On July 16, 2025, 29 PharmD graduates were hooded and one resident honored, as faculty, families, and friends gathered to celebrate a moment of hard work, growth, and accomplishment. Special awards were presented to outstanding students and faculty, adding to the pride and purpose that filled the Selina Korban auditorium at the Byblos campus.

LAU President Chaouki T. Abdallah opened the ceremony with a message that spoke to the heart of the occasion. He reminded the graduates that their impact extends well beyond academic milestones. “The quality of education here is not simply measured in degrees awarded,” he said, “but in the lives improved and the health system strengthened because of you.”

Dr. Abdallah underscored the broader mission these graduates now carry forward: To elevate patient care, lead with innovation, and embed pharmacy more deeply into multidisciplinary healthcare in Lebanon and beyond.

In an address that resonated personally with graduates and guests alike, Dean Naser Z. Alsharif spoke of pride not as vanity, but as a form of grounded confidence and satisfaction in oneself, leading to a “reasonable self-esteem” and self-respect rooted in values.

Emphasizing humility and service, Dr. Alsharif reminded the graduates that “pride, when grounded, is not about superiority, but about purpose, belonging and participatory citizenship in one’s country, cherishing the values instilled by the elders, appreciating and acknowledging those who contributed to your journey, professional conduct that is grounded in integrity and highest moral standards. Advocacy for the pharmacy profession, respect for others and responsibility.”

He urged the class to carry that mindset into their careers and communities, while staying connected to the institution that helped shape them. “Our strength and mission as a School of Pharmacy,” he affirmed, “is maintained with you as active alumni.”

The evening also welcomed a deeply respected figure in the school’s history: Founding Dean Dr. Shihadeh N. Nayfeh, whose words reminded graduates of the human core of their profession.

“Most importantly,” Dr. Nayfeh told them, “never lose sight of the human side of your work. Behind every prescription, there is a person counting on you—not just to provide medication, but to offer reassurance, compassion, and hope.”

That spirit of empathy and service was echoed by Assistant Dean for Experiential Education and Residency Program Nibal Chamoun, who praised the class for persevering through a year marked by “stress, uncertainty, and regional conflict.”

“The world doesn’t need a perfect pharmacist,” she said. “The world needs compassionate, agile, and grounded pharmacists.”

Dr. Chamoun reflected on how the graduates had not only endured but had risen to meet the needs of their communities, an act of progress amid adversity.

Representing the student body, valedictorian Charline Najem delivered a heartfelt speech that captured their transformation. “We will be excellently humane, for every patient, every community, and for every future pharmacist who will follow our path,” she declared.

Najem expressed gratitude to LAU for providing the space to grow both professionally and personally: “By learning to become better clinicians,” she said, “we also became better listeners, better communicators, and more grounded human beings.”

As the ceremony drew to a close, the atmosphere turned deeply emotional with the presentation of the Sara Khatib Inspiration Award—a tribute to a beloved former pharmacy student who passed away a decade ago after a courageous battle with cancer. This year’s honor was awarded to Abdo El Hayek (BS ’25), recognized for his perseverance and inner strength throughout his academic journey.

Speaking calmly, though visibly touched, El Hayek expressed how the award, for which he was grateful, “recognizes the battles I have fought in silence—battles no title or leadership position could ever reveal,” promising to carry forward the spirit of strength, resilience, and compassion that Sara Khatib had come to represent.

Several awards were also presented to outstanding PharmD and BS graduates in recognition of their exceptional achievements.

• Anna Maria Bou Gharios (BS ‘25) in absentia received the Highest GPA Award and the Therapeutics Award for top performance in the Pharmacotherapeutics series.
• Charline Najem (PharmD ‘25) received the Highest GPA Award for the PharmD class.
• Ahmad Kaddoura (BS ‘25) received the Student Outreach Award for his leadership in community engagement and public health initiatives.
• Mahmoud Nasrallah (PharmD ‘25) received the Student Clinical Excellence Award for outstanding performance in clinical knowledge and practice.
• Grace Joyce Dabaghian (PharmD ‘25) received the Student Professionalism Award for exceptional conduct throughout her studies and rotations.
• Larissa Faddoul (BS ‘25) in absentia also received the Student Professionalism Award.
• Crystl Tarraf (PharmD ‘25) in absentia earned the Pharmacy Curricular Exit Exam (PCEE) Award for the highest score on the program’s final assessment.

At the end of the ceremony, class representatives were given certificates of appreciation as they went on stage to present the “Teacher of the Year in Didactic Teaching Award” to elected faculty members.

• On behalf of Professional Year 1 (P1) class representative Marie Ange Abi Chedid, in absentia, the award was presented to Dr. Aline Milane.
• P2 class representative Elie Germanos presented the award to Dr. Carl Aoun.
• P3 class representatives Tracy Kakish and Rahal Haya, in absentia, presented the award to Dr. Aline Bou Maroun.
• P4 class representatives Hala Abi Saad, Hind Mekary, Kevin Bosnoyan, and Aya El Hawa, in absentia, received the certificates of appreciation.