Diplomas
The diplomas issued in the early years of the Syrian Protestant College were written in Arabic, English, and Latin. They were notably large in size, measuring approximately 50 x 65 cm.
In its meeting of June 20, 1870, the faculty members appointed a committee composed of Daniel Bliss and Cornelius Van Dyck to prepare the design of the SPC Diploma. Later, during its meeting on July 13, 1870, the faculty decided to grant degrees under the title of Bachelor of Arts.
Recognizing the importance of an appropriate official seal for diplomas and other formal documents, the faculty commissioned a seal featuring a simple design encircled by the name of the College. At its center was the cedar, a scriptural emblem symbolizing strength, prosperity, and endurance, and closely associated with the land in which the College was established.
Early diplomas that were later donated back to AUB indicate that they were signed by the President as well as all members of the faculty.
The Bachelor of Arts diploma granted in 1870 to Naʿum Mughabghab, a member of the first graduating class of the Syrian Protestant College, was returned to AUB in 1980 by his grandsons, Theodore and Inʿam Raʿad, and received by President David S. Hoelscher. Written in Arabic and signed by prominent early SPC figures including Daniel Bliss and Cornelius Van Dyck, the diploma represents an important piece of the University’s early history and heritage.