Nursing a dream
The Houranis make a generous donation to the School of Nursing to support students and faculty research.
In addition to supporting nursing students, the grant will also assist faculty members to generate nursing research in ways that improve healthcare.
The Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing (ARCSON) received a major boost this October after two long-standing donors pledged renewed support toward student scholarships and faculty research.
At a reception on October 18, Amal and Rima Hourani presented LAU with a check to underwrite the education of nursing students and establish a faculty research grant. The gift is the latest show of support from the couple, who made their first donation to LAU in 1993. Besides assistance to ARCSON, the Houranis have also provided scholarships at the School of Pharmacy and named facilities on both the Beirut and Byblos campuses.
In thanking the Houranis, LAU President Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra said they had allowed scholarship recipients to dream of a better future for their communities. “We have a lot of benefactors at this institution but the Houranis are unique in terms of their commitment and their willingness to give,” he said. “The students who you have helped are more grateful than you could ever imagine.”
ARCSON is particularly grateful for the backing of the donors, who have provided scholarships to students from each class since the school’s inception. “You have been supportive of the School of Nursing from day one,” said Dr. Nancy Hoffart, founding dean of ARCSON. “We’re in our fourth year now and part of our success is due to you. I think you would be proud of the work our students are doing, how good they are as students and the fact that some of our new graduates are already working as registered nurses.”
Rima Hourani, an alumna of the Beirut College for Women (which later evolved into LAU), said she had always wanted to support nursing education. “Nursing is a noble job and hopefully the incentive of a scholarship will encourage more students to join a profession that is greatly needed and yet so undervalued.”
The gift will also establish the Rima Hourani Annual Nursing Research Grant, which will assist faculty members to generate nursing research in ways that improve healthcare. The grant will provide around $12,500 in funding to support the research and scholarly projects of full-time nursing faculty. Recipients of the grant will be selected through a competitive review process, following procedures and criteria established by the School’s Research, Scholarship and Faculty Development Council.
Amal Hourani said he and his wife have always felt compelled to give back to their community: “If God gives you fortune, He doesn’t give it to you personally. You have to share it with others.”
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