About Us

The Yale Arab Alumni Association was founded in 2007 in Beirut, Lebanon, by a group of Yale alumni dedicated to strengthening ties between Yale University and the Arab World. The Association is the sole independent, shared interest group serving Yale alumni living and working in the region. Alumni with a professional, academic, or personal interest in the Arab world are invited to our community.

YAAA serves its members and carries out Yale’s educational mission in this vital part of the world with a range of social and educational events, from Feb Club to fellowships to conferences to expert panels.

YAAA is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code registered in the State of Connecticut. In its various programs and activities, YAAA does not discriminate against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, or national or ethnic origin; nor does YAAA discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression.

Mission

The mission of the Association is to provide opportunities for alumni to band together in light of their shared experience of living and working in the Arab world. The Association is equally committed to upholding Yale’s values of public service by promoting alumni engagement and outreach to local communities in the Arab world.

Vision

The Association aims to be the premier shared interest group for Yale alumni with an interest in the region. In addition, and in keeping with Yale’s own vision, YAAA encourages alumni leaders who can best serve Arab communities in accordance with its mission and values. The Association ultimately seeks to enhance Yale’s profile as the preeminent institution of higher education in the United States.

Values

Our values are the product of our educational experience at Yale and of our mission.

They can be summarized as follows:

Excellence. In all their endeavors, YAAA members adhere to the highest standards in carrying out their duties and making contributions to local communities.
Service. YAAA members understand that Yale’s trademark education urges us to use knowledge for the public good. Thus, serving the communities in which we live and work is a key guiding principle of the Association’s many activities.
Leadership. Yale’s central tenet is the formation of alumni leaders, and so YAAA members rise to become leaders in their professions and personal lives, promoting Yale’s name in the process.
Integrity. We maintain that leadership is not sufficient without principle, and so personal and professional integrity is a key trait informing everything the work and activities of YAAA members.
Change. As YAAA members in the Arab world or abroad, we know that we don’t live in isolation. The myriad challenges facing Arab citizens today issues a special call to alumni action, requiring us to serve and lead for change with integrity and under the highest standards of excellence.