Eighteen outstanding student-athletes at American University of Sharjah (AUS) were awarded athletic scholarships for Spring 2014 at a special ceremony held at AUS.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, Acting Chancellor of AUS, congratulated the students and said, "The combination of scholarship with athletic activity is a growing program. We have more scholarships for student-athletes this year than we have ever had before. As student-athletes, you understand the importance of having a full life, and anything you can do to expand your experience and improve your leadership skills in different ways teaches you how to be a team member and how to contribute to the greater good. These are life lessons that you will use after graduation, and they will make you a better human being as you go forward."

Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, also congratulated the students on their achievements. "The partial athletic scholarship at AUS is a great program that is absolutely necessary in order to acknowledge and reward AUS student-athletes who have shown excellence in sports," she said. "It is very important that AUS continues to show support and appreciation to student-athletes, as they are special people who have managed to find success not only in the classroom, but also out on the field of competition as well," Dr. Al Shehhi added.

The recipients this semester are Ahmed M. S. Ewaida, Bassel Mohamad Khanafer, Ahmad Charif and Mohamad Tayeh for men's soccer; Mohamad Chohaybar Zidan Ghada and Yousef Mousa Yousef Shatat for men's basketball; Rehan Ali, Musaab Khalid Khan and Muhammad Anwar Khan Nasir for cricket; Vahid Farbod and Khaled Ahmed Amir for men's volleyball; Mohammad Osama Siddiqui for men's squash; Arun Varghese for men's badminton; Ashley Ann Mansour and Hams Alwalid Nageib for women's basketball; Shahdan Ibrahim Barakat for women's table tennis; and Sally Masoud and Danya Khafaga for women's swimming.

The scholarship program aims to encourage, improve and develop sports at the university and consists of a 50 percent tuition remission. The scholarship is granted on a renewable semester basis and aims to support the student-athletes who have limited financial recourses and who demonstrate athletic excellence as well as outstanding sports qualities.