South Asian Senior Spotlight: Celebrating Cultural Contributions and Academic Excellence
As Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) celebrates its 20th Anniversary, the university takes a moment to reflect on the profound impact that South Asian students have had on the campus community.
South Asian Society celebration with Riwaj, 2nd from left, Areesha, 4th from left and Hannan, 3rd from right
Here, we highlight the accomplishments of some remarkable South Asian graduates who have enriched the university with academic achievements, cultural contributions, and leadership initiatives
Abdul Hannan: A Leader in Social Impact and Community Engagement
For Abdul Hannan, coming to Qatar from Karachi, Pakistan, was a transformative experience that allowed him to pursue research and activities aligned with his desire to live a life of meaning. “I chose Georgetown because it wasn’t just about academics, but about growing as a person and contributing to something greater than myself,” he reflects.
An outstanding student majoring in International Politics with a minor in Economics, Hannan graduated magna cum laude, and was recognized with the prestigious Qatar Foundation Excellence Award, which honors top graduates across Education City. He was also inducted into the prestigious Phi Sigma Alpha academic honor society, and Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit honor society that celebrates students who exemplify scholarship, loyalty and service.
His International Politics honors thesis research on cricket and belonging involved collecting the experiences of South Asian migrants, and offering solutions to meet their needs, and his academic internship with Education Above All Foundation, saw him develop educational materials for Afghan refugee students, furthering his commitment to supporting marginalized communities.
Hannan presenting his honors research on cricket and belonging in Qatar
Beyond academics, Hannan has been a dynamic leader on campus. After a semester spent at the campus in Washington, DC, he co-founded Rem and Company in Qatar, an initiative from the DC campus that provides free consulting services to minority- and women-owned businesses, promoting community engagement and professional development. As vice president of the Human Rights Club, he hosted art-based events to address social issues creatively.
As president of the Track and Field Club, he organized inclusive running events to motivate others to take the first step toward a healthier lifestyle.
Hannan with the track team after a Qatar Foundation running event
Hannan left one other lasting impression on the community that embraced him as their own: an original mural in the student lounge. “This mural now stands as a symbol of my journey, my growth as a leader, and my commitment to the community that has shaped me,” he said.
Hannan with his original mural in the student lounge
Areesha Fatima: Scholar and Global Citizen
Areesha Fatima, an International Economics major with a minor in Justice and Peace Studies has made the most of her academic journey at GU-Q, enriched by both rigorous coursework and transformative global experiences. Growing up in Lahore, Pakistan, Areesha was drawn to Georgetown for its academic offerings. “I was interested in international relations and economics, and GU-Q’s international economics program was a perfect blend,” she shares.
Graduating with honors, Areesha distinguished herself as an avid researcher, receiving three prestigious research grants to conduct development-related projects: two Kalorama Fellowships from Georgetown University enabled her to conduct research on her home country’s hand block printing and leather tannery industries, and an Undergraduate Research Experience Grant from QRDI led her to study the role of migrant artisans in Qatar’s creative economy. The research allowed her to receive mentorship from Professors Jeremy Koons and Firat Oruc. “The research work allowed me to explore my areas of interest in real world contexts. It helped me understand development issues from multiple lenses which was an incredibly enriching experience” she said.
What really impacted Areesha was her experiences taking what she learned in the classroom into the real world, where she discovered her passion for social justice.
She participated in two Zones of Conflict, Zones of Peace (ZCZP) courses that took her to study conflict-affected regions in Nepal and Indonesia, the second of which she served as a student leader.
Areesha in Indonesia
She also spent a semester studying abroad in Washington, DC, where she undertook courses and community-based work in order to pursue a minor in Justice and Peace Studies.
Areesha at Georgetown in Washington, DC for DC-Doha Dialogues
Her intellectual curiosity led her to enhance her applied econometrics knowledge through Summer School at the London School of Economics. Her openness to learn different perspectives led her to engage with her peers in Washington, DC, through the DC-Doha Dialogues program.
In Kenya, during a Community Engagement Program, she explored social entrepreneurship in depth. “I learned that social entrepreneurship meant taking initiative to create social change for oneself and their communities, and was inspired to take such initiative in my community too,” she shared. Her passion for social and economic justice ignited, Areesha hopes to translate her Georgetown education into a life of service.
Areesha, front right, in Kenya studying entrepreneurship
Having already gained a strong and diverse professional foundation through internships such as at Earthna, Middle East Council for Global Affairs, and Strategy Hub, Areesha hopes to use her education to make a meaningful impact.
“I am deeply indebted to Georgetown for the opportunities, mentorship, and scholarship I have received over the years that have allowed me to grow in ways that I had not anticipated. I hope to carry these values forward with me.”
Areesha presenting about her internship with Strategy Hub
Riwaj Khatiwada: From Kathmandu to Qatar, Building a Future in Economics and Math
“I grew up in Kathmandu, Nepal,” says Riwaj Khatiwada, whose early experiences shaped a worldview that values “the intersection between tradition and innovation.” Among the first in his extended family to study abroad, Riwaj came to Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) seeking “a rigorous academic environment that also emphasized global engagement.”
At GU-Q, he majored in International Economics with a minor in Mathematics, while leaning into his culture and interests to build communities on campus, founding the Chess Club and contributing to the Georgetown Cricket Team. “My time with the Georgetown Cricket Team has been transformative, fostering personal growth and a lifelong love for cricket,” he said.
His love for his homeland and passion for cricket also found its way into his academic life, producing original research such as his independent study on, “Bayesian Analysis on the Motivation of High School Students Leaving Nepal,” and developing improved cricket score predictions: “My approach overcomes the static assumptions of the standard DLS method and provides more nuanced predictions,” he explains.
Riwaj (center) at the University of Pennsylvania presenting his paper on Bayesian Analysis
A true math enthusiast, Riwaj’s journey also included the opportunity to connect across campuses, and travel. He took advanced math coursework at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, crafted his own course in math, and spent a semester abroad where he connected with fellow mathematicians studying in Washington, DC.
A summer course studying the environment in Greece with students from the DC campus kept him further engaged, while a course trip to Nepal allowed him to re-examine his homeland through a new lens. “Studying through a foreign lens allowed me to appreciate the complexities of our past and the lasting impact of conflict on communities I grew up with,” he recalled.
Riwaj exploring ecology during the Greece Summer Symposium
Riwaj looks ahead to working in data science before going on to graduate school to pursue further studies in the field. With a growing following for his math and theory visualizations on his Instagram page Project Epsilon Delta, he hopes to continue to not just apply data to better explain the world, but also to inspire a love of math in others. This spirit of finding innovative ways to find joy in ordinary topics extended across his entire career at GU-Q. Asked what he’ll remember most, he said: “Just being involved with the community, daily interactions, and hanging out in the atrium.”
Riwaj hosting his classmates in Nepal during a course trip.
A Legacy of Celebrating Inclusion
As GU-Q celebrates its 20th Anniversary, the university honors the diverse contributions of South Asian students, whose academic achievements, leadership roles, and cultural engagement have enriched the campus community. Abdul, Areesha, and Riwaj exemplify the university’s commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for students of all backgrounds. Their dedication to excellence in both academics and extracurricular activities has not only shaped their own experiences but has also contributed to the university’s legacy of inclusion and global engagement.