Profiles of Excellence: Georgetown University Graduating Seniors

As the thermometer steadily rises with the approach of the summer months, many in Doha are beginning to make plans for the long summer holiday. But on May 10, 2014, 47 students at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) will be graduating from the prestigious institution, and making plans for the rest of their lives. It is a tremendous transition in a young person’s life, one marked by equal parts fear and excitement as the black robe is donned, and the walk to receive a diploma is made. And for Georgetown seniors Touhami Abi, Khadija Mahsud, Sara Al-Misnad, Mohamad Khalil Harb and Fatema Al-Malki, there is a lot to look back on, and a lot to look forward to. They all come from different countries – Algeria, U.S./Pakistan, Lebanon, and Qatar – but they are bonded by their school choice for their undergraduate years.

“I was originally going to go to NYU in the U.S., but after an initial visit, I decided to come back home to Qatar and attend GU-Q. And I’m so glad that I did, because I have come to love the people and the environment here at the school,” said Qatari student Fatma Al-Malki, who is majoring in Culture and Politics. And she made the most of the benefits of a world class education so close to home, earning a place in the Phi Beta Kappa National Academic Honor Society. She also became involved in The Women’s Society and Development club on campus, which raised an impressive 90,000 Qatari riyals for Breast Cancer Awareness in just 3 hours at one event. She also worked to recruit volunteers for Teach for Qatar and co-founded the scholarly student publication, Diwan Magazine, serving as editor in chief for various issues.

She recounts all of the activities she has taken part in, smiling at the memory of each one. “Every single class opened my eyes in a new way. Every time I learned something, I thought that was it, that was my world view, but then I’d learn something new that would undo the old one. This can be scary, but it’s also very educational.  The most important thing I learned as an undergraduate is how to think critically.”

Education City was Khadija Mahsud’s first choice, because she wanted to break out of her comfort zone. “My family was hesitant to send me all the way to the U.S. from Islamabad, so Doha was the perfect middle ground.” The International Politics major found herself taking part in organized sports for the first time when she joined the GU-Q women’s basketball team, which won the championship in the Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Basketball Tournament this academic year. And despite the rigorous practice schedule, she maintained the grades to garner a Scholar-Athlete award as well. Khadija is also a member of the Middle East Student Scholar Association (MESSA), took an active role in the school’s long tradition of the Model United Nations, and took part in Qatar Foundation Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) grant funded study about Doha’s urban spaces called Doha by Design.

But despite her outstanding accomplishments both on the sports field and in the classroom – she will also be inducted in the Phi Beta Kappa National Academic Honor Society – Khadija’s views on college remain well rounded. “It’s important to remember that your degree does not define you to the extent that you think it does. It’s important, but you need to develop a life outside of college not related to your studies. A lot of young people think they have to know what they want by the age of 18 – but you have time to decide.”

Mohamad Khalil Harb describes his first day at Georgetown, at the New Student Orientation, as overwhelming. He laughs now at the memory. “ It was the first time I was exposed to so many nationalities at once. I won’t lie, I was a bit timid in the beginning, as the transition was new to me. Then I learned to go with the flow and enjoy it!” There was no sign of that timidity in the many accomplishments of this student who was recently awarded honors in his chosen major, Culture and Politics, after he completed a 155 page dissertation titled “Living and Imagining City Spaces: The Case of Beirut.”

He was also inducted into Phi Beta Kappa National Academic Honor Society.  He traveled to Cambodia, Germany, Poland and Northern Ireland through Georgetown service learning trips, a hallmark of the school’s approach to hands-on education. An active role in the MUN program, where he was elected Secretary General and President of the board, also sent him all over the world. He also had an article published in a student scholar journal that GU-Q’s MESSA recently launched, the first of its kind in the Middle East. He hopes to complete a doctorate program, and eventually return to GU-Q as a professor. His advice for students just beginning their university education is simple: “Prepare for change.”

International Economics major, Touhami Abi, doesn’t mince words when it comes to the responsibility of university students: “If someone doesn’t want to be here, but is here, they are taking a spot from someone else who can take that knowledge and help the world.” His words are driven by four years that dramatically changed the way he understands the way the world works. “In my freshmen year we went to Bangladesh to study how microfinance was implemented. It seemed to be working very well. But then, in my fourth year, after many development courses and learning how to evaluate such programs, I realized that microfinance wasn’t working as well as we’d learned. It was a disappointing, but ultimately very educational moment that sent a strong signal that life is complex; that we can’t stop at the first sign of success. We have to go deeper and evaluate constantly. Good intentions aren’t enough.”

Touhami took part in student government as well as the GU-Q football team. An inductee into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, he was also a member of the honor council, both of which recognize his dedication to academic excellence. “I was very lucky to get a high quality education that prepares me to face challenges, but that’s not the case for most youth in the Arab world. There’s a big mismatch between what most Arab universities provide in terms of education, and what youth need.” He hopes to obtain a master’s degree and eventually return to Algeria, so that he can apply his education to the development challenges back home.

Georgetown offers students several internship opportunities as an introduction to the working world. But for Qatari student Sara Al-Misnad, an International Politics major, an internship at a bank helped her realize exactly what she did not want to do. “I was at a desk from 9 am to 5 pm reviewing numbers all day. I was advised to go into investment or finance, but after that, I realized it wasn’t for me. I wanted to be in the field, working with people. As a student, working with people is something I learned I loved. That was a real turning point in realizing what I want to do.”

Sara, who was inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society and Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, served on the board of directors and as a chair at MUN for two years, as well as vice president of the student government association. She was a board member of the Hope club, a recruiter for Teach for Qatar, a junior analyst for the student investment fund, treasurer of the Best Buddies Club for special needs kids, and editor of Diwan magazine. Sara was also one of only five students to have won the 2014 HBKU President’s Award, a certificate and medallion honoring all-around performance.

“Speaking as a Qatari who has benefited from the country’s investment in Education City, there’s so much pressure to achieve, and to achieve quickly, and that can hamper your ambition and bring you down. But with the right support, it’s also a big motivating factor. At GU-Q, there’s a really positive competitive atmosphere. Everyone is trying to do their best, to succeed. Being in that environment prepared me to achieve and make the most of my resources.” Her ambition will be taking her to UCL in London after graduation to pursue a master’s degree in management. After that, she says, the sky’s the limit.

Currently offering a four-year liberal arts curriculum with majors in International Politics, International Economics, Culture & Politics, and the recently launched International History degree,  GU-Q has seen steady annual increases in enrollment numbers. In total, 19 men and 28 women representing a total of 17 countries will be graduating this year in a ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC). Touhami, Khadija, Sara, Fatma and Mohamad will be joining the 168 graduates who have already matriculated since the branch campus was established in Education City in 2005. They all have big plans for what comes next. In the words of Fatma Al-Malki, “There will definitely not be any breaks after graduation. Life keeps moving.”