Hoyas gather in Dubai at the “highest alumni event in the world”

Georgetown University’s Alumni Club of the GCC recently organized a gathering for alumni living in the U.A.E. where 45 alumni members took the opportunity to network and reconnect with their fellow Hoyas. The venue chosen for the occasion was the Dubai’s Burj Khalifa tower which currently holds the title of the tallest building in the world and is the magnificent centerpiece of Downtown Dubai. Fittingly referred to as the “highest alumni event in the world” the gathering was held on 101st floor of Burj Khalifa and drew one third of the Georgetown alumni members who currently live and work in the U.A.E.

GU-Q’s Manager of Alumni Relations, Charles Nailen, noted that this is the first event for the U.A.E. alumni chapter where there are about 150 Georgetown alumni members who primarily hold positions in consultancy and finance fields.  “Over the past months, we have been working to help organize alumni in the U.A.E. and integrate them into our GCC-wide alumni club.  Under the leadership of our local Ambassadors and our regional executive committee, we are excited that this event serves as a milestone in the expansion of vibrant and dynamic alumni community across the region,” he said.

Many alumni members from the Dubai community have welcomed the idea of having more of U.A.E. chapter events in the future.

“It is reinvigorating to connect with so many fascinating Hoyas from diverse backgrounds in the microcosm that is Dubai,” said GCC Alumni Ambassador in Dubai, Salman Khalid (MPP ‘07), who is a vice president of one of the major international financial organizations operating in the U.A.E. “ I am already looking forward to the next gathering,” he said.

Georgetown Alumni Ambassador in Dubai, Hana Dalloul (MSB ‘98), agreed and said that many alumni are enjoying the Georgetown community atmosphere and have high hopes for future alumni events. “It is amazing that Georgetown has such a strong community here in Dubai.  I like the fact that we are able hold events like this to reconnect with fellow Hoyas, and we are already looking forward to planning more alumni events in the future,” she commented.

To mark the occasion, GU-Q’s Dean Gerd Nonneman, who was also in attendance at the Dubai event and spoke about the numerous achievements and initiatives GU-Q has been a part of in the region, highlighting the most notable contributions of the University in the fields of research, academics and community engagement.