THE CLASS OF 2005
INSPIRING INNOVATION AND CREATING THE FUTURE!
With great joy, the 29th Graduation ceremony of Bethlehem University took place on Friday, 3 June 2005. Brother Vincent Malham, President-Vice Chancellor, assisted by Brother Fergus McArdle, Academic Vice President, conferred degrees on 417 graduates. The Honorable Yahia Yakhluf, Minister of Culture, was the guest speaker and Nisreen Al-Issawi, a Physics graduate with a 3.94 GPA was the valedictorian speaker. Since its founding in 1973 as the first university in the West Bank, Bethlehem University has graduated more than 9,000 students into various civic leadership, educational, human service, health and business-related professions.
The Class of 2005
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One of the 127 graduates of the Faculty of Arts, Brother Guy, a native of Lebanon currently teaching at the Freres College Jerusalem, was awarded his degree in Religious Studies. Mr. Raed Hamamra of Husan village near Bethlehem, is a graduate with a major in Sociology whose education was interrupted by being held for 6 years in Israeli detention. Two other graduates of the Faculty of Arts, Mr. Ahmad Ebiat and Mr. Ibrahim Elyyan, who are blind, were awarded degrees in Arabic. Among the student body this year there were 20 students with special needs: 15 with visual problems, among whom 5 are completely blind; 4 with mobility impairments requiring the use of wheel chairs; and one student who is deaf.
The Faculty of Business graduated 99 students and the Institute for Hotel Management and Tourism graduated 34 students. Graduates of both of these faculties are generally among the most successful in promptly obtaining employment in their respective fields upon graduation or even before graduation. However, due to the on-going military occupation and the closing off of Bethlehem with the Israeli construction of the Separation Wall in and around Bethlehem, tourism and other aspects of the local economy continue to suffer. Consequently, gainful employment for these graduates at this time is somewhat problematic.
The Faculty of Nursing and Health Services graduated 50 students in the various nursing and occupational therapy departments. Among these graduates were Sister Bushra, a Franciscan Sister, and Sister Siba, a Sister of St. Dorothy. Both Sisters look forward to serving as nurses in local hospitals and clinics.
The Faculties of Education and Science graduated 60 and 47 students, respectively. Graduating with the two highest grade point averages from the University are two students from the Faculty of Science: Nisreen Al-Issawi, the Valedictorian who is a Physics major with a Mathematics minor , and Fatin Dwaib, a double major in Physics and Mathematics.
The University's amphitheatre and auditorium were filled to capacity as parents, relatives and friends shared the joy and happiness of the graduates and the members of the faculty, staff and administration. The sight of so many smiling faces was an uplifting experience in these times of suffering – a sure sign of the commitment of so many people locally and internationally, friends and benefactors whose support makes it possible for the University to provide such a top quality education. The ever growing and faithful network of friends and benefactors working together and in association with the faculty, staff and students of Bethlehem University are not only "standing on tradition and reaching for the future," but they are "inspiring innovation and creating the future!"
Success and happiness to all our graduates – and much thanks to all our faculty, staff, friends, and benefactors.
