Fingerprints

It was another banner year for Fingerprints – the student fundraising program that has so far raised an impressive $800,000 for financial aid at AUB. With generous financial support from the University Student Faculty Committee (USFC) and several AUB trustees who have issued matching grants that have made every dollar donated to the Fingerprints Endowed Scholarship Fund worth $5, Fingerprints has grown exponentially since it was established in 2002.

In addition to the impressive amount of money for financial aid that Fingerprints has raised, the program is also noteworthy because the money was raised from AUB students. Each year, graduating students are invited to make donations of at least $25 to help fellow students who need financial assistance. The number of graduating students contributing to the fund has increased steadily from just 24 percent of the graduating class in 2002, the first year of the program, to almost 60 percent of the graduating class in 2008.

Another feature that makes Fingerprints unique is the two two-for-one matching grants received every year from the USFC and an AUB trustee. These matching grants gave the program its initial momentum and have contributed to making the fund such an extraordinary success. Along with the USFC, Trustee Kamal Shair, who passed away recently, provided the matching funds in 2002, 2003 and 2004, while Trustee Ali Ghandour was the sponsor in 2005. Trustee Farouk Jabre supported Fingerprints in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

In 2008, 1,049 graduating students participated in Fingerprints by contributing $32,982. The Business Students Society donated $1,000 that it raised during an event it organised in July. With this additional gift, the amount contributed by students to Fingerprints rose to $33,982, which was matched by the USFC and Trustee Jabre, making the total amount donated to Fingerprints in 2008 around $170,000.

Proceeds from the Fingerprints Endowed Scholarship Fund have been used to provide partial financial support for 43 students so far – 43 students who might not have been able to complete their AUB educations without a helping hand from a fellow student.