At St. Joseph’s University in Beirut, the mutual assistance of elders includes a contribution to tuition fees. Graduates from the Faculty of Law and Political Science received $25,000 last year. Their association wishes to renew this effort, without announcing at this stage a new amount already paid.
The elders of the USJ want to renew their help
At the association’s annual dinner in the Phoenicia, its secretary, former stickman Nader Gaspard, recalled the contribution of the previous year. Its objective for this year is to raise the same amount. This review focuses on support for schooling, not a new allocation or a commitment to double the funds.
The gathering brought together several hundred graduates and guests, including French Ambassador Patrick Durel. Marie-Claude Najm, Dean of the Faculty, represented Rector François Boëdec. The president of the association, former minister Abbas Halabi, insisted on the responsibility of graduates towards students who struggle to continue their studies.
For Halabi, university membership continues after graduation. He presented the meeting as an opportunity to support students so that they could continue to learn despite the difficulties. The link between promotions takes a material form here: to contribute to the payment of the following studies.
A $25,000 payment documented in 2025
The Federation of Associations of Elders of the USJ provides a precise point of comparison. On 10 November 2025, the Association of Graduates of Law and Political Science had given $25,000 to Marie-Claude Najm. The donation came from dinner on October 14 of that year.
This institutional communication explains that the aid is intended for students who combine academic success with financial difficulties. It is therefore targeted support, linked to needs and academic background. The collective amount does not correspond to an identical allowance paid to each student.
The balance sheet presented at the new dinner is part of this continuity. On the other hand, the public information does not yet specify how many students will be assisted this year or the final amount of the collection. Hope to renew the $25,000 remains a goal.
Separate initiatives by faculty
Jurists are not alone in mobilizing their elders. On 23 April 2026, the Association of Graduates of the Faculty of Pharmacy donated $10,000 to the Rector François Boëdec. According to the Federation of Elders, this sum came from the gala of 22 November 2025.
This other initiative builds on a scholarship fund created in 2018. The association’s communication mentions social and academic criteria for accompanying students. It is a pharmacy-specific device, distinct from the support of law graduates. Both amounts should not be presented as a common collection.
These examples give concrete content to university solidarity: an evening gathers graduates, then its revenues contribute to the financing of studies. To measure the aid actually provided, the next expected elements are the amount given and the beneficiaries accompanied. The appointment of the elders opens this mobilization; His announcement is not yet worth his financial balance sheet.
Comments