GU-Q Students Spent Eventful Summers Engaged In Hands-On Learning

Doha, Qatar: From South Africa, to Switzerland, to Kazakhstan, GU-Q students spent eventful summers engaged in hands-on learning to prepare for active citizenship and productive careers in international affairs.

Several students spent their summers engaging in real-world casework to build their resumes. Abdullah Bin Masood (SFS'25) and Obaid Ullah (SFS'25) were admitted to a highly selective 8-week consulting internship at diiVe in South Africa, where they developed real solutions for clients. Abdullah's team created a monitoring and evaluation framework and funding strategies for a non-profit youth unemployment agency, which they presented to its board of directors.

“Our recommendations were well-received and slated for implementation. This experience reinforced my passion for leveraging business acumen to drive social impact,” he said.

Ibrahim Absar (SFS'26) advanced his consulting goals at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he studied innovation management.

“I learned that true innovation isn't just about bold ideas, but about executing them in ways that really transform industries,” he reported, adding:“As I aim for a future in strategy consulting, the ability to drive disruptive change will be crucial, and this experience has prepared me to do exactly that.”

Also at LSE for the summer was International Economics major Areesha Fatima (SFS'25), who took courses on econometrics and big data. She wasn't alone in capitalizing on the summer to develop highly technical applied skills; International Economics major Anupa Khanal (SFS'26) spent her summer in Vienna, Austria, at the Alternative Economic and Monetary Systems intensive program. Interested in a career advancing circular economics and the impact of sovereign wealth funds, Anupa lived in green dorms and furthered her understanding of economic solutions to the climate crisis.

Meanwhile, International Politics major Aras Karlidag (SFS'25) shared that he spent part of his summer in Milan, Italy as a Lex Fellow, taking part in a selective pre-law fellowship where he took legal training and worked on active cases at multiple law firms.

“As an aspiring lawyer or lawmaker, seeing how a variety of firms across different fields of law operate, and working on real cases, helped me put law in a global context, and understand its nuances and significance across various legal systems.”

Future diplomats focused on building their networks and learning diplomacy from expert practitioners. Abdul Hannan (SFS'25) immersed himself in the culture and politics of Europe at the Graz University International Summer School at Seggau Castle in Austria, studying the European Union.“The knowledge, intercultural skills, and connections I gained have prepared me for success in globally focused roles, which require insights into territorial disputes, demographic shifts, and regional transformations that affect global stability and cooperation,” he reflected.

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