Students of the Class of 2013 who graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.
Before an audience of more than 1,200 dignitaries, family members and friends, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMUQ) celebrated its sixth graduating class last night.
The event also marked a fond farewell for Jared L Cohon, who will step down as president of Carnegie Mellon in June after 16 years of service to the university. He gave his final charge to the 81 students, including 24 Qataris, the highest number of nationals to graduate from CMUQ till date.
Speaking to the Class of 2013, Cohon said: “The knowledge and skills you have acquired here and the friendships you have forged will shape the rest of your lives. And what you do with your hard-earned degrees will shape the future of Qatar and this region.”
This year’s celebration was also marked by the first graduates in Carnegie Mellon’s biological sciences programme. Of the six biological sciences students to receive their degrees, five received University Honours. Besides, 43 students graduated in business administration, 14 in computer science and 18 in information systems.
Leto Karatsolis-Chanikian, an architecture student who studied on the Pittsburgh (USA) campus, also received her diploma during the ceremony.
Ahmad al-Salama, graduating with a bachelor of science in computer science and a recipient of the 2013 Senior Student Leadership Award, was selected as class speaker. “We, the Class of 2013, have not only witnessed history but also made history,” said al-Salama.
In commemoration of Carnegie Mellon’s Scottish history, the ceremony included a bagpiper dressed in full regalia as well as a performance by a brass ensemble comprising members of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ilker Baybars, dean of CMUQ, presented the Andrew Carnegie Society Scholar Award and the Qatar Campus Scholar Award to Fatema Akbar and Qatar Campus Scholar Awards to Manoj Dareddy and Shivani Arora. The latter also received a Carnegie Mellon Alumni Association Student Service Award.
The Senior Student Leadership Awards went to Afnan Fahim (with distinction), Abhay Valiyaveettil (with distinction), Marwa al-Fakhri (with distinction), Mashael al-Misnad (with distinction), Fahad Islam, al-Salama, Anas Halbawi, Fatima Fikree, Mei Elgindi, Arora, Firas Bata and Akbar.
“We are confident that you are prepared and eager to participate in making the Qatar National Vision a reality. I wish each and every one of you success as you embark on the next stage of your journey,” said Baybars.
Nationalities represented in the Class of 2013 include Qatar, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Germany, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Serbia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America.
Class of 2013
Members of the Class of 2013 are as follows:
* Bachelor of Science in biological sciences: Hiba al-Ashtal, Ridin Balakrishnan, Mei Elgindi, Hadya Elshakh, Rajj Katibe and Mohamed Samer Younes.
* Bachelor of Science in business administration: Mohamed Abbasi, Ahmed Abdulghani, Fatima Abdulla, Ayah Abujarbou, Mughees Ahmed, Mohamed al-Ahmadani, Layal al-Alami, Sumaiya al-Jahdhami, Abdullrahman al-Muftah, Khadeejah al-Husseiny, Fatima al-Khayat, Najla al-Madhadi, Aljawhra al-Mana, Haya al-Mannai, Sara al-Mannai, Hamsa al-Massri, Mashael al-Misnad, Noor al-Mohannadi, Noof al-Muzaffar, Mohamed al-Rawahi, Ahmad al-Sarraf, Maryam al-Subaie, Tariq al-Taie, Maryam al-Thani, Aisha al-Zaman, Dua’a Althabatah, Nahan Arif, Shivani Arora, Firas Bata, Anas Chaudry, Madhurima Datta, Walied El Hag Ali, El Houssain el-Marabti, Fatima Fikree, Dalia Hassan, Hussain Hejji, Nijat Ibrahimov, Amel Osman, Ognjen Popovic, Orkhan Rustamzade, Jevika Shetty, Patrick Steinhagen and Mohamed Hadi Takiddin.
* Bachelor of Science in computer science: Arihant Agarwal, Talal al-Haddad, Ahmad al-Salama, Sidra Alam, Hanan Alshikhabobakr, Manoj Dareddy, Lulwa el-Matbouly, Nehal Mahmoud Elkady Hussein, Arash Enayati Khorzoghi, Afnan Fahim, Youssef Francis, Anas Halbawi, Fahad Islam and Mohamed Soudy.
* Bachelor of Science in information systems: Fatema Akbar, Reham al-Tamime, Hissa al-Bahr, Marwa al-Fakhri, Haya al-Khalifa, Wadha Alajmy, Noora Alsooj, Nur Aysha Anggraini, Mariem Fekih Zguir, Nabeeha Haque, Tasneem Jahan, Yousra Khalil, Sumya Khandaker, Nimmy Muraleedharan, Humaira Tasnim, Abhay Valiyaveettil, Abhinav Vemuri and Maryam Yousuf.
