Alumni & Friends

Graduating with flying colors

by MainGate Staff

Spring 2022

Over the course of three days—June 9, 10, and 11, 2022—the American University of Beirut held its 153rd Commencement Ceremony to celebrate the graduation of 2,579 students. For the first time since 2019, proud parents were in attendance at the ceremony and the university resumed its tradition of conferring honorary doctorates.\

The first ceremony on June 9 was for graduate students (master’s, PhD, and MD degrees) and the awarding of doctorate degrees honoris causa to five inspiring individuals:

Ouided Bouchamaoui: Nobel Peace Prize laureate, co-founder of the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, and business frontrunner

Daniel Dennett: Philosopher, cognitive scientist, educator, and author known for his foundational writings on consciousness, free will, and artificial intelligence

Mona Hanna-Attisha: pediatrician and activist who exposed a child health crisis in Flint, Michigan and changed policy related to lead in the drinking water

Hanna Musa Nasir: first and long-serving president of Birzeit University who directed its transition to a world-class university even while in exile

P. Roy Vagelos: physician, scientist, and business leader who helped save the sight of millions in the developing world, making a critical drug free and accessible (he will receive his honorary doctorate in October at the WAAAUB Annual Alumni Convention)