Doha, Qatar: January 17, 2010: Students and parents who attended Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q)’s flagship workshop for high schoolers on Thursday January 13, gave enthusiastic feedback about the opportunities a Northwestern degree provides.
The workshop, entitled “Discover Northwestern University in Qatar”, was an informational session that profiled the University’s programs in Communication and Journalism and the range of career opportunities that Northwestern graduates around the world enjoy.
It was the penultimate session in the “Get Ready!” Application Success workshop series, which aims to help students submit more competitive college applications.
Fatma Nasser, currently a senior at Qatar University, said she plans to be a journalist and wants to undertake a second degree at NU-Q. “I have been to all of the workshops run by Northwestern,” she said. “I am very enthusiastic about journalism and everything related. I like writing and my hope is to work for Al Jazeera eventually.”
Aisha Abduljawad is a grade 12 student at the American School of Doha. She attended NU-Q’s communication workshop last year where she was among a group of students who made short films. She said this sparked her interest in Northwestern’s programs. “I am pleased to be here to learn about the courses and what I can do with my degree after university,” she explained.
Aziza Hassan Al-Aidaroos, a grade 12 student from Al-Resala Independent School, attended the event with her father. “The workshop answered all of my questions,” she said. “I always thought I would go into medicine but maybe I will change my mind. I am interested in journalism. It seems like a very useful area of study.” Asked what he felt about her daughter’s interest in Northwestern, Aziza’s father Hassan said, “She can choose anything she wants for her degree. I am very happy my daughter brought me here to learn more.”
Another parent, Heba Noaman, attended the workshop on behalf of her son Seif Talaat, a student at DeBakey High School. She said: “My son knows exactly what he wants. He wants to be involved in public issues, like media and public relations. I’m an engineer myself, but he needs to study what he feels passionate about and have a career that will allow him to participate in community.”
Dean of NU-Q John Margolis said that he was delighted by the interest shown in Northwestern University and the “exciting programs it offers”. Citing references to creativity, accountability, and transparency in the Qatar National Vision 2030, he pointed out the ways in which Northwestern’s programs in communication and journalism contributed to the achievement of that vision. “We share the view of Qatar Foundation that the enterprises of journalism and communication are enormously important to Qatar’s progress as an open and creative society.”
The informational session began with some background information on Northwestern University, followed by a talk from the deans of journalism and communication.
Richard Roth, senior associate dean of journalism at NU-Q, said: “With a degree from our Medill School of Journalism, a graduate can go almost anywhere. Our liberal arts curriculum and ‘learn by doing’ approach to education give students the foundation to succeed.”
NU-Q’s senior associate dean of communication, James Schwoch, emphasized the School of Communication’s diverse curriculum and the state-of-the-art equipment that is available to students, which will eventually include a 350-person theatre, a broadcast newsroom and a digital radio station. “Northwestern University students will be at the leading edge of inventing new industries and applications of mobile culture,” he said.
The event concluded with a question and answers session, during which students and parents asked questions of NU-Q’s admissions team to learn more about gaining admission to the University.
The workshops have been running weekly since December 9th, and will finish on January 20th with a session on financial aid. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn and ask questions about applying for aid from the various available sources.
The final deadline for applications to Northwestern University in Qatar is March 1, 2010; the application fee will be waived for those submitting their applications by February 10, 2010.
The final workshop, “Financing Your Education,” will be held on 20 January from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in the Forum room at Northwestern University, located on the top floor of the Carnegie Mellon building in Education City. For more information on this and other events, visit: http://www.qatar.northwestern.edu/newsandevents/page.aspx?id=175828
