Another year and another successful “Recruitment Day” was held on October 12, 2018, at Notre Dame University-Louaize North Lebanon Campus (NDU-NLC). The various club members at NDU made a concerted effort to motivate other students to participate and join them.
Each year witnesses the formation of many new clubs at the University, bringing with them new ideas and activities, and Recruitment Day 2018 was no exception. This event was brimming with life amid a backdrop of savory food and upbeat music, many giveaways, and a host of exciting and original activities.
In his welcome address, NLC Director Fr. Francois Akl said, "Today we are merging our past and our present, the old and the new. Old students should remember that new students will continue on the same quality education path long after the old students have moved on to join the labor force." He stressed the importance of continuity as well as the importance of culture and knowledge across the University.
He noted to faculty and staff, “Your years of dedicated effort to make NDU one of the finest universities in the world has today been recognized by the U.S. Department of State, because we have obtained full institutional accreditation from the distinguished New England Commission for Higher Education (NECHE) in the United States."
Fr. Akl added, "The Virgin Mary, venerated by both Christians and Muslims, is the patron of this University and also my patron. The University is a nurturer, a mother, and a teacher…she is a mother who lovingly embraces our students close to her bosom, as a farmer fondly embraces bundles of wheat, as Gibran Khalil Gibran says. She is also a teacher that guides them, in order to free their egos, their superficiality, and their repulsive attachment to modern technology that has today enslaved our society.”
Finally, he said, "The University curricula and programs have been established to help you succeed. In the unlikely event of any interruption or failure, you must continue to move forward, because time never stops, even if the clock broken." According to French poet Victor Hugo, who Fr. Akl paraphrased, ‘The greatest power on earth is the power of conscience.’” In conclusion, he asked old students to help their new classmates integrate smoothly into University life.
Educational and entertainment activities began shortly after the ceremonial cake was cut. New students visited the stands set up by the various clubs at NDU. Each club had defined its activities, objectives, and future aspirations
NLC Public Relations and Faculty of Business Administration and Economics (FBAE) Assistant Elsie Kfoury Girgis in her welcome note greeted all the new students and promised that 2018 would be a truly exciting year. “Hand in hand, great things happen,” she said.
Obegi, Promo-Net Advertising, Nescafé, and Oral Hygiene Awareness presented and distributed some of their most popular products. While the Blood Drive and GNK Foundation encourages students to help spread the message about road safety awareness, especially among the youth.