From our Weber State University students to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and their families, I would like to extend condolences on behalf of our university in regard to the recent death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

On the national stage, the king was known as a peacemaker in the Middle East and an honest, insightful leader. In our community, however, it was his dedication to educational opportunities that stood out. His scholarship programs propelled Saudi students across the world to seek education, including studying here at Weber State. In fact, Saudi students make up the largest proportion of WSU’s international student body. About 150 of our students receive the scholarships that King Abdullah championed, and the strong relationship between our country and Saudi Arabia enables students to seek higher education at Weber State.

As president, I am grateful for Weber State’s opportunity to provide an education to our global community. In turn, I am grateful for everything the university learns from our international Wildcats. I thank King Abdullah for the key role he played in that relationship, and I am hopeful that relationship will continue under his successor, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

May each of our Saudi students find solace during this time.

With sympathy,

President Charles A. Wight