On Thursday, August 10, Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) signed a named scholarship agreement with the Tarraf Foundation, a commitment dedicated to ease the financial burden of the University’s students.
Fr. Bechara Khoury, NDU President, Dr. Hussein Tarraf, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, as well as Dr. Rana Jammal, Managing Director at Tarraf Foundation, at the Main Campus.
Key attendees during the signing were Dr. Michel El Hayek, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Antoine Farhat, Vice President for University Advancement, Dr. Simon Abou Jaoude, Assistant Vice President for Academic Support, Dr. Ghazi Asmar, Assistant Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, Dr. Charbel Zgheib, Dean of Students, Ms. Nesrine Sfeir, Director of the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, and Ms. Eliane Harfouche, Assistant Director of the Department of Financial Aid.
The Tarraf Foundation scholarship offers support to those demonstrating financial need to access higher education. To qualify for the scholarship, students must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at NDU and be in good academic standing.
During the proceedings, Tarraf, a former Assistant Professor of Accounting at the University, reflected on NDU’s continuous endeavors towards inclusivity, citing the shared values of the Foundation and NDU. He hopes that this partnership will elevate both entities via the achievement of their common educational goals: “We live for a purpose, and we are happy to serve a crucial mission, that of promoting education.”
Fr. Khoury agreed with Tarraf’s message, asserting that “NDU is an oasis that is open to all opportunities.” He expressed his gratitude towards individuals who, despite leaving NDU, continue to promote its mission and values, and still hold onto the sense of belonging with the University community. The Father President insisted on capitalizing on this momentum: “Let us put into action all the words said today. Let us build the future that the new generations would be proud of.”
The attendees communicated their gratitude for this newfound scholarship, agreeing that students are and should remain one of NDU’s highest priorities.