Class of 2014 Honored at Georgetown University Qatar Commencement Ceremony

On May 10, 2014, forty seven black-robed seniors attending Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) received their graduation diplomas at an official commencement ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC). The nineteen graduating men and twenty eight graduating women representing seventeen different nationalities each received a Bachelor’s degree in International Politics, International Economics, or Culture and Politics in the formal proceedings which were attended by friends and family of the students, as well as several Qatari dignitaries and Georgetown guests from the Doha and main Washington D.C. campus.

Dr. Gerd Nonneman, the dean of GU-Q, said: “Georgetown University has been teaching the best and brightest students the world has to offer since 1789, and today we recognize the best and brightest from Qatar, the region, and beyond, carrying on the Georgetown tradition. I am so proud of the success achieved here, and the success our graduates will each achieve with the knowledge and experience gained over the last four years.”

Dean Nonneman also praised His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser, the Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, for their leadership and unwavering dedication to higher education.

The Dean’s opening remarks were followed by an inspiring speech from the keynote speaker, HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Saud al-Thani, who is currently a Minister of State. He is also a member of GU-Q’s Joint Advisory Board and a member of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Museums Authority. He previously served as Qatar’s ambassador to the United States, as well as the Chief of Amiri Diwan.

During the Tropaia award ceremony held earlier in the week, Georgetown’s traditional year-end event that recognizes the top students in various fields, as well as staff and faculty recognition, International Economics major Touhami Abi had the prestigious honor of receiving the Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali Award, which is awarded by the GU-Q faculty.

John J. DeGioia, President of Georgetown University in Washington D.C., conferred the degrees to the graduating class, and congratulated them for the successful completion of years of hard work and effort. The GU-Q graduating class of 2014 will join the 168 graduates who have already walked in the commencement ceremonies since the Georgetown branch campus was established in Education City in 2005.