The Faculty of Engineering (FOE), at the University of Balamand, has proudly celebrated the extraordinary accomplishments of its BS, BE, and MS graduates in a remarkable award ceremony on August 30, 2024 at the Nahyan Auditorium. This prestigious event, marking the fourth consecutive year of honoring excellence, saw the 2024 cohort of students receive the esteemed Elma Maalouf Award, the FOE Award for Academic Excellence, Nicolas and Marie-Therese Mousallem Prize, and the newly created award, the Dean’s Award for Innovation.
The ceremony brought together the esteemed award recipients, their supportive families and friends, Vice President for Internationalization and Engagement and Dean of FOE, Professor Rami Abboud, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dr. Hanna Nakat, faculty chairpersons, and thesis supervisors. They have all gathered to recognize the incredible achievements of these exceptional students, now alumni.
Professor Abboud opened the ceremony with an inspiring address, reflecting on the critical role of engineers in shaping the future. He commended the awardees for their exceptional talent and urged them to embrace their roles as innovators and change-makers stating: “Today, we stand bowing to your accomplishments as engineering graduates and individuals who have demonstrated strength, fortitude, and a commitment to excellence. I know that many of you have equally excelled in our vibrant student community as leaders of clubs and societies and various campus initiatives combining one of my other mottos -
serious education coupled with serious fun. As we celebrate your achievements, let us also recognize the profound impact that your journey at the University of Balamand will have on shaping your future and, indeed, the future of our society and our country. You have been shaped and tempered by challenging times, and I am confident that you are now equipped to face any obstacles with grace and determination”.
The ceremony was filled with pride and excitement as 14 remarkable students were honored with the awards. Two of the awards were accepted by family members on behalf of the recipients, while two other recipients could not attend due to travel commitments. The event highlighted the brilliance of their collective achievements, with the notable recipients of the Elma Maalouf Award including Perla Tannouri (MS in Civil Engineering) and Yorgo Farah (MS in Engineering Management). The Elma Maalouf Award was bestowed upon students who achieved the highest thesis grades and either published or were in the process of submitting a peer-reviewed paper, underscoring the students’ commitment to advancing engineering knowledge, research and innovation.
Recognizing those with the highest academic averages in their respective disciplines, Perla Tannouri was also honored with the Faculty of Engineering Award for Academic Excellence in Civil Engineering, alongside other distinguished recipients graduating with a master’s degree such as Leen Shamoun in absentia (MS in Mechanical Engineering) and Tarek Samarji (MS in Engineering Management).
For the BE degree, the top honors went to Anna Sophia Chahine in Civil Engineering, Wael Al Sayegh in Computer Engineering (in absentia), Roweida Chehayeb in Electrical Engineering, and Rayan Rahal in Mechanical Engineering.
In the BS degree category, the Faculty of Engineering recognized Fouad Sleiman for his excellence in Civil Engineering, Daniel Nasr in Chemical Engineering, Mark Hanna in Computer Engineering, Luce Marouni in Electrical Engineering, and Edmond Al Hawi in Mechanical Engineering. Notably, Mark Hanna also earned the Nicolas and Marie-Therese Mousallem Prize for achieving the highest cumulative general average among all BS students graduating from the Faculty of Engineering for the Academic Year 2023-2024 with an impressive cumulative average of 91.93%.
The final award presented was the Dean’s Award for Innovation, which is a newly created award that celebrates innovation and design, recognizing those who push the boundaries of creativity. The award aims to highlight the exceptional student who has demonstrated remarkable innovation and design skills, who also serve as an inspiration to other colleagues to strive for greatness. The award recipient is no other than Mabelle Wehbe, a Chemical Engineering BS graduate, who delivered an inspiring speech at the end of the event.
The celebration concluded with a joyous gathering, featuring a buffet and a ceremonial cake cutting. Professor Abboud extended his best wishes to the awardees, encouraging them to continue making groundbreaking contributions to the engineering profession and inspiring the next generation to dream big and strive for greatness.
