Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar - VCUQ, Doha - Gallery news: VCUQatar In the Beginning

VCUQatar In the Beginning (12.11.2008)

What: VCUQatar in the Beginning
When: 12Noon on Wed Nov 12th
Where: VCUQatar Atrium

Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar Hosts In the Beginning

Doha, Qatar- Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar hosted a very special 10 Year Anniversary presentation entitled VCUQatar in the Beginning. For this event the Founding Director and inaugural faculty were brought back from around the world to Doha, Qatar to speak about the partnership with the Qatar Foundation in 1997 and the initial challenges they overcame when they began classes in 1998.

Representatives of the Qatar Foundation visited Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), in Richmond, Virginia, USA in August 1997 with an invitation to open a design school in Doha, Qatar. A VCU delegation came to Qatar in November to meet with Sheikha Mozah and an agreement was made to establish the Shaqab College of Design Arts (SCODA) in December of 1998. Recruitment began the following spring with the first classes offered in September 1998. The programs were nearly identical to those in Virginia and the process to gain campus status was begun. In April 2001, The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, USA granted approval for VCU to open a campus in Doha with the authority to grant degrees effective May 15, 2002.In 2001 Shaqab College of Design Arts changed its name to become the VCU Qatar College of Design Arts and then in 2002 became an official campus under the name VCU School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUQatar). The first BFA degrees were awarded in June 2002 to 21 students. VCUQatar was the first university campus in Education City and the first accredited American campus in the Gulf region.

Paul Petrie, Founding Director for the Shaqab College of Design Arts spoke about the "special bond that was created between the faculty and students from the beginning; both on the academic and social levels." Paul served as the Founding Director for the operations when VCU provided curricula and faculty for SCODA. After returning to the states for one year, Mr. Petrie rejoined the VCUQatar faculty to serve as the Area Coordinator of the Interior Design Program. Under Paul's leadership the VCUQatar campus achieved its Council for Interior Design, accreditation in the year 2005; making it the only university outside of the continental United States and Canada to hold this honor.

Other notable faculty that served on the panel included Majdoleen Till (98-04), Alexina Fagan (98-00), Tom Adair (98-00), Barbara Spies (98-00), Kathleen Frank (99-04), Peter Martin (98-08), Sandra Wilkins (99-08), Lisa Clayton (99-08). Dr. Charles Bleick, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs who has served VCU since 1976 and VCUQatar since 2004 was the moderator for the panel of inaugural faculty. He noted, "It has taken a lot of hard work of many faculty and staff to bring VCUQatar to this decade of achievements in design education, and I am excited to have been part of such a landmark achievement."

Administration officials involved in the initial operations who were present at the event included Allan Hing, Director (01-02) and Faculty (99-03), Nancy Scott, Associate Director (99-00), John Demao, VCUArts Associate Dean for Qatar (02-08) and Christina Lindholm, Dean (02-07).

Since 1998 the Qatar campus offers an opportunity to people of all backgrounds to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design, fashion design, or interior design. Highly qualified professors provide rigorous curricula that prepare students to assume leadership roles in the professional field of their choice. VCUQatar organizes exhibitions, gallery events, Islamic Art lectures, community classes and world-class fashion shows.

In May of 2008, VCUQatar graduated its fifth class of 34 students, bringing the total number of Alumna to 182. The graduates are participating in the growth and development of Qatar working in various fields of design in a range of public and private sector vocations including Planning and Development Authority, Al Mana Company, Qatar International Hotels, Kharamma, Qatar Tourism Authority, Qatari Diar, Al Jazeera International, and Al Jazeera Children's Channel. In 2008/2009 academic year VCUQatar hosts 209 students.

About Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar:
Established in the US in 1838 and in Qatar in 1998 Virginia Commonwealth University offers students from all over the world the opportunity to earn Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in fashion, graphic and interior design. A team of highly skilled professors provide rigorous curricula that prepare students to assume leadership roles in the professional design field of their choice. VCUQatar regularly organizes and hosts exhibitions, gallery events, world-class conferences and holds an annual fashion show. VCUQatar is supported and funded by the Qatar Foundation. For more information please visit www.qatar.vcu.edu or call +974 492 7245.

About Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development
Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, Qatar Foundation is a private, non-profit organization committed to the principle that a nation's greatest natural resource is its people. The headquarters of Qatar Foundation are located within its flagship project, Education City, a fourteen million square-meter campus which hosts numerous progressive learning institutions and centers of research, including branch campuses of six of the world's leading universities, plus a cutting-edge research and development center. Qatar Foundation also works to enhance the quality of life in Qatar by investing in community health and development.

For more information please visit: www.qf.org.qa

Moamer Qazafi Office: +974 492 7277
Email: MQAZAFI@QATAR.VCU.EDU

Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar Hosts In the Beginning Press Release as pdf-File 118 KB

Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar Hosts In the Beginning Press Release as pdf-File 143 KB

Images:
Top Row L-R: Kathleen Frank, Lisa Clayton, Dr. Charles Bleick, Alexina Fagan,

Bottom Row L-R: Tom Addair, Peter Martin, Allan Hing, Paul Petrie, Barbara Spies, Majdoleen Till, Sandra Wilkins

Dr. Charles Bleick (76-08), Allan Hing (99-03), Kathleen Frank (99-04), Alexina Fagan (98-00), Lisa Clayton (99-08).Paul Petrie (98-05), Tom Adair (98-00), Peter Martin (98-08), Sandra Wilkins (99-08), Majdoleen Till (98-04), Barbara Spies (98-00)

Center Mr. Allan Hing reminisces about the student in the beginning while Dr. Charles Bleick and Kathleen Frank look on

Center Ms. Majdoleen Till speaks while Sandra Wilkins Left and Barbara Spies Right smile