First Year Experience Program Office of Institutional Research June 2011

Excellence: We continually strive to be among the best in all we do: in teaching, research, creative expression, service to our communities and service to each other in our daily interactions. “Excellence, to me, is to be perfect in everything you are doing in life: studying, working, talking with people, making new friends, even in the way you look. Never say ‘enough’ because there is always more to achieve in life Karim Asaad ‘11 What does “excellence” mean to you? Photo: Karim Asaad

Diversity: We seek to treat all individuals with dignity and fairness and to promote understanding and respect for diversity of perspectives, traditions, and experiences. What is diversity? If you respect diversity, what SHOULDN’T you do? "I think that when people come together, the explosion of ideas, feelings, perspectives, and attitudes helps shatter any barriers that prevent human growth" -- Haidy Zakaria ‘12 Photo: Ashraf Salloum

Lifelong Learning: We believe that the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and personal and professional development should continue throughout one’s lifetime. How do you learn something new? “Lifelong learning lies at the heart of every discovery, every invention and every solution to a problem. “It is the curiosity to learn, the drive to relentlessly explore, and the passion to do things differently. “If you want to make a difference you're going to have to be a lifelong learner.” -- Rana Kaliouby, BS ’98, MS ‘00, PhD ’05 (Cambridge) Photo: AUCToday/Ahmad El-Nemr

Social Responsibility: We are committed to exploring the challenges that confront Egypt, the region, and the world and to using our intellectual and creative capability to address these challenges, serve our communities and have a positive and sustainable impact on development, business, the environment and society. What do you want to do? Why? "I believe that the impact of our actions goes beyond the direct result we seek and that it affects not only others around us but also the world. “We see it every day: our personal choices can mean a healthy environment or pollution, clean streets or littering, orderly traffic or endless jams. “Are we doing something to help or just waiting for someone else to do the work?“ -- Dina Moussa ‘12 Photo: Karim Asaad

Integrity: We believe that all individuals are accountable for their actions, and, as members of a community, our individual actions have an impact on others. We are stronger as a community when we reflect on the consequences of our decisions and actions and when we uphold the principles of academic integrity, including fairness, accountability, and honesty. Why does “integrity” matter? “For me, integrity is the opposite of hypocrisy. There shouldn't be special treatment. There should be one rule for everyone, applied fairly and honestly. “We start with ourselves, then demand it of the country as a whole to make us a better, more responsible people.” -- Mona Faris ‘12 Photo: