Prof. Salim Daccache, s.j., Rector of USJ, and First Lady Mouna Elias Hraoui signed a protocol to set up the “Elias and Mouna Hraoui” scholarship fund, Monday 10 December 2018 at the USJ Rectorate. Present were Roland, President Hraoui’s son, and Reina, his daughter, as well as Vice-Rector Michel Scheuer, s.j., Wajdi Najem, Vice-Rector of Administration, Carla Eddé, Vice-Rector of International Relations, Shiraz Akl Zoghbi, Director of Social Services, Gina Abi Fadel Saad, Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Fr. Joseph Nassar, s.j., President of the Board of Directors of Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital, Fouad Maroun, President of USJ’s Secretary General Council, and Carmel Ghafari Wakim, Secretary General of the USJ Foundation.

Mrs. Wakim began by applauding the First Lady’s initiative as well as her efforts to eternalize the memory of President Elias Hraoui. The Secretary General of the USJ Foundation then explained the details of the scholarship fund, particularly in terms of annually increasing capital according to the wishes of family members. USJ on its part is committed to follow up every increase by a deposit of equal value, so as to allow the greatest number of students to benefit from it.

Prof. Salim Daccache described the protocol-signing meeting “as a three-category blessing: that of education, which gives knowledge and power and which forms leaders who have the will to transform the world with their knowledge; that of grants, which allows us never to reject students and not to overload them with loans that could jeopardize their future, especially those who come from underprivileged classes; and finally, that of the beauty of our gratitude towards Mrs. Hraoui’s gesture.”

Mrs. Hraoui expressed her joy at having concluded this partnership with a prestigious university such as USJ, which opens its doors to all young Lebanese who “must pursue higher education to build a brighter future, both for them and for their homeland”.

The two parties then signed the protocol, which provides for the award of scholarships to students of the Faculty of Medicine, according to a dual academic and social criterion.