The American University of Beirut (AUB) organized its third Giving Day on December 5, 2022. A total of 1,151 alumni and friends in 61 countries in six continents (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America) joined together in the celebration, surpassing the original goals of 1,000 donors from 50 countries. “Giving Day is one of our newest traditions,” said Senior Vice President for Advancement and Business Development Imad B. Baalbaki, “but it has quickly become one of our most successful.”
The success of AUB Giving Day 2022 was a powerful reflection of the university’s global reach, which has increased significantly in recent years. There are now alumni chapters in 26 countries. In spring 2022, the American University of Beirut announced that it was establishing its first twin campus outside Lebanon, the American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo, where it will welcome students in fall 2023. The university has also dramatically increased its online course offerings.
AUB alumni were especially active on Giving Day, rallying support from former classmates to win the Faculty Challenge – a hotly contested race to determine the faculty with the highest percentage of alumni participation. The winner was the Rafic Hariri School of Nursing, which will receive one of two Faculty Challenge trophies, followed closely by the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine. The second trophy recipient, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, received the greatest number of alumni donations. The Maroun Semaaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and the Faculty of Medicine were in second and third places.
The university also received support from 19 Giving Day partners. “We are very grateful to our partners – to everyone – who took part, on campus and around the world. You could feel the energy,” said Associate Vice President for Development, Alumni Relations, and University Events Salma Oueida. “Events such as Giving Day are a great opportunity for the AUB family to come together in support of our university that we love.”
AUB Giving Day takes place on Founders Day, the day on which the university celebrates its founding in 1866 – an event that would not have been possible without philanthropy. AUB President Fadlo R. Khuri spoke about the connection between these two university events in his Founders Day speech: “One thing that was true in 1866 and remains true today is that philanthropy remains a critical element of our impact and sustainability: from the original donors who made launching this university a reality, to the generous thousands who support us today, whether via our highly successful fundraisers, individual gifts, grants and scholarships from our partner foundations and supporting institutions, or through the many inspiring examples of empathy and humanity.”
About AUB
Founded in 1866, the American University of Beirut bases its educational philosophy, standards, and practices on the American liberal arts model of higher education. A teaching-centered research university, AUB has more than 800 full-time faculty members and a student body of over 8000 students. AUB currently offers more than 120 programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s, MD, and PhD degrees. It provides medical education and training to students from throughout the region at its Medical Center that includes a full-service 365-bed hospital.