Waad al-Maadeed, who graduated from Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) last year, received the Platinum Educational Excellence Award during the Educational Excellence Award ceremony from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
The award recognises students who demonstrate excellence across multiple dimensions, including leadership, personal development, community contribution, and research.
Standing on the stage with His Highness the Amir, with her family in the audience, was a surreal experience for al-Maadeed.
“It felt like the perfect ending to a long chapter of hard work, but also the beginning of something even bigger,” she said. “It was a moment I shared with my family, who have supported me every step of the way and a reminder to the community that Qatar’s investment in its youth is resulting in excellence across the country.”
At the GU-Q, there was resounding response to her achievement.
“It is an incredible honour and a powerful testament to Waad’s dedication, talent, and perseverance,” said Dr Ken Grich, associate dean of students.
It was also a chance to celebrate two other GU-Q students recognised at the ceremony: first-year students Fatma al-Mohannadi and Fatma al-Kuwari, honoured for their exemplary high school careers.
It’s a fitting place for them to continue pursuing excellence, says al-Maadeed, who saw the GU-Q as a place to grow not just academically, but as a person committed to the greater good.
Shortly after graduating, she was selected for the Qatar Leadership Centre’s Young Leaders Programme, a competitive international fellowship that placed her at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
Now working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, al-Maadeed is focusing on a future of giving back to her country.
