Texas A&M at Qatar recognises student achievements during annual awards

Texas A&M University at Qatar, a Qatar Foundation partner university, recognised students who have excelled in academics, leadership and involvement for the 2022-2023 academic year during the university’s annual Aggie Achievement Awards.The awards included students of the year, which are nominated by the faculty of each academic department. These students are outstanding leaders who excel in academic performance and have significantly contributed in service to Texas A&M University at Qatar and our global community. This year’s undergraduate student awardees are Faisal Ashour (Chemical Engineering), Fathima Hakeem (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Ayman Karaki (Mechanical Engineering), Romeo Robert Indico (Petroleum Engineering) and Reem Haji (Arts and Sciences). The master’s student awardee was Yusra Ahmed (Chemical Engineering).Other awards given at the ceremony included the Buck Weirus Spirit Award, which honours students at Texas A&M’s flagship and Qatar campuses who excel each year in terms of involvement, experiences, impact and spirit; the Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Outstanding Junior Award that recognises the top junior in each of the academic colleges at Texas A&M University; the Richard E Ewing Award for Excellence in Student Research; and the Aggie Core Value Awards that recognise students who epitomise Texas A&M’s core values of respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity and selfless service.Student engagement awards were also presented. These awards recognise the campus’s incredibly talented student leaders, student organisations and their advisers for hard work, excellence and dedication to add value to student life at Texas A&M at Qatar.Faisal Ashour, who won multiple awards, including the Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student of the Year, Buck Weirus Spirit Award, Student Leader of the Year and an Engineering ELITES Award, said it felt surreal to be recognized by faculty and his peers."I am truly humbled and honoured to receive these awards,” Ashour said. "Over the past four years, Texas A&M University at Qatar has given me multiple opportunities to enhance skills, including communication, leadership, and project management; and the mentorship and support from my faculty and peers has contributed immensely to making me who I am today, and for that I am truly grateful.”The Engineering ELITES Programme provides an opportunity for students to participate in six High-Impact Practices, which equip student with skills and experiences outside of their regular courses. Such skills include teamwork, communication, leadership and design, skills that are highly sought in the job market.In order to earn an Engineering ELITE award, a student must have participated in experiential learning or an internship, held leadership roles, visited the flagship campus in College Station, US, in a learning capacity, conducted research and engineering design, and been on a service learning trip.Ghalya Abdulla, a recipient of the Engineering ELITE award, said: "I am honoured to receive this prestigious award. As a Qatari female engineering student, I would like to urge my fellow colleagues to step that extra mile and take advantage of every opportunity that could extend their knowledge and build their character. Texas A&M University at Qatar gives us opportunities to be more than just another engineer. It offers us the required support and opportunities that reflects our potential to become a real engineering leader.”Dr Hazem Nounou, associate dean for academic and student services at Texas A&M at Qatar, added: "It gives me great pride to recognise our incredible students who have worked tirelessly over the course of the year, not just to excel at academics but also uphold the Aggie core values in everything they do. These students go above and beyond – be it academics, research or their involvement in extracurricular activities. These students show us what makes an Aggie special. Congratulations to all the Aggies who have worked so hard this year – you have earned these awards.”