University Scholarship Program IV Year One Quarter Three Report

The program, sponsored by USAID/Lebanon, aimed to give young students access to high-quality college education at the American University of Beirut (AUB). The scholarship included full coverage of tuition fees, housing or transportation allowances, books, a laptop, and stipends for five years. During the first quarter of the program, which spanned from April 1 to June 30, 2013, the focus was on finalizing the promotion campaign, receiving applications, data entry, and selecting the 260 short-listed candidates. The application deadline was extended from March 31 to April 30 to allow AUB representatives to visit all Lebanese official high schools. A total of 1007 applications were received, with 15 applications received after the deadline and 5 applications lacking substantial information about the candidates. The selection sub-committee met twice to prepare a list of the 260 candidates to be shortlisted based on their composite score, need score, and academic record. The shortlisted candidates were selected from the 26 districts of Lebanon, with almost equal gender balance (55% female, 45% male). The list was approved by the USAID USP selection committee during its meeting dated June 11, 2013. The shortlisted candidates were invited to AUB for the "Open Days" event, where they took the English Entrance Exam, attended a presentation about the academic programs at AUB, toured the campus, and sat for an interview with the USP team and AUB representatives. The interview consisted of leadership and financial aid components to assess the leadership and civic engagement experience and to verify the personal and financial aid data provided on the application. Four teams conducted the interviews, consisting of representatives from the Financial Aid Office, USP team, the Center for Civic Engagement and Community Services (CCECS), and Faculty members. Several USP II scholars volunteered to assist the USP team during the four open days. The event provided an opportunity for the shortlisted candidates to showcase their skills and experience, and for the USP team to assess their potential as scholarship recipients.