The American University in Cairo (AUC) hosted a celebration to welcome 54 new Egyptian students who got full scholarships from the U.S. through the Leadership for Education and Development (LEAD) program. “You, the youths of this great nation, are on a new route toward a democratic ruling system. The presence of educated leaders is a main factor in the succession of this phase,” said the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt, Anne Paterson, during the celebration. The program provided scholarships to 54 students from each of the 27 Egyptian governorate each year to continue their studies at AUC. There is cooperation between the U.S. Agency for International development in Egypt (USAID/Egypt) and AUC, which led to this program and providing academic support and activities to improve leadership skills and develop civil participation opportunities. U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Anne Paterson and the Director of U.S. Agency attended the celebration with the International Development Walter North and President of AUC Lisa Anderson. The USAID and AUC provided scholarships through LEAD program for over 400 students since 2004. About 51 percent of the graduates of LEAD program are now working in large national organizations and non-governmental organizations. About 10 percent of the graduates of LEAD program received scholarships in large colleges overseas.
