The LAU Alumni Association Dubai and Northern Emirates Chapter Dedicates Dean’s Conference Room
LAU administrators and alumni gathered at the School of Business on July 15 for the dedication ceremony of the Alumni Association Dubai and Northern Emirates Chapter Dean’s Conference Room.
The dedication, organized by the university’s Development Office, was held on the top floor of the School of Business where the new conference room is located. The ceremony opened with welcome remarks by the Assistant VP for Development Samir Kadi who also served as MC for the event. He was followed by Dean of the School of Business in Beirut Dr. Tarek Mikdashi who expressed his thanks to the Dubai Chapter for their generous donation.
LAU President Dr. Joseph Jabbra then spoke. In his speech, Dr. Jabbra also gave thanks to the Chapter and cited the occasion as an opportunity to celebrate the successes of LAU alumni. He noted that such donations are an integral part of LAU’s Campaign for Excellence, bringing alumni into closer contact with the university. “They serve to create a strong link with the university and show that the alumni have not forgotten about their alma mater,” Dr. Jabbra says.
The head of the Dubai Chapter, Saad El Zein, then took to the podium, thanking LAU for giving him an opportunity for higher education and the financial assistance to be able to achieve his dreams. He also expressed his thanks to the donors who raised $100,000 for the dedication of the Conference Room.
Following the remarks, guests moved toward the Conference Room for the unveiling of the plaque. Once inside, Director of Alumni Relations Abdallah Al Khal and alumni offered a few words of gratitude and spoke of their hopes for future projects with LAU. “These donations show that alumni believe in the mission and work of the university. They leave a statement to the next generation of the importance of supporting the University,” Al Khal says.
Lana Abou Teen, Assistant Director of Development, who originally proposed to the Dubai and Northern Emirates Chapter the idea of naming an entity at LAU after the chapter, believes that “this is a great opportunity for alumni chapters to see their relentless efforts at supporting their alma mater tangibly and perpetually recognized.”
Rami Majzoub, Associate Director of Development, who manages Fundraising for the School of Business enthusiastically added “In addition to the high profile visibility provided to the concerned chapters, such success stories will inevitably inspire and trigger the generosity of other donors, and will have a positive impact on the School of Business sustainable development”
Campaign for Excellence
The donation is a part of a larger fundraising effort by the LAU Community, the LAU Campaign for Excellence, which was launched in October 2008. The Campaign seeks to raise $65 million to enhance the university’s offerings in three areas: student support, focused primarily on providing financial assistance to current and prospective students; academic support, intended for enhancing educational and professional development; and facilities development, aimed at campus expansion and the improvement of existing physical resources.
Dubai and Northern Emirates Alumni Chapter
The Alumni Chapter of Dubai and Northern Emirates is one of thirty LAU chapters worldwide. The Chapter holds a number of social and cultural events throughout the year, aimed at raising funds to support LAU activities and to sustain a strong bond with the LAU community. During 2009-2010, the Chapter raised $100,000 for the donation of the Dean’s Conference Room and $200,000 in scholarships and funds that helped tens of students realize their dreams of attaining higher education.
