A total of 19 men and 38 women received their diplomas from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (GU-Q) at an official commencement ceremony held on the university’s Education City campus last week.
The graduating class represented many different nationalities, a group of students which included 22 Qataris who each received a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) degree, an interdisciplinary programme that prepares students to tackle global issues of importance by providing them training in critical thinking, analytic and communication skills within an international context. The degree is available in International Politics, International Economics, Culture and Politics, or International History.
HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairperson of Qatar Museums (QM), was the guest of honour at the proceedings. Other guests included friends and families, as well as several Qatari dignitaries and Georgetown visitors from Doha and main campus in Washington DC.
John J DeGioia, president of Georgetown University in Washington DC, conferred the degrees to the graduating class.
DeGioia said: “On this special occasion to celebrate our graduating seniors, we are also so pleased to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of our campus in Qatar. GU-Q represents the very best of our commitment to excellence and the conviction that, in working together, we can build a better world.”
Opening the ceremonies, Dr Gerd Nonneman, dean of GU-Q, said, “This graduating class has the honour of marking Georgetown’s first decade of excellence in Qatar, a class of young, hardworking, global citizens with the critical skillset needed to fulfill the ambitions of their communities.”
The dean’s opening remarks were followed by an address to the graduating seniors from the keynote speaker, Princess Ghida Talal, chairperson of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and an alumni of Georgtown University.
“Georgetown gave me the education, the direction and the strength of character to face my challenges head on and not only overcome them, but ultimately transform them into some of my greatest achievements,” she said.
Including the class of 2015, GU-Q has graduated 272 students representing more than 50 countries.