Doha: Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) yesterday celebrated its second graduation, made up of 33 students, at the Qatar National Convention Center.
Among them 15 Qataris, received Bachelors of Science in journalism and communication. Several graduated with minors in public relations, business studies and for the first time, certificates in Middle East studies.
Nine seniors graduated with academic honours: three summa cum laude, three magna cum laude, three cum laude.
H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums Authority (QMA), attended the ceremony.
NU-Q’s 2013 Graduation Ceremony was addressed by Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammad Al Thani, Director General of Al Jazeera and a member of NU-Q’s Joint Advisory Board, as well as Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro and Everette E Dennis, Dean and CEO of NU-Q.
The ceremony also featured a keynote speech by Qatari writer and film-maker Sophia Al Maria, author of the critically acclaimed The Girl Who Fell to Earth.
Sophia said: “Qatar is a place of magical thinking. And this is that rarest of rare moments in time where big – yellow - words like ‘Dream’ and ‘Innovative’ and ‘Achieve’ have tangible, practical outcomes in a real world of our design. They are words repeated so often that it is easy to forget their power,” she said.
On his part, Ismaeel Naar Student Speaker said: “ Whether it is a Communications film that encapsulates the Syrian revolution and what it means for a son and his mother or a journalism report on the struggles of the Qatari people living with diabetes and illness, what we have learned here is that stories have the power to move not only a person, but a nation. “ The graduating class of 33 students has accomplished an incredible amount in their 4 years at NU-Q.
The seniors have produced, filmed, animated, edited, directed, researched, written, reported, and broadcast no less than 500 works during their time at NU-Q. (QNA)
The Peninsula
