Hisham Tohme
Vice President of AUB USFC

Hisham Tohme

On behalf of the AUB student body, I would like to extend our warmest welcome to the 15th president of the American University of Beirut, Peter F. Dorman.

As you may well know, the students of this University represent a diverse collection of the brightest minds from the region and beyond. In addition to their dedication and excellent academic records, AUB students are known for their broad interests that can be traced back to their varied international backgrounds.

President Dorman has so far shown great interest in the affairs of these students, getting involved as much as possible in their activities, especially as it relates to student governance. This reassures me that President Dorman will become even more involved with AUB students in the future when he will hopefully have more time to do so.  President Dorman has already demonstrated his interest and willingness to involve students in the future of AUB.  For example, students were invited to participate in the search for a provost and to assist in the ongoing accreditation process.

On a more personal level, I have had the opportunity to see a friendly side of President Dorman — something that is rare when dealing with someone in his position. Replying to an email I sent him, the president simply signed Peter. If nothing else, this demonstrates his humility and his desire to be as accessible as possible to students.

To maintain this healthy and solid partnership, we — AUB students and the AUB president — will have to maintain close ties, listening to and engaging each other, while respecting each other’s rights and responsibilities. And we should do this while pursuing one common goal — our ever-lasting mission to improve education and offer our students more opportunities for a brighter future. Doing this will require that we reaffirm our beliefs in the key ideals of AUB: a liberal education and the promotion of rational and critical thinking.

On a final note, I would like, again, to welcome President Dorman and wish him the best of luck in his endeavor.  May he create a legacy that will ensure him a rightful place next to the 14 successful presidents who preceded him.