Texas A&M at Qatar recognizes student achievements for 2019-2020
Published Apr 29, 2020
Photo from Palestinian Night, Event of the Year for 2019-2020
Texas A&M University at Qatar, a Qatar Foundation partner university, has recognized students who have excelled in academics, leadership and involvement, and athletics as part of its annual Aggie Achievement Awards.
The highlight of the event were the Student Organization Awards, which this year went to:
- Advisor of the Year — Phylicia French
- Student Leader of the Year — Abdulkarim Mohamed ’20
- Event of the Year — Palestinian Night (Palestinian Cultural Club)
- Student Organization of the Year — Aggie Music Organization
Texas A&M at Qatar recognized several May graduates as students of the year:
- Laya Roustazadeh ’20, Chemical Engineering
- Abdelrahman Amer ’20, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Midhat Javaid Zaidi ’20, Liberal Arts
- Syeda Manahil Akhter ’20, Mechanical Engineering
- Abdul Sattar Alkahala ’20, Petroleum Engineering
- Aisha Al-Naemi ’20, Science
Byanne Qutaibah Malluhi, master’s student in the Chemical Engineering Program, was recognized as graduate student of the year.
Receiving the Buck Weirus Spirit Award were Syeda Manahil Akhter ’20, Farah Ramadan ’21 and Rinith Reghunath ’21. Established by Texas A&M University’s Association of Former Students in 1982, the award honors students at Texas A&M’s main campus and Qatar campus who excel each year in terms of involvement, experiences, impact and spirit.
Nadin Mohamed Abdelghani Mohamed ’21 received the Gathright Phi Kappa Phi Outstanding Junior Award, which is based on an evaluation of research or creative production, community engagement, accomplishments and awards, and academic record.
In addition, two students were recognized for achievements in research with the Richard E. Ewing Award for Excellence in Research: Abdul Sattar Alkahala ’20 (undergraduate) and Mehamed Ali (graduate).
Receiving Excellence Awards from the Student Government Association (SGA) were Abdulkarim Mohamed ’20, Fatin Abbasher ’22, Abdulla Zaza ’22 and Jerahmeel Bautista ’20. SGA also presented its Collaboration Award to Kent Clawson, director of the Office of Building Operation and Health, Safety, Security and Environment.
Also recognized during the event were student athletes:
- Layan Al-Huneidi ’22, Women’s Basketball MVP
- Taha Kubbar ’20, Men’s Basketball MVP
- Ahmed Haikal ’22, Men’s Football MVP
- Abdul Rehman, Men’s Cricket MVP
Graduating seniors also named their faculty of the year, who were recognized during the ceremony. Receiving Faculty of the Year Awards from each academic program were:
- Dr. Dhabia Al-Mohannadi, Chemical Engineering
- Dr. Haitham Abu-Rub, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Dr. Hassan Bashir, Liberal Arts (political science)
- Dr. Bilal Mansoor, Mechanical Engineering
- Dr. Albertus Retnanto, Petroleum Engineering
- Dr. Wieslaw Krolikowski, Science (physics)
Lastly, the Division of Student Affairs presented its annual Aggie Core Value Awards to students and faculty and staff who epitomize Texas A&M’s core values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and selfless service. Receiving Aggie Core Value Awards were:
- Excellence — Abdul Sattar Alkahala ’20 and Dr. Ashfaq Bengali, Science
- Integrity — Shaikh Insha Ayaz ’22 and Justin Harbor ’03, IT
- Leadership — Ghalya Abdulla ’22 and Carol Nader, Events and Visitor Relations
- Loyalty — Farah Ramadan ’21 and Lesley Kriewald ’99, Marketing and Communications
- Respect — Anas Karaki ’16 and Sherry Ward, Liberal Arts
- Selfless Service — Ward Albashtawi ’22 and Mohammed Aqeel Al-Yafaei, Human Resources
Dr. César Octavio Malavé, dean of Texas A&M at Qatar, said that getting involved in organizations and activities outside the classroom builds leadership, communication, administrative, organizational and other skills that will serve students in their future careers.
In acknowledging and congratulating the students and their achievements, Malavé said, “At Texas A&M, we educate the whole student, and you graduate not just as engineers, but as engineering leaders. Getting involved and taking advantage of opportunities to serve instill in each of you the core values of every Aggie: excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and selfless service. Thank you to each of you who have accepted the call to serve and who have made our campus what it is today. I’m proud of you — not just your achievements but of the grace and resiliency you have all demonstrated in the situation we find ourselves currently in.”