The American University of Madaba (AUM) celebrated the graduation of its twelfth cohort of students in a ceremony held under the patronage of His Excellency Bishop Iyad Twal, Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan. The ceremony was attended by H.E. Yousef Issawi, Chief of the Royal Hashemite Court; Eng. Azzam Shuwaihat, Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees; Prof. Dr. Odai Areedah, President of the University; as well as members of the Board of Trustees and the academic and administrative staff.

Bishop Twal conveyed the greetings of His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, on behalf of the Latin Patriarchate, the owner of the University. He expressed his pride in the graduates, emphasizing that this day is not merely an occasion to receive certificates, but a day of thanksgiving and gratitude to all who contributed to their academic journey, and a recognition of the efforts they made and the challenges they overcame to reach this long-awaited moment.

Addressing the graduates, His Excellency affirmed that the University has given them not only knowledge, but also the tools they need to face life, which will place them before tests whose dates are never announced in advance. He noted that the University, built on a long-standing educational legacy, believes that knowledge is a mission and that the human person is the most valuable investment. Its mission, he said, goes beyond preparing graduates for the job market to forming the whole person and fostering a culture of respect, dialogue, and human dignity. He concluded by inviting them to make their success a mission of service, saying: “I hope the most important question will not be: What will I achieve for myself? But rather: What will I offer to others?”