The Community Service & Engagement (CSE) at LAU aims to provide LAU students and student recipients of USAID scholarship grants with the tools, opportunities, and guidance needed to not only excel academically but also become active, compassionate, and socially responsible leaders within their communities and the world at large.

CSE serves as the driving force behind fostering a culture of community engagement throughout the LAU community. We provide innovative and immersive programming that encourages LAU students to explore the diverse landscapes of their nation while contributing to meaningful causes. This experiential learning is not just an addendum; it’s a vital facet of the LAU academic journey.

• Aptitude Development: Participating in CSE programs allows you to hone your core competencies through practical experiences, workshops, and interactions with mentors, empowering you to become a more effective and influential changemaker.
• Community Impact: CSE offers chances to engage in community service and public service initiatives, enabling you to make a positive impact on society and develop a sense of social responsibility that goes beyond the classroom.
• Personal Growth: Beyond academic excellence, CSE promotes personal growth by encouraging self-discovery, resilience, and adaptability, preparing you to face challenges and seize opportunities with confidence.

Capacity Building

Soft Skills Series (SSS)

In collaboration with the Offices of the Dean of Students, CSE introduced the Soft Skills Series (SSS) workshops to all LAU students in 2017. These workshops serve as a platform for students to enhance their soft skills through engaging and informative sessions aimed at refining their abilities. Led by professional trainers and entrepreneurs, the workshops offer interactive forums for skill development. As of December 2022, the SSS program has conducted 50 workshops, benefiting 1,378 LAU students. Topics covered include Conscientious Leadership, Unlocking Innovation: Creative Thinking, How to Define Your Purpose in Life, Smart Phones, Smart Pictures, The Art of Happiness, and others.

LEE-Leadership Empowerment Education

Cultivates vital soft and digital skills essential for personal and professional growth among youth. This immersive, hands-on, and short-term learning initiative is tailored to equip students with targeted life skills aligned with their career aspirations and academic pursuits. As of December 2022, the LEE program, conducted by LAU students for high school students and facilitated by experts for LAU students, has conducted 89 workshops benefiting 1,849 high school and LAU students.

Volunteerism, Networking, and Civic Engagement

Corporate Visit Series (CVS)

The CVS program offers LAU students a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in diverse work environments, foster civic responsibility, and engage with leading companies, firms, and factories across industries such as Food and Beverage (ex: Pepsi Co), Aviation (ex: Middle East Airlines (MEA), Educational (ex: Unilever), Culture (ex: Sursock Museum), and others. Providing a direct insight into future job cultures, it also facilitates volunteering and community service experiences. Despite facing interruptions in 2020 due to the pandemic and subsequent economic challenges, the CSE unit revitalized the program in 2023, organizing 102 impactful visits to companies spanning various sectors.

Volunteer Teachers Program

The Community Service & Engagement Unit at LAU is cooperating with NGO MMKN, under the Volunteer Teacher Program for the 12^th year. The program engages an estimate of 150 LAU students in enhancing the educational journey of 1,600 grade 8 and grade 9 public school students. Their objective is to provide essential academic support in scientific subjects, delivered in both English and French, to ensure these students succeed in their classes.

The USAID Higher Education Scholarship Program

The CSE unit oversees all USAID Higher Education Scholarship programs, ensuring their effective management and implementation. Within this realm, the LAU HES team excels in administering both HES Phase I & Phase II awards, collectively valued at $58M, along with overseeing the financial aid component amounting to $13M under HES Phase I.

These awards are geared towards fostering academic excellence, promoting civic engagement, and facilitating employment opportunities for academically gifted yet underprivileged scholars from both public and private educational institutions in Lebanon. This is achieved through the HES USP (University Scholarship Program) for Lebanese nationality and is extended to refugees legally residing in Lebanon via the HES RSS (Refugee Scholarship Support) program. Moreover, provisions are made to accommodate scholars with disabilities, ensuring they receive the necessary support throughout their academic journey at LAU, thus fostering inclusivity and equal opportunities for all beneficiaries of the program.

Community Service Projects (CSP)

The CSP projects are an opportunity for scholars to give back to their communities and exemplify the spirit of voluntarism and participation.  The primary goal is to allow scholars to use their gained leadership and soft skills in actual practice through formulating a brief technical concept paper, in line with USAID’s guidance, to be actually implemented in the field. Scholars are encouraged to start thinking about prospective projects in their hometowns or cities shortly after they join LAU and acclimate to the academic atmosphere. The CSP hones the scholars’ skills in teambuilding, networking, communication with peers and with vetted local community-based organizations, budgeting, and actual execution, let alone conflict resolution to mitigate challenges, respecting diversity, and thinking about gender and culturally sensitive projects.  It is worth mentioning that 353 Community Service Projects, so far, have been successfully completed as part of the scholarship programs.