Serving as an incubator of inclusive excellence to the academically talented, the Honors Program celebrated its newest cohort of high achievers in two ceremonies held at the Byblos and Beirut campuses on June 12 and 13.

The program is the first in Lebanon to offer enriched educational experiences for motivated and academically gifted undergraduate students across diverse fields, featuring unique courses in small classes that promote greater participation, enhanced student-faculty interaction, personalized attention, vibrant discussions on contemporary issues and specially designed projects to challenge talented students.

Attended by proud parents, faculty and university leadership, the ceremonies marked a professional and personal head start for 120 exceptionally motivated students across five schools.

LAU President Michel E. Mawad commended the students for their patience, ability to cope with pressure, accelerated learning, self-renewal, self-assessment and management of ambitions and expectations during their studies.

“The program has given you the full benefit of your chosen majors,” he said, “in addition to the special menu of courses that added to your rigor, depth of knowledge and ability to join academic circles not available to all.”

Senior Instructor of Chemistry and Director of the Honors Program Ghada El-Zakhem Naous called the graduates “torchbearers” of the university’s 100-year legacy as a “beacon of knowledge, champion of excellence, and catalyst for positive change.”

“Your academic achievements stand as a testament to your unyielding spirit, your unwavering resilience and your unwavering commitment to your dreams,” she added.

Honors graduates from different schools delivered heartfelt speeches, sharing their experiences with the audience.

“LAU has gifted us the starting ground to make this country something better,” said Tamara Nasr, an architecture graduate. Addressing her colleagues, she said: “I hope you take a moment to celebrate all the people who have helped you weave your own path and embrace every inch of what you have turned out to be.”

According to Sereen Mulaeb, a business graduate, the most valuable aspect of this program was the incredible community it fostered. “I met some of the most brilliant, incredible and inspiring individuals, forming friendships that continue to last,” she said. “This sense of camaraderie and shared intellectual pursuit made the program truly special,” she added.

The ceremonies included live piano performances by Ahmad Younis and Hampig Mardirossian, both members of the LAU Music Club.

Starting in Fall 2024, the Honors Program will be available to top students from all seven schools. The revised curriculum will focus on coursework covering digital cultures, sustainability challenges, and electives from the Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum (LASC), in addition to workshops and the development of students’ e-portfolios, highlighting their well-rounded achievements and contributions to co-curricular activities.