In 2021, Fuad and Nancy El-Hibri gave a significant gift to 海角社区 to create the El-Hibri Endowed Chair and Executive Directorship for the Interfaith Institute.
Interfaith at Augsburg: An Institute to Promote Interreligious Leadership was established in 2019 as part of Augsburg鈥檚 commitment to interfaith learning and leadership. The newly endowed position will allow the university to hire a strategic leader and distinguished scholar to provide direction for the institute and serve as a member of the faculty. The El-Hibri chair will serve as a national ambassador for the interfaith movement and will partner with campus leaders as a change agent for interreligious learning and living.
The El-Hibris鈥 gift will help to fulfill one of the goals of Augsburg150, the university鈥檚 sesquicentennial strategic plan, to advance the public purposes of an Augsburg education by enhancing interfaith leadership on campus and throughout the nation.
鈥淲e live in a world that is religiously diverse, and allowing religions to thrive is a step in the right direction,鈥 said Fuad El-Hibri. 鈥淏ut it is not enough. Interfaith dialogue, learning from one another, and engaging together in meaningful work is what it鈥檚 truly all about. The timing now is critical, and we hope this is just the beginning.鈥
鈥淲e have a unique opportunity to build an interfaith learning community that will be a model for all of higher education,鈥 said President Paul Pribbenow. 鈥淭he combination of Augsburg鈥檚 interreligious student body, with Fuad and Nancy鈥檚 support and counsel, will create the sort of academic and community leadership the world needs today.鈥
Top image: [L to R] Nancy and Fuad El-Hibri (Courtesy photo)

