Qatar Museums Chairperson H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (third right) and other dignitaries and faculty attending VCUarts Qatar commencement ceremony 2023.
Doha: Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) held the commencement ceremony for its graduating class of 2023 at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Multaqa Students Center in Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City on May 8.
64 students from VCUarts Qatar’s Art History, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Painting + Printmaking and MFA programs will graduate from the art and design university this year.
The class of 2023 graduates include 19 Graphic Design students, 20 Interior Design students, six Painting + Printmaking students, seven Art History students, five Fashion Design students, and seven MFA students. The dignitaries who attended the ceremony included H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and senior representatives of Doha Film Institute, Reach Out to Asia, and Qatar Leadership Centre.
The commencement speaker was Shaikha Hanadi bint Nasser Al Thani, a Qatari business leader, reminded the soon-to-be graduates of the need to “dream big” and “embrace challenges”.
She said, “As an economist, you may wonder why I stand before you today. It is because I believe that creativity, when paired with discipline and persistence, leads to greatness. The renowned economist John Maynard Keynes once said, 'The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.' My life and career have revolved around this quote.
“Class of 2023 (…) As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, remember that there is no perfect job, and no career path is without challenges. Embrace those challenges, learn from them, and grow. As you leave the nurturing embrace of VCUarts Qatar, I urge you to remain committed, curious, and courageous. “Qatar is a nation that embraces challenges, fosters unity, and celebrates creativity. You, the graduating class of VCUarts Qatar, will continue this legacy.”
From VCUarts Qatar, the University’s Dean, Amir Berbić; Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Dr. Cherif Amor; Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Dr. Katherine Wildman; the Deans, Directors, Associate Deans and Chairs of the University’s many departments and programs, and faculty and staff, were present to mark the occasion.
VCUarts Qatar’s Dean Berbić said, “You are graduating into a world that is wholly different from when your journey at VCUarts Qatar began.
“You should be incredibly proud of everything you’ve accomplished in the last four years when the world itself was starting a new chapter of its own. Now, it is up to you to take ownership of the opportunities that await you in this environment. “The FIFA World-cup in Qatar showed us that it takes designers, artists, storytellers and creators to shape meaningful and profound experiences — take a moment to appreciate how you are uniquely positioned to take the creative reins in this country while the legacy of an incredible World Cup is still fresh – indeed, your time is now.”
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 and Special Assistant to the Provost, VCUarts, and Dr. Scott Breuninger, Dean, The Honors College, VCU, all of whom shared special messages congratulating the graduating Class of 2023.
Dr. Michael Rao, President, VCU, said, “Good design makes our lives better. Helping people understand the world around them, and navigate it more easily, is as vitally important as anything else we do. That’s why we have worked together to prepare you not just to be designers, or artists – or doctors, or engineers, or teachers. We’ve educated you to be deep thinkers. We’ve educated you to be the leading innovators of the world. You will be creating the future – for yourselves, for Qatar, for the world.” Valedictorian and Graphic Design senior Fatima Nazir spoke on behalf of her peers when she said, “One of the most valuable lessons we learn during our time at VCUarts Qatar is to “trust the process.” Designing is a challenging field that often requires a lot of articulation and experimentation, but through patience and a willingness to explore new ideas, we have been able to push our limits and create some of our best works.”
