Salma Dabbagh graduated from Ahliah School and received her BA (1962) and MA (1967) in Sociology from the American University of Beirut.
Ms. Salma Dabbagh joined the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 1979 as a part time faculty member, teaching Sociology in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the faculty of Arts and Sciences. From 1988 till 2000 she assumed the position of Assistant Dean of Students for Women, in charge of women’s dormitories and coordinator of new students’ orientation program. In addition she was responsible for the folk dance festival and the “outdoors” AUB Spring Festival. She was the supervisor of students’ clubs and a member of the organizing committee of students’ elections. During this period she continued to teach sociology and served on the Arts and Sciences Administrative and Students Affairs Committee (1987-1989). She continued teaching sociology at AUB as a full time faculty member from 2000 till 2004. Ms. Dabbagh served on the Ahliah Board of Trustees from the early 90s and has been its Vice Chair since 2005.
From the early 60s to the 70s, Ms. Dabbagh was an active member of the Arab Cultural Club and from 1965-2000 she was a member of the ”Movement Sociale”, which established youth clubs in less fortunate areas and trained school drop-outs to launch them into sustainable careers.