Year round at LAU, there are a number of events that bring graduates back to campus.

On April 23, dozens of former Nutrition Program students gathered at their alma mater to reconnect, network and muse over good times spent together as students.

The Nutrition Program at LAU is highly competitive, and although it is only 10 years old, it is already a leader in the region.

“Today our graduates have spread across the globe in search of growth and knowledge, and your performances make a difference everywhere,” Nadine Zeeni, associate professor and coordinator of the Nutrition Program, told alumni gathered. She remarked on the program’s achievements and underlined its interdisciplinary nature, which, she noted, leads to better understanding and collaboration for the benefit of patients. 

Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Nashat Mansour told alumni, “No matter when you graduated or where you end up, we want to make sure you feel you are still part of the LAU family.”

After the speakers, attendees were invited to chat and have fun at a reception, where they met up with old classmates and networked.   

“It was so interesting to catch up with classmates and instructors and to learn about the new initiatives in the program,” said Melissa Tina Hanati, who was among the first cohort to graduate from the program, in 2012. Now working for an NGO that deals with public health, Hanati said that she is grateful for the opportunities the program gave her during her studies. “It prepared us on so many levels, and the internships they provided us exposed us to different sectors so we could find out where we best belong.”

For her part, Samantha Gerdy, who graduated in 2014, said she “loved the opportunity to reconnect with our friends and professors, and even network with new nutrition alumni.”

Gerdy went on to found the Albi Diet Center and also works as a part-time instructor at her alma mater. “Not only has LAU provided me with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to start my own business, it has also given me the incredible experience of being an instructor in the same program I graduated from!” she said after the reunion. “I am honored to have graduated from a university that offers more than a quality education. LAU is one of the most student-centered, thriving, and innovative universities out there.”