LAU Community Steps up Support to Emergency Fund
“Our students are our most significant hope for a brighter future, and we owe it to them to help them through these incredibly difficult times,” says Nassib N. Nasr, Assistant Vice President for Development at LAU, who has been working to secure more backing to the institution’s deserving scholars through an Emergency Financial Aid Fund (EFAF).
Lebanon’s deteriorating economy, the catastrophic and lasting impacts of the August 4 explosion, and the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health, livelihoods, and stability of the entire world have exacerbated the need for support to EFAF. Given the compounded issues facing Lebanon, many youth are under immense threat, with countless now unable to afford their most basic needs, let alone their tuition.
Yet thanks to the contributions of kindhearted benefactors in Lebanon and around the world, who believe in the power of education to propel society forward, LAU students are able to continue their studies. In fact, EFAF has received over 500 donations from LAU’s alumni, friends, and hundreds of first-time donors.
“You did much more than just donate towards the emergency fund – you have given me a chance to pursue my dream,” says Mario Farhat, a third year Petroleum Engineering student who says that, without the financial aid he receives from EFAF, he would not have been able to continue his degree.
Countless students share Farhat’s sentiments, including Nour Fadwa Richani, who hopes to graduate in 2022 with a degree in Architecture.
“The support I have received from this fund has made such a big difference to me and my family. Without it, I would not be able continue my studies or look forward to graduating next year,” says Richani.
So far, $1 million of funding to EFAF has helped 325 students with their tuition fees in 2019 and 2020, dispersed to them based on individual need. Through this initiative, the university has seen its new donors rise dramatically – upwards of 200 in a matter of months. Yet, more support is needed to help the rapidly growing number of scholars, who without help, cannot secure their hopes for graduating from university.
“At no point in LAU’s history have our youth’s aspirations for the future depended so much on our community,” explains Ghandi Fala, Senior Director of LAU’s Annual Fund. “Support to EFAF will ensure that deserving students, who lack the financial means, will receive the education they deserve to help them reach their dreams,” he continued.
For more information about the Emergency Financial Aid Fund or to donate vital funds to LAU students, please visit the website.