Saint Joseph University of Beirut Celebrates Academic Excellence through the “Sejaan Boutros Ghafari Excellence Award”

On Thursday, July 23, the CST Campus hosted the graduation ceremony bringing together students from several USJ faculties (FDSP, ISP, FSE, FGM, IGE, ISSA). The ceremony was held in the presence of USJ Rector Prof. François Boëdec, S.J., the guest of honor Ms. Lamia Moubayed Bissat, President of “Institut des Finances Basil Fuleihan”, along with prominent personalities, deans and directors of the faculties and departments concerned, guests, parents of the graduates, and students.

During the ceremony, Ms. Cynthia-Maria Ghobril Andrea, Director of Fondation USJ, presented the “Sejaan Boutros Ghafari Excellence Award,” established at the Faculty of Management and Business Administration – South Lebanon Branch in honor of Mr. Ghafari. This award recognizes the remarkable journey of an alumnus who has remained deeply committed to his university, his region, and his country. It celebrates academic excellence while supporting future generations.

Although Mr. Ghafari has been living abroad for many years, he has never lost touch with Lebanon or with the South, where he studied. His commitment to empowering young people remains as strong as ever and has become a legacy of generosity and engagement.

Mr. Ghafari expressed this attachment through very concrete actions in support of students, including the “Anciens CEULS” Fund, created in 2018 with the Association des Anciens de Saida de la FGM – South Lebanon Branch, and the “Sejaan Boutros Ghafari scholarship fund”, established in 2020. Since 2021, the Faculty of Management and Business Administration - South Lebanon Branch, from which he himself graduated, has proudly carried his name.

On behalf of Fondation USJ, Ms. Andrea warmly thanked Mr. Ghafari for his continued trust, generosity, and continuous support of USJ students. She also expressed her gratitude to Prof. Fouad Zmokhol, Dean of the Faculty of Management, and Prof. Dina Sidani, Director of the South Lebanon Campus, for their dedication and close collaboration. 

For the past six years, the Sejaan Boutros Ghafari Excellence Award has recognized the student who achieves the highest cumulative GPA over the three-year undergraduate program at the faculty.

Ms. Cynthia-Maria Ghobril Andrea invited Ms. Carmel Ghafari Wakim, representing Mr. Ghafari at the ceremony, to join the university officials on stage and present the trophy, along with an award of $2,500, to Batoul Darwiche, who achieved the highest cumulative GPA among the graduating students, with a remarkable score of 17.61/20.

Congratulations to Ms. Darwiche on her outstanding accomplishment, hard work and perseverance.

The Sejaan Boutros Ghafari Excellence Award stands as a powerful example of how the generosity of one alumnus can inspire excellence, create opportunities, and strengthen the bond between USJ and its graduates across generations.

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