Basic HTML Version
he holds his father up as the example of
hard work, wisdom and perseverance.
Every morning, elementary school
students were lined up for inspection. At-
taya and his assistant, Samia Khalaf (later
to become Sullivan) would check shoes
and nails for cleanliness. Every child was
required to carry a clean handkerchief on
him. Moral lectures would follow.
“IC taught us to be independent, to think
for ourselves and not to shy away from
anything,” said Jaroudi. “We took risks.
We went places. We were the ones who
jumped off the tramway before our desti-
nations. While students in other schools
were at home glued to their textbooks
(they are wearing glasses today!), we were
experiencing life.”
Jaroudi graduated from IC in 1962 and
enrolled at AUB (he worked at the library
at IC and AUB to make ends meet). But
the country was going through turmoil
and his father’s business was hit. The
family was in debt. Jaroudi dropped out
of university to help out his father. One
year later, all debts were paid and Jaroudi
returned to university. He graduated from
AUB in 1966 as an Architect Engineer.
Luck was on his side. As it turned out,
only four students had graduated in archi-
tecture in Lebanon that year. And those
students were sought after.
It so happens that then Prime Minister
Saeb Salam was looking for an architect
for the Makassed Association (Salam
would also later introduce him to Hariri).
Jaroudi was recruited.
Jaroudi’s career was officially launched.
His hard work paid off and he found
himself co-founding an engineering firm
in Qatar, designing and building a num-
ber of villas in the Gulf. He entered the
world of real estate with various projects
in Europe. His ventures in Lebanon
thrived and he became Hariri’s real estate
consultant – especially advising him when
it came to creating SOLIDERE.
Jaroudi was doing very well financially.
And while he was proud of his accom-
plishments, a nagging voice left him unsat-
isfied. “What is a million dollars if I don’t
benefit other people as well?” he pondered.
His first philanthropic act was a $25,000
donation to the Makassed Hospital in
1974.The Makassed Foundation had
granted him a student loaned to study at
AUB. Jaroudi felt he owed them. This
was followed by various donations to
charities and universities.The most recent
was the Hisham Jaroudi Auditorium
(Nursing school, AUB) in 2010.
When IC’s Vice President of Alumni
and Development,
Moufid Beydoun ’64,
approached him for a donation towards
the Partnership for Excellence Campaign
to build a new elementary school, Jaroudi
didn’t hesitate.
“I am towards the end of my career,” he
said, “shouldn’t I at least give back to the
school that started me off on this road?”
In February, Jaroudi showed up to the IC
alumni office and handed in his pledge.
The Hisham Izzat Jaroudi building came
into being.
“I like it that my name will be there for
centuries,” he said smiling broadly. “I like
it that my great grandchildren will be
proud to come here. Money comes and
goes. But names stay forever.”
“I like it that my great grandchildren will be proud
to come here. Money comes and goes.
But names stay forever.”
WINTER
2010
5