The hope and promise of AUB students

I am Palestinian and have a wonderful family. I dreamed when I was a child of finding a place where I felt like I belong. Never did I think that that place might be AUB. To be honest, I feel guilty being at AUB. It is a privilege that not many get. The doors that this university will open for me are immense. I am forever grateful for the help I’ve received that has made it possible for me to attend AUB.

I have visited the AUB campus with my father, who is an alumnus, since I was a child. For me, AUB is a small version of everything I love in my country: the diversity of the people, the greenery, etc. I feel at ease at AUB. Financially speaking, it is not easy at all though. I could not continue at AUB without financial aid.

I applied to AUB because it is one of the top universities in the region and I knew that it would give me the best options when I graduate both in terms of looking for a job and also graduate school. Attending AUB has opened doors to a better future and allowed me to grow on a personal and professional level.

Every class I take at AUB has an impact on me and affects my way of thinking. I have also gained new insights about the world from my instructors/professors—and from my classmates. At AUB, I have developed a sense of responsibility for my community. I am grateful for the support I receive and look forward to being able to help future students.

The Western/American culture that we breathe on campus, combined with the Lebanese environment, as well as the presence of students from all around the world make being at AUB quite a unique experience. My family’s financial situation has worsened in the last few years, so it was vital for me to receive a scholarship. My ultimate goal is to help students in need just like I was helped at a most critical time.

I applied to AUB because of its reputation as the best school in the region and because its graduates are seen as leaders and innovators in their respective fields. As a BBA student, I am learning to see things from a different perspective and receiving an education that is preparing me to be a driving force of change in society after graduation.

I wanted to attend AUB because of its reputation and, most importantly, its values, such as civic responsibility, leadership, and critical thinking. I am now part of a great community that believes in changing the world for the better. At AUB, I have started to believe that we can all make an impact in the world.

My father died just 10 days before I graduated from high school. It was devastating. The financial aid that I am receiving enabled me to study at AUB—my dad’s dream university. I chose nursing to honor him and the nurses who took care of him during his nine-month journey with cancer. My goal is to care for people the way my dad was cared for.

Being an AUB student is my biggest blessing so far. It has been a special step for me that will enable me to achieve my bigger goals. Because of the economic collapse in Lebanon, my father is now unemployed. Our family’s only income is my mom’s salary which is barely enough for basic needs, not to mention my tuition fees. I am forever grateful for the financial aid I receive.

My holy grail had always been AUB: a symbol of reform and liberation on all levels. As Arabs, especially women, we are often burdened with labels that are assigned to us before we get a chance to create an independent vision of ourselves. AUB gives students the right to think independently and differently. It allows us to take off the labels that are forced upon us by society and to be boundless. I am extremely lucky to be where I am, and believe it is my duty to give back.

AUB launched the Solidarity Appeal to raise financial support for students like me who are committed to success yet need help now more than ever to continue their education at AUB.

AUB launched the Solidarity Appeal to raise financial support for students like me who are committed to success yet need help now more than ever to continue their education at AUB.