Students Organize GAAP Day Welcome for Prospective Members of the Class of 2023
On Sunday, April 15, GU-Q students hosted the Georgetown Admissions Ambassador Program (GAAP) Day, an annual tradition which gives admitted students the opportunity to see Georgetown in action before they officially enroll in the university. GAAP Day helps promote the higher education mission of Georgetown and Qatar Foundation, and gives students and their families greater insight into the Georgetown experience and all that Education City has to offer.
The program began with a warm welcome from Dr. Brendan Hill, Senior Associate Dean for Students, followed by presentations from faculty, staff, students, and alumni. They learned about the B.S.F.S. curriculum and co-curricular programs, Georgetown’s guiding principles and values, and the outstanding opportunities for personal and professional development. They were also presented with a snapshot of the diverse career paths of alumni following graduation.
After the overview, students broke up into groups for introductory ice breakers, before taking part in “Hoya Dialogues,” an opportunity for new students to meet their potential classmates for conversation and camaraderie. A fun game of jeopardy brought out everyone’s competitive spirit, and a symbolic walk under an archway of blue, grey, and white balloons as confetti flew through the air brought the GAAP Day celebrations to a lively crescendo. For the first time, participating students took over GU-Q social media channels to share their photos and perspectives of the experience throughout the day.
The GAAP Day activities for a selection of accepted students living abroad began the preceding Saturday morning, through the Georgetown International Admitted Students Program (GIASP).The purpose of GIASP is threefold: to give admitted international students an understanding of the culture and heritage of Qatar, to let them experience modern life in Qatar, and to welcome them into the Hoya community.
The GIASP program included a full day of off-campus programs and activities for the admitted students and their accompanying parent or chaperone. The student group visited Msheireb Museums and took in the atmosphere and lively street life of Souq Waqif before navigating the blue waters of the Arabian Gulf on a water shuttle to Qatar’s reclaimed island, the Pearl.
On Sunday morning, new international students, parents and chaperones enjoyed their own tailored tour of Doha with a visit to Qatar Foundation to learn about its history, achievements and goals, as well as a tour of residence halls, and the purpose-built HBKU student center. The day concluded with a visit to GU-Q for GAAP registration and a warm welcome, along with the opportunity to gain more information about financial aid options, student life, future career paths, and to learn about alumni experiences.
This year’s GIASP program hosted a total of 17 international students from abroad and their chaperones, representing 13 countries. This year also saw three new countries added to the list of nations represented by GU-Q’s diverse body of accepted applicants.