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Student Involvement

Giving Back to the Community

Commitment to service has always been a cornerstone of New York University. Our assumption is that prospective students, like most NYU Abu Dhabi students, are committed to finding ways to give back to their community, whether in the UAE, at a study away site, or at home. At NYUAD, we are building upon that tradition and commitment by encouraging students to forge new connections and develop skills in areas of civic responsibility, community engagement, and public leadership.

The Boys' Education Network (BEN) is a place where boys can come together to collectively discuss and come into dialogue with topics deemed to be taboo in nature, unimportant, or set to the peripheral in terms of young boys' developmental identity.

In this space, not only do we foster conversations that we deem are integral to the growth of and the depth of boys and their masculinity, rather, we cultivate this sense of a shared humanity through our own individual identities that not only highlights our strengths and similarities, but also appreciates our diversity and vulnerabilities.

Andrew Riad, Class of 2022

NYUAD students have many opportunities to volunteer and give back to the UAE community. The Office of Community Outreach provides guidance and empowers student leaders to design innovative ways to participate in civic engagement, public service, and research. We call our drive for social good #NYUADHeart.

We Help Our Students Get Started

  • We help you identify opportunities that are an appropriate fit for your interests, skills, and schedule. You may want to be involved in short-term projects with several organizations, while others may be seeking a longer-term commitment to one organization.

    Some projects may offer the chance to work with other students in a classroom or tutoring situation, while others may require physical activity. Some projects may be closely aligned with individual coursework, while others will offer the chance to try something new for the first time.

    Whatever your interests, our goal is to help you find the opportunity you are seeking.

Even though the tutoring program was conducted virtually, the compassion and presence of the coordinators and my fellow tutors compensated for the sense of community I lost during the pandemic. Having this atmosphere as an example made it easier to emulate on my own for my tutees — who I could see needed a friend just as badly as they needed help with their homework.

Noor Altunaiji, Class of 2022

Volunteering through the help of community outreach has never been more supportive and successful. Forming lifelong memories and impacts, especially with children with special needs is not just a great opportunity but a privilege. I hope that we, as students at NYUAD, see the amazing potential and opportunities we have to use volunteering as a conduit of change.

Munib Mesinovic, Class of 2020

Supports Local Conservation Efforts

NYUAD organizes several initiatives each year and works closely with community partners such as Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, Goumbook, Home Education Network Abu Dhabi & Ajman University to support local conservation efforts.

The Great Nurdle Hunt

NYUAD volunteers take to Saadiyat beach for a nurdle clean up. Nurdles are small plastic pellets used in the manufacturing of plastic products that are often spilled into the ocean. These plastic pellets are harmful because they absorb toxic pollutants from the ocean, and are often mistaken as food by marine life.

Give a Ghaf

NYUAD volunteers planted seeds of the UAE's national tree, the Ghaf tree, at Give a Ghaf - Tree Planting Programme. The Ghaf tree is a hardy plant that thrive in harsh desert conditions. The plants stabilize shifting sand dunes, and is also an intricate part of the desert foodchain, providing shelter and food for desert wildlife.

Related News

Coming Full Circle

NYUAD senior Maha Al Qemzi went from benefiting as a participant to eventually facilitating the NYU Abu Dhabi Girl’s Education Network (GEN).

Join Our Events Mailing List

Register to receive updates and learn about upcoming opportunities for volunteer, social impact or cultural engagement programs with NYU Abu Dhabi's Office of Community Outreach. Sign up for the event mailing list. 

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email nyuad.community.outreach@nyu.edu.