College of the North Atlantic Qatar’s (CNA-Q) highest achieving graduates of the Class of 2016 were in the spotlight during a gala celebration sponsored by Oryx GTL.
The Oryx GTL President’s Medal for Academic Excellence was presented to 30 graduating students who received the highest marks in their individual programmes. Of those honoured, 12 achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
“This group of young people represent the best and the brightest that CNA-Q has to offer,” said CNA-Q president Dr Ken MacLeod. “I look forward to these future leaders entering the workforce in Qatar and contributing to the economy of this vibrant country. We at CNA-Q take great pride in being able to graduate such high-performing, competent, job-ready students.”
The President’s Medal for Academic Excellence has been awarded since the college’s inception, however it became a gala event three years ago when Oryx GTL became the official sponsor.
The sponsorship forms part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme, which aims to promote and celebrate excellence in education. Corporate partnerships have been a mainstay at CNA-Q since 2002, with more than 60%  of students sponsored by local organisations and ministries.
“It is part of Oryx GTL’s CSR to recognise outstanding individuals and future leaders who are contributing to building Qatar’s knowledge economy and achieving QNV2030,” said  Sami al-Shammari, IT & Telecommunications manager at Oryx GTL.
The 2016 President’s Medal winners represent nine countries – Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, India, Somalia, Sudan, Nigerian, Algeria and the Philippines. And those sponsored represent Qatar Petroleum, Commercial Bank of Qatar, Qatar Electricity and Water Company, Dolphin Energy Limited and Hamad Medical Corporation.
In addition to the medals, four Distinguished Graduate awards were presented to students who not only exemplified academic excellence but also excelled in extracurricular activities. One student was chosen for this honour from each of the academic schools at the College – Business Studies, Engineering Technology, Health Sciences and Information Technology.
The 30 President’s Medal recipients will join 515 of their fellow students today for the 12th CNA-Q graduation ceremony – the largest graduating class since the college opened 14 years ago.