Introduction

Since its establishment in 1919, the American University in Cairo has been exceptionally engaged in community service and has carried out numerous, commendable philanthropic projects throughout the years. It has also been heavily involved in the region's politics. This legacy continues today with the institution’s growing number of clubs and organizations that try to better the society and promote development inside and outside of the AUC community. The University is committed to conducting research on Egypt, addressing the problems therein, and finding answers and solutions to these problems, implementing and promoting them. Both faculty and students are heavily involved in these processes. According to the AUC fan page on Facebook, the University now boasts more than ten community service-based clubs, each working on the development of a special area in Egypt. Students in these clubs work with orphans, the disabled, the needy, cancer patients, the elderly, and poverty-stricken communities. These works offer “hands-on experience with civic action, an enhanced awareness of the meaning of citizenship, and the opportunity to find solutions and assume a leadership role in the community” (AUC Facebook Fan Page). Ultimately, the AUC fosters students' interest and involvement in social, as well as political development and activism.
The contributions of the University to the community are ever-growing and today, they are more far-reaching and more effective than ever before. Why? This is one of the questions we hope to answer through our research. The Digital Age is now upon us. What does it have to offer insofar as it can be seen as a resource for development, and how does it facilitate research and make information more accessible?

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Purpose, Research Question, and Thesis
Background Scholarly Research
Methods

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