Qatar Foundation Visit Gives Georgetown Leadership Track Students a Birds Eye View of Higher Education

Third and fourth year students enrolled in the newly expanded Georgetown Leadership Track program recently had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of Qatar Foundation (QF) for a presentation on the institution’s history and strategic mission, and to engage members of the organizational staff in fruitful discussions. 

The visit was part of the Connections Cafe, the final stage of personal development activities offered by the leadership program. At QF headquarters, the delegation of five junior and two senior students enjoyed a majlis presentation on the history of the Foundation and the organization’s human development mission going forward. There was also a series of talks with Amy Johnson, community engagement director, Michael Jabri-Pickett, newsroom editor-in-chief, and Muhammad Hassan, protocol and vistor relation administrator for QF communications on their roles at QF, and a review of QF’s extensive organizational chart that showcases the workings of the Foundation.

International History major Fiza Shahzad (SFS’21) shared how different the visit was from her expectations, saying “This experience was quite unique as my opinion of QF changed completely. I was positively surprised by the amount of time and effort that was put in from their end, especially after being made aware of the busy schedules they have.”

She also stressed the benefits of building a network while still a student. “These are people who have made a connection with us…I now know four or five people at QF and know how to approach them.”

For Anji Effat (SFS’21), who’s majoring in International Economics, understanding the inner workings of the foundation “was beneficial for potential future employment inside QF after graduation. I know what to expect.”

Afsha Kohli, associate director for student development and program organizer, was part of the GU-Q visitor delegation. “Students understand that GU-Q, as a member of the family of QF institutions, is part of a globally recognized knowledge hub in the region,” she said, adding: “As the final year focuses on the year of connections, this visit was meant to highlight the connections that are present outside of Georgetown, and to give our program participants the chance to establish their own connections.”

Eman Thowfeek, student development coordinator, organized the visit and also took part in the delegation.  Although students are already familiar with QF, she said, “by engaging directly with three key individuals at the organization, they were able to gain a first-hand understanding of the vision and mission of QF, and  brought home the understanding that a graduate from GU-Q is also a graduate of QF.”

Participating student, International Economics major Adam Polacco (SFS’21), said: “I like that they emphasized the fact that we will be QF alumni and that we have opportunities after we graduate and they let us feel like we are a part of the community by taking our feedback into consideration.”

The Georgetown Leadership Track program is a dynamic four-year program based on foundational Georgetown values that aims to develop leadership and career skills through workshops, activities, and engagement opportunities. Learn more at: https://www.qatar.georgetown.edu/campus-life/experiential-learning/georg…