Alumni Achievements

Data Support for the U.N.’s Response to the Pandemic

Addressing the need for data informed decision-making during crises, Obadah Diab (SFS’19) joined the Data Partnerships team at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Centre for Humanitarian Data. Diab is working to provide the critical data needed to help save lives in vulnerable communities impacted by the global pandemic.

Providing a Platform for Untold Stories about Iraq

Israa Al-Kamali (SFS’17) co-founded Iraq’s first Independent Film Festival (IIFF) to shine a light on Iraqi stories and experiences. The festival was held over eight days in Summer 2020 and virtually showcased 13 Iraqi short- and featurelength films from emerging and established Iraqi filmmakers.

Annual Report 2020-2021 •

Georgetown University in Qatar

GU-Q’s graduates are working to address a host of global issues, including the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Alumni received recent accolades and recognition for their successes. Dana Asaad (SFS’20) was awarded the prestigious Education Excellence Award by His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar. Rana Tahir (SFS’18) was recognized as the top-score earner for Pakistan’s Federal Public Service Commission exams.

Education Entrepreneur Receives Additional Awards and Support

Haroon Yasin (SFS’15), co-founder and CEO of The Orenda Project, a nonprofit organization, won two prestigious awards this year. This included the $100,000 USD Waislitz Global Citizen Award in recognition for his humanitarian work for out of school children in Pakistan, as well as the GSMA Foundation’s Innovation Fund for Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion Award.

The GSMA funds will go towards expanding reach of Orenda’s Taleemabad education app and assist with launching a low-cost Enterprise Resource Planning system for underserved schools.

Fair Trade Clothing and Home Decor Company Founded

Tekla Gagoshidze (SFS’17) and Alina Zaman (HBKU’19) started Qatra, a fair trade company focused on market access and pricing inequalities. Qatra aims to ensure disadvantaged artisans receive a fair price when selling their high-quality handmade products on the global market.

Online Learning Course Assessment Platform Development

With the explosion of online learning opportunities, consumers are often unsure which programs are worth the investment of time and resources. In response, Eman Zabi (SFS’16) developed a platform to assess the learning outcomes for every course it hosts. She is also the founder of The Scribesmith, a conversion copywriting and marketing firm that has employed several GU-Q students and graduates.

READ MORE