‘I will always be part of Qatar Foundation, and it will always remain part of me’

Just as, in mathematics, every number has a value in its field, every one of the more than 1,600 students graduating from Qatar Foundation’s Classes of 2020 and 2021 – who will be celebrated this week - has their own value, as well as their own message and their own story.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Qatar Foundation (QF) Convocation ceremony will be a virtual live event that reflects each graduating student's personality, and the challenges they faced and overcame, as they celebrate their achievements at Education City together.

Among them will be AlReem Al-Hajri, an electrical engineering graduate of QF partner university Texas A&M University in Qatar (TAMUQ). Speaking about the unique educational experience that QF offers to its students, she said: “Students at Qatar Foundation broaden their awareness within a multitude of environments, nationalities, and cultures, as education extends beyond lectures and classes through discussions that students engage in – enabling them to make a real difference and positive change, first through their ideas, and then in the societies in which they live.

"The learning environment at Qatar Foundation has contributed to making a big change in my personality and my worldview. Before joining the university, I did not have a clear vision of my future goals, but my enrollment in Qatar Foundation opened up wider horizons for me.

“During my study period, I was able to start my first project, and I am determined to continue my academic career and obtain a Master's degree to support my future projects."

Al-Hajri worked with her fellow students Njoud Al-Hammadi and Aisha Al-Obaidly on a graduation project linked to the pandemic, supported by TAMUQ. It is called the call-and-tracing alarm, or CAT.

“CAT is like an ID card,” she said. “It’s a communication device that can be worn to monitor and track the distance between people, whether inside a closed building or in an open space.

“If two people in the same place are able to maintain the required social distance of two meters, then no breaches of physical distancing will be recorded on this device. However, if these two people approach each other and come within two meters, the device will record this and inform them that they are in the ‘danger zone’ until they can keep a safe distance."

When Al-Hajri joins her fellow graduates for Convocation, it will be more than just a graduation ceremony for her – she describes it as a new starting point in her journey. “The ceremony includes creative students who are preparing to face the new challenges that await them in the world,” she said. “It is a world that needs their talents and ambition to play an important role in changing it for the better.

"Instead of marking the end of the trip, the Convocation ceremony marks the beginning of a new journey for me and my fellow students from Qatar Foundation to build on what we have learned in Education City to achieve success and create meaningful, positive change for the world.

“During my future journey, I will always be part of Qatar Foundation – and it will always remain part of me."