Semi-Annual Progress Report: Higher Education Scholarships Program (HES) Cycle I & II

The program, which started on September 30, 2018, and will last until September 29, 2027, has a total award of $23,958,010, with LAU contributing $9,897,889 in cost sharing. As of Fall 2019 and Fall 2020, the program aimed to enroll 67 and 66 scholars, respectively, who met specific criteria, including gender diversity, a minimum of 13.5/20 on the Lebanese Baccalaureate official exam, and LAU admission requirements. The scholars were vetted according to USAID requirements. Key achievements in HES Cycle 1 include the following: at the end of Fall 2020, 20 scholars (30.77%) were on the High Distinguished list, 15 scholars (23.08%) were on the Distinguished list, and 13 scholars (20.00%) were on the Honors list. There were no scholars on probation. In HES Cycle 2, 28 scholars (42.42%) were on the High Distinguished list, 14 scholars (21.21%) were on the Distinguished list, and 11 scholars (16.67%) were on the Honors list at the end of Fall 2020. There were no scholars on probation. The program's advising and registration process involves multiple stakeholders, including the Outreach and Civic Engagement (OCE) at LAU, student mentors, academic coordinators, and student support centers. The OCE oversees the execution of the program, supervises orientation, enrichment activities, and media coverage, and works closely with academic coordinators on HES curricular progress. Student mentors, who are junior or senior students of the same major, help scholars with academic and personal issues. Academic coordinators advise students on course loads, monitor academic progress, and help students cope with academic challenges. Scholars also receive support and tutoring from LAU student support centers, counselors, and professional career and academic advising coordinators. As of March 2021, the total number of scholarships disbursed to date is 675, with 214 scholars enrolled during this reporting period. The total number of scholars who graduated during this reporting period is 61, bringing the cumulative total to 429. The total cumulative number of graduate scholars who are employed is 260, and the total cumulative number of scholars who dropped throughout the entire program duration is 32. The program's monitoring plan ensures that scholars maintain good academic standing and graduate on time. The plan involves multiple stakeholders working together to ensure the scholars' well-being.