VCUarts Qatar held its 2019 Commencement Ceremony on May 6 at the HBKU Student Center, and it was by all accounts a resounding success. 

Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) recently held it’s 18th annual Commencement ceremony at HBKU Student Center in Education City to great acclaim. 

It was made memorable by inspiring and touching speeches that were given by faculty, graduates, and the keynote speaker at the event that brought together families, friends, faculty and staff to celebrate the accomplishments of VCUarts Qatar’s graduates.

Dr. Michael Rao, the President of Virginia Commonwealth University told the students: “You are creative scholars who embody the very best of our university and illuminate the very meaning of our humanity. I know you will use your vast talents to benefit humankind.”

The Commencement’s Keynote Speaker, Qatari contemporary composer, songwriter and symphonic artist Dana Al Fardan, told the students, “Today you are stepping onto a new platform; a global marketplace where your talents and skill represent your international currency, and art the international language.”

The Class of 2019 Co-Valedictorians Hind Ghanim Al Saad and Yeon Geong Hwang, both graphic design graduates, gave a well-received speech in which they thanked their families, fellow graduates, friends, and faculty, and looked forward to what comes next. 

“All of you make up our community, and because we were surrounded by you, we grew as people, developed ways of seeing, thinking and reflecting, which completely shifted our perspectives of the world, we started to notice all the small details and see all the connections. It was a creative community of like-minded people, and that was our creative fuel, which made us grow and develop further as creatives, by allowing new perspectives to come in,” Hind said.

“We deeply appreciate that we had such an amazing batch as classmates and friends for the last four years. This batch had inspiring energy - that never sought to give up - and it brought us here today. It would’ve been a very different experience without every single one of you. We also want to thank the often hidden and often less noticed staff of our university. And last but certainly not least, we thank our amazing faculty. Sometimes I think our faculty suffers a bit more than us, and for that, we are very thankful,” Yeon said. 

The university conferred 68 Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, painting and printmaking, and art history, and eight Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees in design. Nearly 60 percent of the graduating students are Qatari. 

Find out more about VCUarts Qatar at qatar.vcu.edu 

About Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar

Established in 1998 through a partnership with Qatar Foundation, VCUarts Qatar is the international branch campus of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts, a top-ranked art and design program in the U.S.  VCUarts Qatar is celebrating a fruitful 20-year alliance between VCU and the Qatar Foundation that underscores the commitment of each institution to excellence, inquiry, discovery and innovation in a global setting.

VCUarts Qatar offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in fashion design, graphic design, interior design and painting and printmaking, a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in design.  A vibrant community with global reach, VCUarts promises to instill in students a lifelong passion for education and the arts. 

VCUarts Qatar offers valuable opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and connects VCUarts to the influential art and design world of the Middle East and beyond. The campus attracts renowned contributors to contemporary visual culture for speaking and teaching engagements, and hosts two major international events:  Tasmeem, a biennial art and design conference; and the Hamad bin Khalifa Islamic Art Symposium.

Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential

QF’s work encompasses education, research and community development.  World-class universities are brought to Qatar to help create an education sector in which young people can develop the attitudes and skills required for a knowledge economy. At the same time, QF builds Qatar's innovation and technology capacity by developing and commercializing solutions through key sciences.  The Foundation also works to foster a progressive society while enhancing cultural life, protecting Qatar’s heritage and addressing immediate social needs in the community. ‬

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