press releases 2008

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a. i. Michele J. Sison Presents Scholarship Funding to The American University of Beirut

April 16, 2008

Today, the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a. i. Michele J. Sison presented a contribution of $2.6 million to Dr. John Waterbury, president of the American University of Beirut (AUB), to finance scholarships for deserving students.  This funding, provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will support 812 AUB students as they pursue their educations.

“Education is a core U.S. value, one Americans share with Lebanese.  Our support for AUB, other Lebanese educational institutions and schools around the world assists students in making Lebanon, the region and the world a better place,” the Chargé commented.

Since 1996, the American people have provided over $56 million to AUB.  These funds allow students from throughout Lebanon to study and ultimately contribute to the continuous development of Lebanon.  In the last ten years, the American people, through the Congress of the United States, have contributed over 90 million dollars to Lebanese education.   The U.S. has contributed assistance to support education at all levels in Lebanon through the Department of State, USAID, the well-known J. William Fulbright program and the Middle East Partnership Initiative.