AUC Signs Agreement with Wadi Degla to Establish Wadi Degla Scholarship for Student Athletes

April 22, 2015, Cairo, Egypt— For the first time in the history of The American University in Cairo, top performing student athletes will have a chance to get a full- fledged scholarship to study at the University.  In a ceremony held yesterday at AUC’s New Cairo campus, AUC signed an agreement with Wadi Degla Investment Company to establish Wadi Degla Endowment Scholarship Fund for Student Athletes at AUC. The scholarship program will target Egyptian student athletes who achieved a degree of excellence in their academic studies as well as an outstanding record, locally or internationally, in one of the following sports: soccer, squash, swimming, basketball, and track and field. The agreement was signed by  Maged Samy, CEO of Wadi Degla Holding and Lisa Anderson, AUC president. The event was attended by  Sahar Hasaballah '87, academic development manager, Wadi Degla Holding; Dina Morris, project coordinator, Wadi Degla Holding and Dina Abulfotuh, vice president for Communications and  Institutional Advancement, AUC.The scholarship will sponsor one student athlete covering the full undergraduate tuition fees and will be reoffered to another student athlete once the candidate graduates. Applicants should be Egyptians with no dual nationalities; graduates from any private or public school located in Egypt, achievers of an outstanding secondary school academic record and should meet AUC academic admission requirements at the year of applications. In addition, applicants should commit to play in AUC team alongside his/her original sports club in his/her designated sport.  According to Wadi Degla officials, the scholarship will help promote the notion that academic and athletic excellence can be achieved hand in hand. “Wadi Degla believes that education and sports are equally important in building balanced, mature, and well-rounded leaders who are ready to take on the world and become agents of change in their environments,” said Samy, CEO of Wadi Degla Holding. “We see this scholarship as a way to promote to Egyptian students the idea that both academic and athletic excellence can be achieved simultaneously,” he added. According to Samy, Wadi Degla chose AUC to provide this scholarship as it is one of the most reputable universities in Egypt that provides high-quality education, latest teaching techniques, world-class faculty, and top-class scientific and sports facilities. “The many sports teams as well as the outstanding sports facilities available at AUC encourage students to take up sports and integrate them as part of their schedule thus fostering athletic talent,” he noted. In her remarks in the signing ceremony, Anderson expressed her pleasure that AUC will be able to attract some of Egypt’s most talented athletes and allow them to take advantage of the athletic facilities at the University as well as the first class education it offers. “We want young people  to understand that there is a connection between their health physically and their health mentally and the more we produce graduates like that, the more we contribute to Egypt.” Sports facilities at AUC New Cairo are extensive and cater to a wide cross-section of activities and programs. AUC Sports Complex is the largest space on the university’s campus with more than 40,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor space. The indoor area includes 2,000-seat arena main court, a martial-arts arena, which seats up to 300; squash courts, exercise and fitness rooms, a free-weight studio, saunas and steam rooms. The outdoor space includes the track-and-field and soccer stadium, which is considered the largest outdoor facility seating 2,000. This is in addition to an Olympic-size swimming pool; a soccer practice field; tennis, basketball, handball and volleyball courts; and a jogging and cycling track. In addition, AUC Sports Complex hosts several national and University tournaments.