Doha, Qatar – September 2, 2018 –   As Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) marks its 10th anniversary in Education City, it welcomed its largest class with a week of orientation that culminated in the Northwestern tradition of “March Through the Arch.” 

This year’s class - the Class of 2022 – includes more than 100 students and is the most diverse class to enroll at NU-Q. More than 40 percent of the class are Qatari, and 30 nationalities are represented from countries as varied as Ethiopia, Mexico, Moldova, Nepal, Russia, and Rwanda. 

“The breadth of experience and diversity that our incoming class brings to NU-Q adds dynamism and excitement to our student body,” said Everette E. Dennis, dean and CEO. “Their enrollment goes beyond the walls of NU-Q, as the Class of 2022 joins the global Northwestern community in embarking on an education journey that focuses on learning for the purpose of making the world a better place.” 

The student orientation at NU-Q was a time for new students to explore academic options, register for their first semester of classes, learn about student life programs, and explore the campus and its resources. 

They also participated in a number of Northwestern traditions, including the colorful “March Through the Arch,” which involves each new student marching through a replica of the home campus’s Weber Arch as they are cheered on and welcomed by the rest of the NU-Q community.  

And, if there is one thing that NU-Q’s Class of 2022 all have in common, it is a passion for pursuing media and communication to tell stories that shed light on topics that matter. 

Inspired by the news coverage of global politics and the rising paradigm of fake news and misinformation Al-Reem Al Zaman, one of the Qatari students joining NU-Q said, “I’ve always thought of media and journalism to be fair, unbiased, and true, but the blockade [on Qatar] showed me how people can easily be manipulated and how the truth can get lost in reporting. It has made me curious to learn more about the world of the media, and to be a part of the industry in the long run.”  

Meanwhile, Noor Haddad, a Yemeni who was raised in Oman, found NU-Q to be the perfect university for her to pursue her passion for both acting and communication. “Northwestern appealed to me as a university because the work of its faculty and alumni really speaks volumes about their dedication to media and journalism, and the industry as a whole,” she said. 

Moving more than 7,000 miles across the globe was an easy decision for New Yorker Cade Aguda, who said, “My preview visit to Qatar as an admitted student helped me make the decision to study here. I really liked Education City, and I was so impressed with NU-Q’s facilities and equipment. Plus, I like the idea of being surrounded by people from so many different cultures and backgrounds, which is not something very common in the U.S.”