(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) held the commencement ceremony for its graduating Class of 2024 at Hamad Bin Khalifa University's Multaqa Students Center in Qatar Foundation's (QF) Education City on May 6.
67 students from VCUarts Qatar's Art History, fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Painting + Printmaking and MFA programmes, intend to graduate from the art and design university this year.
The Class of 2024 graduates, most of whom had joined the University at the pandemic's peak, include 19 Graphic Design students, 19 Interior Design students, eight Painting + Printmaking students, eight Art History students, seven Fashion Design students, and six MFA in design students.
Dignitaries who attended the ceremony included H E Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani; US Ambassador H E Timmy Davis; Francisco Marmolejo, President of Higher Education at Qatar Foundation; and Ibrahim Jaidah, Group CEO and Chief Architect of Arab Engineering Bureau.
The Commencement Speaker was Sumayya Vally, Founder and Principal of Counterspace, an award-winning architecture and research practice in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Vally reminded the soon-to-be graduates of the need not to let go of the ideals they forged during their time at VCUarts Qatar. She said,“The primary foundation of studying here is an apparent separation from the real world - a space to experiment, explore, develop and imagine. Graduating out of that space can be daunting because it implies that you will be leaving creativity and exploration behind. Yes, it can feel like the stakes may be higher; but let us be reminded that some of the most brave and courageous movements start in this very space.”
VCUarts Qatar's Dean Amir Berbić said,“Despite the exceptional circumstances of a worldwide pandemic, you rose to the occasion with courage and determination. You adapted to remote learning, embraced new technologies, made the word Zoom part of everyday vocabulary, and found creative ways to connect with each other and your professors. Now, here you are, standing at the precipice of a new chapter in your lives, having navigated through exceptional times. Your journey has been marked by strength, adaptability, and a steadfast commitment to your craft."
The event was also attended by guests from VCUarts Qatar's renowned home campus, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts (VCUarts), in Richmond, US. They included Dr. Michael Rao, President, VCU; Dr. Carmenita Higginbotham, Dean, VCUarts, and Dr. Scott Breuninger, Dean, the Honors College, VCU, all of whom shared special messages congratulating the graduating Class of 2024. Dr. Michael Rao, President, VCU, said,“Today is the culmination of our year-long celebration of the 25th anniversary of VCU's partnership with the Qatar Foundation. For a quarter century, VCU Qatar has been a worldwide leader in creativity and design, cultivating an impressive generation of creators, designers, artists and scholars. Our Qatar campus, thanks to a culture of innovation inspired by our faculty, has become a place where we are able to experiment with the very best in learning and design.”
This year, VCUarts Qatar recognised Kaltham Essa Al Fakhroo, BFA in Graphic Design, and Selma Fejzullaj, BFA in Graphic Design, as Co-valedictorians. Al Fakhroo and Fejzullaj jointly addressed the gathering, taking turns to share their experiences and emotions.
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