Greeting the New Students

(Right) President John Waterbury greeting international students

In a bid to show the University's commitment to its foreign student body, President John Waterbury and his wife Sarah invited international students from 68 countries to join them in a reception held in West Hall at the end of February.

"AUB has always been committed to the region and the world, opening its doors to students from neighboring Arab countries, as well as to European and American students," Waterbury told the nearly 500 students who attended the gathering. "Since joining AUB, I have been working to attract international students, despite the ongoing regional turmoil and tense local political climate. And I am very pleased to see you all here."

AUB's international students constitute about 20 percent of the university student body, which is made up of about 7,200 undergraduates and graduates.

Attending the reception were students representing almost seventy nationalities. Among those there to greet them were the Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon, Ahmed Fouad El Bidawi; Jordan's charge d'affaires Mohammed Al-Fayez and its cultural attaché Ahmad Al-Salim; German first secretary Hans-Helge Sonder; Saudi cultural attaché Ayman Moghrabi; Vice President for Development and External Relations Steve Jeffrey; and several members of the AUB Board of Trustees along with its chair Thomas Morris.