End-of-Year Gratitude
A few words from our students to the heroes that helped save their academic year.
As a difficult year comes to a close, it seems fitting that we’d pause and appreciate how you, our generous donors, have collectively “saved the day” for so many of our students.
Here are but a few expressions of gratitude to all the heroes that have brought light into a bleak year in our students’ lives.
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Joey Sassine, Omar Tannir, Mario Farhat, Nour Richani.
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“The support I received from LAU’s Emergency Financial Aid Fund helped me so much in this financial crisis,” said business student Omar Tannir. “Without it, I don’t know how I’d be able to continue my studies,” he added, an assertion we hear time and again from students on financial aid at LAU.
Career trajectories, uninterrupted
Engineering and architecture students spend a longer journey —and a larger budget— on the way to their bachelor’s degrees than many other majors.
With Lebanon’s financial crisis, to petroleum engineering student Mario Farhat the journey seemed unattainable, even with an initial 40% tuition offset.
He petitioned for an increase and, “thanks to the Emergency Financial Aid Fund, my financial aid rose to 85%,” he said.
“To LAU I would like to say: thank you for being so transparent and helpful,” he said, directing even further gratitude to the supporters of the emergency fund: “Thank you for being so generous. You did not only donate money, but you did a lot more than that: Without these funds, enrolling at LAU —or any other university— would have been a dream for me that was impossible to achieve.”
Architecture student Nour Richani, whose family lost its main source of income, echoed that sentiment. “The LAU Emergency Financial Aid Fund has really made a difference to my family and to me,” she said. “I am not sure whether I would be able to cover the fees without this support.”
Lifting a burden
For many Lebanon residents, the stress and anxiety experienced since fall 2019 have been unprecedented. Financial worries are obviously part of the problem, and this is another area where our emergency fund has had a positive impact in the lives of students.
“I am very grateful for the financial aid I am receiving from LAU’s network of supporters,” said graphic design student Francesca Ghosn.
“As you know, this is a very difficult time, both financially and mentally for everyone, especially for me since I have been dealing with this issue since the revolution of 2019,” she added. “It is safe to say that my plan for graduating would be very much affected without the support I received from the Emergency Financial Aid Fund. I am very grateful for the help I’m receiving, and hopeful for better days,” she said.
A relief in the midst of the pandemic
The Coronavirus pandemic hit Lebanon in the spring, severely disrupting the livelihoods of many families. Thanks to the Emergency Financial Aid Fund, psychology student Joey Sassine received a big boost that allowed him to stay on course despite the situation.
“Since my dad’s salary got affected by the pandemic, I would have had to leave LAU if I could not get more financial aid,” he said. “Thanks to the Emergency Financial Aid Fund, I was able to benefit from a great increase in aid and as a result continue studying at LAU.”
He exhorts our community to continue this drive: “In light of the current events, I hope that LAU continues providing its students with full support, as they have with me, so that other students will not have to drop out because of money.”
