NEAR-PERFECT END

Dear alumni and friends,

Even by the American University of Beirut’s high standards, this academic year came to a most rewarding and, some might say, near-perfect end. But on balance, it was also one of the most demanding years we’ve faced. Through myriad challenges, we pressed on; and with extraordinary collaboration between the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, staff, and students, we brought it to an optimistic and effective finish.

The tail end of my 10th year as president of the American University of Beirut was once more hectic, pressurized, and charged. But even more so, it was meaningful and memorable. For many of our students, graduates, parents, families, and honorands, these last few weeks will fall squarely under the category of unforgettable–a time, you might say, of rising…or of stage fright.

Because that’s what rising often feels like. The moment before the step, the silence before the note, the hesitation before the leap. That flicker of fear that says: Are you really ready for this?

And who among us hasn’t felt it? That single heartbeat when you wonder if you can go through with it. It happens to students before their exams, to leaders before hard decisions, to musicians before the spotlight, and yes, to university presidents before long speeches and longer commencements.

​THIS ACADEMIC YEAR CAME TO A MOST REWARDING AND, SOME MIGHT SAY, NEAR-PERFECT END

After another whirlwind trip, comprising planes, trains, and automobiles getting me to five cities in 12 days, I arrived in Beirut just in time for a pivotal faculty senate meeting on May 23, where senators approved the undergraduate and graduate degree programs for our planned School of Computing and Data Sciences. These new programs will cultivate expertise, from foundations to applications, enabling graduates to drive effective and ethical discoveries and innovations in Lebanon and across the Arab region. The establishment of this new school is a signal milestone for AUB and a critical component of our VITAL 2030 strategic vision.

There was no time to pause. This was immediately followed by critical Budget and Executive Committee meetings of the Board of Trustees to approve our annual capital and operating budgets. These meetings, clear-headed, meticulous, forward-looking, were essential to ensuring we protect and expand academic excellence, student access, faculty retention, and the university’s infrastructure in the year ahead, as outlined in my recent message to the community.

THIS WAS TRULY A TOUR DE FORCE FOR A REMARKABLY WELL ORGANIZED AND EXECUTED 2025 AUB OUTDOORS

Just one day later, we launched the latest—and most spectacular—AUB Outdoors, organized and executed by an outstanding team of over 700 students. This year’s edition was electric, attracting Lebanese, Jordanian, and Palestinian superstars headlining the two nights of May 24 and 25. More than 15,000 enthusiasts passed through campus, resulting in the students raising a net margin of over $60,000 in scholarship money. This was truly a tour de force for a remarkably well organized and executed 2025 AUB Outdoors.

The momentum carried directly into the days that followed, putting us on course for graduation week. Each day brought another set of recognitions: individual award ceremonies across schools and faculties, celebrations of student life, Athletes Night, graduating our Mastercard Foundation scholars, and graduating our medical residents and fellows, the latter in august Assembly Hall. By then, the trustees began arriving in town, where they held a series of meetings with faculty, students, staff, and senior leadership before the business of the board was carried out.

EACH DAY BROUGHT ANOTHER SET OF RECOGNITIONS

And then came commencement.

Two back-to-back, 2-hour-and-45-minute ceremonies on the Green Field. The highlights included honorary doctorates for Philip Khoury, Raif Geha, and Christiana Figueres, with high Lebanese national honors for Khoury and Geha granted by the president of the Republic of Lebanon, General Joseph Aoun, and conferred on his behalf by president of the Council of Ministers and former AUB professor, Judge Nawaf Salam, on Friday, May 30, 2025.

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED HONORARY DOCTORATES FOR PHILIP KHOURY, RAIF GEHA, AND CHRISTIANA FIGUERES

In my graduation speech, I urged our graduates to hold fast to the university’s mission and ensure that the emblematic words from John 10:10 on our Main Gate, “that they may have life and have it more abundantly,” long the AUB motto, reflect that abundance on the communities as much as the individuals. But knowing something of what they have been through over the last several years, I could not but urge our graduates to enjoy life, to remain “forever young.”

IN MY GRADUATION SPEECH, I URGED OUR GRADUATES TO HOLD FAST TO THE UNIVERSITY’S MISSION

After inspiring speeches from student speakers and honorands, almost 2,000 truly special students graduated this year, many despite severe financial hardships. Several children of the military and security services obtained their precious AUB degrees helped by specially designated scholarship funds, and quite a few outstanding staff and faculty members completed their executive education with our assurance and support. All this made for a particularly moving graduation for me personally. It is difficult to put into words the many ways this graduation impacted all of us. It was the culmination of a decade of aspirational work. AUB is now both more economically and intellectually diverse and excellent than it was 10—even five—years ago, and that is unquestionably a good thing.

AFTER INSPIRING SPEECHES FROM STUDENT SPEAKERS AND HONORANDS, ALMOST 2,000 TRULY SPECIAL STUDENTS GRADUATED THIS YEAR

Most gratifying of all is seeing the faces of the graduates as they cross the stage. They have overcome a great deal to earn their AUB degrees many times over. We have worked especially hard to secure the additional resources used to help see our students through what continues to be a very problematic Lebanese and regional economic and political environment. Badly needed capital equipment will finally start to arrive this year on campus and at the medical centers.

MOST GRATIFYING OF ALL IS SEEING THE FACES OF THE GRADUATES AS THEY CROSS THE STAGE

As I stood at the podium, my mind wandered back to the spring of 1978, when I saw Martin Scorsese’s film The Last Waltz. I didn’t know most of the musicians then, but I never forgot the lines to the song Stage Fright by The Band:

Now deep in the heart of a lonely kid
Who suffered so much for what he did,
They gave this ploughboy his fortune and fame,
Since that day he ain’t been the same.

See the man with the stage fright
Just standin’ up there to give it all his might.
And he got caught in the spotlight,
But when we get to the end
He wants to start all over again.

All too many of us can identify with the above-mentioned “lonely kid.” We theoretically dread the spotlight, but making the effort to get up there affords matchless moments of anxiety, vindication, and resolution, among many other conflicting emotions. As student after student, scholar after scholar, ambled up the steps and across the stage, head raised or bowed, walking slowly or striding rapidly, expressions of joy, disbelief, pride, and confusion across their faces, it seemed clear that most were more than willing to do it all again. And in those moments, however brief on the podium, the rise of a community of citizens, strivers, and servant leaders became abundantly clear to all those willing to look close enough to see.

I COULD NOT BUT URGE OUR GRADUATES TO ENJOY LIFE, TO REMAIN “FOREVER YOUNG.”

Office of the President
American University of Beirut