meaningful to me because it embodies the inspiring legacy of Stephen B. Penrose.

Stephen Penrose was the President of the American University of Beirut from 1948 to 1954. After serving as a physics instructor for three years, he came to AUB after the Second World War at a very difficult time yet revolutionized the university’s structure. He led on opening three new faculties – engineering, agriculture, and public health. During his presidency, Lebanese physicist Dr. Salwa Nassar joined AUB as the first woman faculty member. Finally, he paved the way for a pipeline of US-funded scholarships and grants for deserving students.

​During my undergraduate journey, I have strived to emulate President Penrose’s scholarly leadership. As President of the Physics Students Society, I worked with my colleagues on supporting incoming sophomores, fostering discussions about responsible STEM research, and creating a tight-knit community of both students and faculty. On the other hand, I strove to uphold my Lebanese-Armenian heritage as Vice President of the Lebanese-Armenian Heritage Club through cultural activities, fundraising concerts, and moderating a Q&A with a role model of mine, Lebanese-Armenian Nobel Prize laureate and AUB alumnus, Dr. Ardem Patapoutian. Finally, I learned that dissatisfaction is the father of progress and wrote about “The Paradox of Lebanese Existence” and causes I deeply cared about in the university’s Outlook Newspaper.

None of this would have been possible without a strong network of peers and professors who supported my curiosity and strive for excellence. Our faculty members are truly heroes. Nowhere else on Earth can you find professors who have survived the adversity of Lebanon, yet not only provided us with the best education, but also empowered us at every step. I am very grateful to my faculty mentors for teaching me both inside and outside the classroom and supporting all my future ambitions.

And now, at 20 years old, as I stand at the beginning of a new journey as an incoming PhD student at Northeastern University in Boston, I have realized how a transformative AUB education has set me up for the future. For AUB is not just a place we come to attend our classes, pack our bags, and leave. It is a home where we learn about ourselves, the world, and make an impact not only on our own lives, but also on the lives of others. As AUB alumni, we must be proud of our alma mater, maintain strong ties to the institution through a strong alumni network locally and globally, and undertake responsibility to help Lebanon and the region.

To conclude, I would like to congratulate all of my peers for their awards and their impending graduation. Amidst economic crisis and political instability, we stand here today with honors, awards, and most importantly – the proud smiles of our family, friends, and professors. Let us continue to succeed as alumni of the American University of Beirut, shining its light brightly everywhere we go.

 Thank you!​

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