Higher Education Scholarships Program (HES) Grant Number 72026818CA00001
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Lebanese American University Higher Education Scholarships Program (HES) Grant Number 72026818CA00001 SEMI-ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT REPORTING PERIOD: August 2019 – March 2020 SUBMITTED TO: UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID) 1 Contents I. Impact Summary as of August 2019: ..................................................................................................... 3 II. Project Summary .................................................................................................................................... 4 III. Detailed Progress: .................................................................................................................................. 4 A. Advising and Registration ............................................................................................................... 4 B. Monitoring of Scholars .................................................................................................................... 5 a. OCE ................................................................................................................................................ 5 b. Student Mentors .......................................................................................................................... 5 c. Academic Coordinators ................................................................................................................ 5 d. Student Support/Tutoring ........................................................................................................... 5 e. Academic Progress ....................................................................................................................... 5 f. Enrichment Activities: .................................................................................................................. 9 1. Clubs & Enrichment Activities .......................................................................................................... 9 2. Leadership Activities ...................................................................................................................... 29 2.1 Global Classrooms LAU Model United Nations ........................................................................... 29 2.2 LAU Model Arab League ............................................................................................................... 30 2.3 Success Stories ............................................................................................................................. 31 V. Planned Activities: ................................................................................................................................ 91 VI. Work Plan ............................................................................................................................................. 96 VII. Quotes from Scholars ........................................................................................................................... 96 96 VIII. Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................................................ 97 IX. Appendix 2 ............................................................................................................................................ 97 2 I. Impact Summary as of August 2019: Total number of Total Total Total Total Total Total number scholarships number of number of cumulative Cumulative cumulative of scholars disbursed to-date scholars scholars number of Number of number of who dropped (T = E+G+D) enrolled who scholars who Graduate scholars who during this i.e. number of during graduated graduated to- Scholars who dropped reporting initially enrolled this this date under are throughout the period scholars as per reporting reporting the program Employed entire program This number award target + period period (=G) duration (=D) includes any replacement (=E) (report only (report on the This number drop-out related students who on the total includes any to any reason = substituted drop- number of cumulative drop-out related drop-outs outs after the first students who number of to any reason = during this academic successfully scholars who drop-outs quarter only semester + new completed graduated from during this additional the program the program quarter + scholars through this quarter; successfully cumulative total cost- this is NOT including number of drop- savings. Typicall a cumulative during this outs during past y, this is indicator number of period and all reporting number 1 in your all students previous periods PMP, except that who reporting the number is not successfully period) the revised target graduate) post drop-outs. USP(1) 61 0 0 58 47 3 0 USP(2) 65 0 0 63 51 2 0 USP(3) 95 0 0 88 61 7 0 USP(4) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A USP(5) 61 0 0 56 34 5 0 USP(6) 45 0 0 44 23 1 0 USP(7)–Cycle I 73 23 13 46 19 4 0 USP(7)–Cycle II 75 71 0 0 0 4 0 USP(7)–Cycle III 67 66 0 0 0 1 1 HES 67 65 0 0 0 2 1 Total USP/HES at 609 225 13 355 235 29 2 your university (Available on a separately attached document, refer to PMP of HES-USPVIII & HES-RSS) 3 II. Project Summary 1. Duration: The agreement with USAID started on September 30, 2018 and the project will last until September 29, 2027. 2. Funding: The amount of the award is $23,958,010 and LAU cost sharing amount is $9,897,889. 3. Objectives: LAU to enroll as of Fall 2019, 66 financially needy and academically qualified Lebanese public high school students across Lebanon respecting the following: a. Gender diversity b. Obtained a minimum of 12/20 on the Lebanese Baccalaureate official exam. c. Met LAU admission requirements d. Vetted as per USAID requirements 4. Key Achievements: • Between October 2019 and December 2019: At the end of Fall 2019: o 17 scholars (26.15%) were on the High Distinguished list (cumulative GPA 3.8 or above) o 7 scholars (10.77%) were on the Distinguished list (cumulative GPA between 3.5 and 3.79) o 9 scholars (13.85%) were on the Honors list (cumulative GPA between 3.20 and 3.49) o There were no scholars on probation. III. Detailed Progress: A. Advising and Registration Between October 2019 and December 2019, 66 HES scholars registered for Fall 2019 with full time loads, and 65 HES scholars pre-registered for Spring 2020 with full time loads. 1 scholar dropped out by the end of the Fall 2019 semester. Between January 2020 and March 2020, 65 HES scholars registered for Spring 2020 with full time loads. Appendix 1 details the registration loads of the scholars as they stand currently. The scholars have been in regular contact with their academic coordinators and have been receiving proper advice and direction. 4 B. Monitoring of Scholars A plan has been devised for the monitoring of scholars in order to ensure that they will maintain good academic standing and graduate on time. This plan is made up of multiple stakeholders who are working with the scholars in order to ensure their well being: a. OCE The Outreach and Civic Engagement at the Lebanese American University, headed by the Assistant Vice President of Outreach & Civic Engagementthe, execution of the program and ensures successful implementation, supervises orientation, enrichment activities, and media coverage, and works closely with academic coordinators on HES curricular progress. b. Student Mentors Each scholar has been assigned a student mentor whose main job is to make sure that the scholar is doing well scholastically and that he/she is not facing any problem. The student mentor is a junior or senior student of the same major who has demonstrated leadership skills. He/she helps the scholar in issues related to his/her every day life: dorms and adjustment on campus. c. Academic Coordinators All scholars have designasted HES academic facilitator. Each academic facilitator is mainly responsible for: • Advising students before registration on the course load to carry each semester; • Advising students in their courses and class work; • Monitoring the academic progress of students; • Helping the students to cope with academic challenges. d. Student Support/Tutoring Whenever deemed necessary, HES scholars receive support and tutoring from LAU student support centers such as the Cooperative Learning Center, the Writing Center, and the Academic Computer Center in addition to the counselors and professional career and academic advising coordinators in the Deans of Students’ Offices in both Byblos and Beirut. e. Academic Progress In December 2019, Fall semester came to an end, and by then the instructors had sent three progress reports for Fall 2019. The reports were studied and, when needed, proper advisory action was taken. The reports demonstrated that all HES scholars are performing well and progressing normally. 5 Out of the 65 HES scholars: • 46 scholars are expected to graduate in Spring 2022, • 11 scholars are expected to graduate in Fall 2022, • 8 scholars are expected to graduate in Spring 2023. It is important to note that out of 65 students enrolled in regular classes, and as of the end of Fall 2019 semester: • 37 scholars (56.92%) have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above • 24 scholars have a cumulative GPA between 2.0 and 2.99 • 4 scholars have a cumulative GPA below 2.0 • 27 scholars (41.53%) have a major GPA of 3.0 or above • 9 scholars have a major GPA between 2.0 and 2.99 • 1 scholar has a major GPA below 2.0 • 28 scholars (43.08%) have no major GPA During the January–March period, instructors sent two progress reports for Spring