Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) celebrated the academic achievements of 119 undergraduate students hailing from 38 nations, including Qatar, alongside 21 graduate students from Qatar. This event took place during a commencement ceremony on May 9, 2024.
The ceremony unfolded at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) Conference Hall, where a gathering of family members, friends, university faculty and staff, as well as distinguished guests from Qatar and Georgetown University in Washington, DC, convened to mark this significant milestone.
Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities of South Africa, delivered a keynote address imbued with inspiration and wisdom. She emphasized paying success forward, continuing, “The world needs stars. And you are going to be stars, but you must create many more [of] yourselves.” Later in her speech, she shared her vision for the future: “We hope that by the time you are my age, your children and your grandchildren will be living in a better world, one that you would have contributed to create…with other young people across the world.”
During the commencement ceremony, Dr. Safwan Masri, the dean of GU-Q, delivered a speech where he commended the achievements of the graduating students saying, “I hope you are as proud of yourselves as we are of you. Thank you for enriching our lives, for expanding our minds, and for opening our hearts…we are immensely grateful and honored to see Georgetown’s legacy of providing education that positively impacts the world, in each of you."
Bachelor’s and Executive Master’s Degree Conferrals. The ceremony featured the traditional conferral of degrees was conducted by Georgetown University President Dr. John J. DeGioia. Dean Joel Hellman of the School of Foreign Service (SFS) then introduced the candidates from the four-year Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service program, specializing in areas such as Culture and Politics, International Economics, International History, and International Politics. Following this, Dean Masri took the stage to recognize the Executive Master’s in Diplomacy and International Affairs candidates, emphasizing the importance of their negotiation and problem-solving abilities for assuming leadership positions both in Qatar and globally.
Tropaia Ceremony and Student Speech. Preceding the commencement, the Tropaia awards ceremony, a revered Georgetown tradition, honored the outstanding academic and service accomplishments of seniors, faculty, and staff.
During her address to fellow graduates, senior speaker Ayet Bouhajeb shared insights from her student journey, which commenced during a pandemic and concluded amidst significant regional conflicts. She urged her peers to utilize their skills and knowledge acquired at Georgetown for the betterment of humanity. “Let us use our voices, our skills, and our knowledge to make a positive impact on the world, to stand in solidarity with those who suffer, and to work towards a future where peace, justice, and equality reign supreme,” she said.
Since its establishment in 2005, GU-Q has been an active part of Georgetown’s worldwide network, marking nearly twenty years of academic distinction in Qatar and the surrounding region. GU-Q provides the esteemed SFS curriculum, granting students from various backgrounds a chance to receive a comprehensive, top-tier education in international affairs.
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