By Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs (OAAA)
On June 21, 2025, AIT President Prof. Pai-Chi Li and Dr. Rafiul Ahad, a distinguished AIT alumnus, signed a donation agreement to fund the refurbishment of a single-unit student dormitory during the AITAA USA Chapter Alumni Dinner Gathering in New Jersey. Dr. Rafiul Ahad and Mrs. Frances Kasala Ahad, both graduates of AIT’s Computer Science & Information Management program (Master of Science, 1980), have a longstanding history of financially supporting AIT through specific donations.
AIT President Prof. Pai-Chi Li thanked Dr. Rafiul Ahad and Mrs. Frances Kasala Ahad for their continued generosity, emphasizing that their donation will directly enhance student well-being and inspire other alumni to give back. He noted that contributions like theirs are vital to AIT’s mission of creating a supportive campus environment that allows students to focus on their studies. He added that students nowadays seek not only academic excellence in the quality of programs being delivered but also good conditions of accommodation, as they have an impact on well-qualified students who apply to AIT graduate programs.
Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Executive Director of the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs, expressed appreciation to Dr. Rafiul and Mrs. Frances for their consistent support of AIT over the years. He highlighted their past contributions towards the AIT Library modernization and the Student Exchange Scholarship. He stated that alumni like both of you, who consistently give back, are a true source of inspiration and an example for others to follow.
Prof. Sangam Shrestha, Dean of the School of Engineering & Technology, also expressed his gratitude, highlighting how alumni contributions significantly improve the living environment for both the current and future AIT students.
Dr. Rafiul, retired Vice President of Software Development at Oracle Corporation, expressed his gratitude for supporting AIT’s initiatives to provide students with better facilities, recalling his own experience as a student in 1980. He also extended his thanks to the AIT President and the senior leadership team for the opportunity to contribute to improving student life.
The single-unit student dormitory unit will be adorned with a name plaque honoring Dr. Rafiul and Mrs. Frances Kasala Ahad.
Also present at the ceremony were Dr. Sharif Uddin, AITAA USA Chapter President; Prof. Thammarat Koottatep, Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, SET; and other AITAA USA Chapter alumni members.
