Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) celebrated its 20th anniversary and 2018 Commencement ceremony at a grand event earlier this week. The day began with the commencement as graduating students were conferred with their degrees.
Shawn Brixey, the dean of VCUarts in Richmond and the Commencement’s keynote speaker told the students: “Be the pioneer of those discoveries. Harness the creative daring to make the world a more verdant, imaginative, and better home to all of us.”
The university conferred 53 Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, painting and printmaking, and art history, and four Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees in design. The 17th Commencement brings the number of VCUarts Qatar alumni to 677.
“VCUarts Qatar has been a steady source of innovation and alternative ways of looking at the world and at ourselves. As we end our 20th Year, we continue to be excited about the opportunities to cultivate a dynamic intercultural environment of research, learning and community engagement that provides the context for the holistic development of exemplary artists, designers and scholars to build vibrant communities and diversified economies” said Dr Donald N Baker, the executive dean of VCUarts Qatar.
The Class of 2018 co-valedictorians Asma Hasan, and Dimitri Salomao gave a well-received speech in which they thanked their families, fellow graduates, friends, and faculty, and looked forward to what comes next. Amiri Diwan’s adviser HE Dr Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, the guest speaker, said: “This significant institutional milestone – two fruitful decades of Qatar Foundation’s partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar – reflects the continuing commitment of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to education as a pillar of society and an engine of growth, prosperity, and security.”
Dr Abdulla continued, “VCUarts Qatar has played a formative role in the education of a new generation of vital actors in the world of arts, in Qatar and beyond.”
Arab Engineering Bureau (AEB) presented the 2018 awards for Design Excellence, and Creative Achievement and Potential to two graduating and two junior students from VCUarts Qatar at the 20th Anniversary Gala. AEB’s Group CEO and chief architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, a longtime supporter and friend of VCUarts Qatar, presented the AEB Award for Design Excellence in Graphic Design to graduating student Amira Natsheh, and for Design Excellence in Interior Design to graduating student Zeina Sleiman.
The awards were instituted by Jaidah to encourage and assist graduating students as they start their careers as designers in Qatar and the region. Jaidah is recognised as a pioneer of a new architectural movement that combines the far-reaching influences of Islamic art with modern styles to create memorable landmark structures that are shaping Qatar.
“VCUarts Qatar has achieved such milestone celebrating its 20th anniversary in Qatar. Personally, and as a firm, we are honoured to be a part of such achievement with the Arab Engineering Bureau Design Excellence Awards which were instituted back in 2007,” he said.
The AEB Award for Creative Achievement in Graphic Design was presented to graphic design junior Hind al-Kuwari, and for Creative Achievement in Interior Design to interior design junior Naurin Parambil.
These awards aim to help the junior students recognise their true potential, create leadership and encourage them to continue developing their skills through their senior year. The awards are a major highlight of the academic year for VCUarts Qatar’s students.
VCUarts Qatar’s executive dean Donald N Baker said the university was hugely grateful for the continued support from AEB over the past decade and added that the awards recognised the students’ commitment to their future careers in what is a very competitive and demanding environment. Besides the awards, AEB and Jaidah continue to partner with VCUarts Qatar by offering internship opportunities to VCUarts Qatar students.
AEB’s Group CEO and chief architect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah presented an award to graduating student Amira Natsheh as VCUarts Qatar executive dean Donald N Baker looks on.
