Honoring Grandparents by Supporting Students
The four young donors with their parents, Nijad and Zeina Fares. Nijad serves on LAU’s Board of Trustees.
Sara, Sonya, Mia and Nick Fares have established endowed scholarship funds in honor of their grandparents.
Sara graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics. She has worked as a software engineer for four years and will be attending Stanford University in the fall for her MBA.
Sonya graduated from Georgetown University and recently completed a master’s degree in psychology. Having worked extensively with teenagers over the past six years, she is interested in becoming a therapist for adolescents. She is also an artist.
Oumaima (‘Mia’) just graduated from Columbia University with a degree in electrical engineering. She is interested in battery storage and will be working in renewable energy simultaneously while earning a master’s degree in electrical engineering.
Nazeeh (‘Nick’) is 14 and attends St. John’s School in Houston. He loves math and soccer.
What motivated you to establish the Issam and Hala Fares Business Scholarship, Oumayma Farah Endowed Scholarship in Fine Arts, and the Sonya and Fakhri Saghiyyah Women in Medicine Scholarship?
As siblings we came together and wanted to give our grandparents a meaningful gift that incorporated the values they instilled in us. After some thought, we decided on the scholarships in their names and in their honor to enshrine their legacies and what they mean to us, as well as something that will continue to help students with their education for years to come.
What significance do the three fields supported by the endowments hold to you?
The Hala and Issam Fares Business Scholarship goes to students forging their paths in business. Our grandfather Issam is a successful businessman whose philanthropy helped so many, including educational institutions around the globe. He really played a role in inspiring these scholarships, by setting an example for us and igniting a sense of pride in us to continue even a fraction of the good he has done. Through the power of his success and the reach he has had, we hope this scholarship supports business students—leaders and entrepreneurs—who will shape the future and give back to communities the way he and his wife Hala have done.
Regarding the Oumayma Farah Endowed Scholarship in Fine Arts, our grandmother Oumayma is an amazing artist. Her paintings and drawings are all around our house and encapsulate her love of life and beauty. As an artist as well, her granddaughter Sonya shares this passion, and they often make art together. The strength of art to communicate with viewers is timeless, and this scholarship honors artists and creators hoping to leave their mark on the world through their creative expression.
The Sonya and Fakhri Saghiyyah Women in Medicine Scholarship was inspired by our grandmother Sonya, who was a pharmacist, but always longed to be a doctor at a time when medicine was not a common field for women to enter. Two of her granddaughters, Sara and Mia, have pursued careers in STEM, where women are still underrepresented. This scholarship aims to encourage and support more women to pursue medicine, in honor of our grandmother and her experiences. Our grandfather Fakhri, who is also mentioned, is always supportive of her.
Of the universities and institutions that you could donate to, why did you choose to support LAU?
LAU is a school at the intersection of our identities, as we are Lebanese-American. It is a school that builds students up and supports them as they shape the future. They have a commitment to excellence and a strong sense of community.
What is the philosophy behind your giving?
We hope to embody values that were instilled in us through our family—the importance of hard work and education, the importance of giving back, and the importance of supporting Lebanese students who will shape industries and become leaders around the globe.
What example would you like to set through your support for LAU?
We hope to encourage people to pay it forward and give back, and especially to support fellow Lebanese in recognizing the importance of education.