Qatar University Honors 845 Female Students in Graduation Ceremony

Doha, June 19 (QNA) - Qatar University honored the 845 female students who graduated in the 36th annual Class of 2013 ceremony held at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) Wednesday in the presence of guest of honor HE the President of Hamad bin Khalifa University Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al Thani. The students were joined by their parents, family, faculty members and university staff to attend the three-hour ceremony in celebration of the 786 undergraduate, 44 Masters, eight Doctorate and seven Diploma students who will today begin a new chapter in their lives armed with the skills and knowledge to play a key role in the development of Qatar. This year 60 students overall graduated with Honors, being in the top five percent of the graduating class of 2013 and with a minimum GPA of 3.50. Some 50 of them were female students. The top 10 Honors students who received Academic Excellence Medals for distinguished academic performance this year were all female students. This year's ceremony also saw the graduation of the first students from several graduate programs including the MA Gulf Studies program and MSc Environmental Science program. QU President Professor Sheikha Al-Misnad awarded the students with their graduation certificates and congratulated them, saying: "Qatar University has been your life for these last few years, and you all have worked so hard to make your time here a success. It may not always have been easy, but you have shown great determination, drive and vision to get you to where you are today and we are very proud of your achievements. "As QU alumni, you are the faces of the university and the future of Qatar. We hope you will relish the opportunity to act as ambassadors and help the coming graduates to achieve as much as you have done and will continue to do. "You all have the education, skills and talent to succeed in your field. Use what you have learned here, build on it wisely and take calculated risks. I have no doubt that all of you will have flourishing careers, which will be a real credit to you, your families and the State of Qatar." The largest college at the university, the College of Arts & Sciences, graduated 344 female undergraduate and five Masters students. Some 126 students graduated from the College of Engineering, including 11 Masters; while the College of Education graduated 19 undergraduate students and 18 graduate students - including seven with Diplomas and a further 11 with Masters. College of Business and Economics graduated 202 female batchelors students and 17 MBA and MAC students; College of Law graduated 55 students, College of Sharia and Islamic Studies 31 students and College of Pharmacy 20 BSc students and eight graduate students from the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. The Master of Ceremonies was Qatari student Fatema Al-Emadi, from College of Business and Economics, who formally opened the graduation with the national anthem and recitations of the Holy Qu'ran before the assembled graduates and guests watched a film charting their student lives and achievements during their university years. Miss Al-Emadi said: "Qatar's ambitious National Vision 2030 to establish a knowledge-based economy means that expanding knowledge and education is the key to elevating our nation. We were so lucky to be part of this academic life at Qatar University and to have had the opportunity to write in our diaries stories and memories, knowledge and wisdom which we acquired during our time at Qatar University." Valedictorian Aisha Al-Emadi from the College of Law said: "Standing here today, we have realized our long-held dreams. We have mixed feelings we are sorry to say goodbye to the university but we are happy to start our new lives. "All our successes today are due to our state, which although geographically small plays a huge role internationally, and the leadership of our mentor His Highness the Emir." It is 40 years since the foundations of Qatar University were laid, with the establishment of Qatar's first College of Education in 1973. The rapid development of the state and the growing appetite for a national university saw the inauguration of QU in 1977 with four colleges reflecting national need. The university now has seven colleges and a student body of more than 13,000. (QNA)