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NYUAD Selects 2011-12 Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Scholars

Press Release

NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has announced the selection of the 2011-12 class of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars, composed of 20 high-achieving students who are currently in their third and fourth years of their bachelor's degree study in UAE higher education institutions. The students, who are enrolled in the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), Zayed University (ZU), and United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), will embark on a rigorous enrichment program designed to further their academic and personal growth.

The Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program was established in 2008 by NYUAD in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) in order to allow selected students enrolled in National institutions to experience a unique, multicultural learning opportunity that will help them develop their critical thinking and leadership skills while gaining international exposure.

The program's academic component provides them with the opportunity to take a course taught by NYU President John Sexton which examines the relationship between religion and government, or a two-part class covering the topics of US presidential politics and foreign policy which is taught by political strategist Robert Shrum, and accomplished journalist James Traub.

In addition to spending time in the classroom, scholars will participate in special English language training, enrichment programs, and a leadership development course. They will travel to the United States to visit the Supreme Court, see major cultural attractions, meet distinguished leaders, and interact with students and faculty at NYU's New York campus.

The 20 students were nominated by their institutions and were chosen from a pool of sixty applicants by a panel of judges after an intensive application and interview process.

This program is one of two significant community outreach programs operated by NYU Abu Dhabi. The other is the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholarships for Outstanding High School Students; winners of the scholarships are Abu Dhabi high school students entering their 11th year. The students, who hope to attend top tier English language universities, attend the NYUAD Summer Academy, where they take courses in English, mathematics, leadership, and standardized test preparation over an 18 month time period. The first group of 24 Summer Academy students just completed the inaugural summer session, consisting of three weeks in Abu Dhabi and two weeks at NYU's site in Florence, Italy.

Her Highness Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, co-chair of the program's steering committee, said: "As this program continues to mature and develop, there is increasing interest in this challenging opportunity amongst the country's very best students. I am pleased to welcome another year of highly capable scholars into the family of previous and current students."

Diane C. Yu, executive director of the scholars program and the chief of staff and deputy to President Sexton, said: "The Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program represents an important collaborative model for how higher education institutions in Abu Dhabi can support each other as we seek to provide the best opportunity for our students. Students selected for this program are not only accomplished academically, but they are also motivated, energetic, forward-thinking, and passionate, and we look forward to engaging with them in the year to come."

The 2011-12 Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed University Scholars are:

  • Abdelrahman Mohamed Ismail El Adly (UAEU);
  • Abdulazeez Ahmed Abdulla Ahmed Al Marzooqi (HCT);
  • Abdulla AbdulWahed Ali Mohammad AlHassam (HCT);
  • Abdulla Yousuf Ahmad Ibrahim Al Haidan (HCT);
  • Alia Saeed Ahmed Ghobash (HCT);
  • Fatima Mohamed Awad Saeed Omar AlNuaimi (HCT);
  • Fatima Muhammad Tariq (UAEU);
  • Fatma Rashed Mohd Saeed Bujasaim (ZU);
  • Hamdah Abdulrahman Yousuf A. Albigishi (ZU);
  • Khalid Yousof Abdulla Ali Khamis Al Hosani (HCT);
  • Khawla Khaldoon Hassan Alatiyat (UAEU);
  • Mashaal Mohamed Eisa Mohamed Esmaeel Al Marzooqi (HCT);
  • Nasser Khalifa Mohammed Bakhit AlFalasi (HCT);
  • Omnia Ragab Mohamed Abou El Hamd (UAEU);
  • Ouafa Benkraouda (UAEU); 
  • Requia Harous (UAEU);
  • Sanaa Husain Mohamed Husain Al Marzouqi (ZU);
  • Sarra Abdulaziz Easa T. Alshehhi (ZU);
  • Shamma Yousif A.A.Abdelghani D.O H E Yousif A. Abdelghani (ZU); 
  • Shurouq Z.A. Jaradat (UAEU).

The 2011-12 Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholar judging panel consisted of: Amer Abdul Wahed Al Marzooqi, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Scholars Class of 2010-2011; Amir Al-Islam, Assistant Professor at Zayed University; Amir Minsky, Faculty Fellow of History at NYU Abu Dhabi; Angela Migally, Preceptor of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program, NYU Abu Dhabi; Anthony Movshon, Silver Professor and Director of the Center for Neural Science at NYU New York; Ayesha S. Al Hashemi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholar Class of 2010-2011; Dale Hudson, Faculty Fellow of History at NYU Abu Dhabi; Dawood Al-Hammadi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholar Class of 2010-2011; Diane C. Yu, Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President Executive Director, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program, NYU Abu Dhabi; Emily Daughtry, Preceptor of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars, NYU Abu Dhabi; Hamza Al Araimi, Admissions Officer at NYU Abu Dhabi; Jennifer McGlennon, Graduate Programs and Executive Education Advisor at NYU Abu Dhabi; Johanna Morra, Senior Instructor in English as a Foreign Language and Professional Communication and Development, Trainer and Consultant at AMIDEAST; Lauren Minsky, Assistant Professor of History at NYU Abu Dhabi; Lisa C. Smith, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives, NYU Abu Dhabi; Lisa Springer, Language Lecturer and Evening and Special Programs Coordinator at the American Language Institute; Maha Ali Al-Dhaheri, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholar Class of 2010-2011; Martin Daughtry, Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology at NYU New York; Michael Gilsenan, Professor of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies at NYU New York; Michelle Dent, Senior Language Lecturer of Expository Writing Program, NYU New York; Peter Christensen, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Planning & Organizational Effectiveness at NYU Abu Dhabi; Philip Kennedy, Faculty Director at NYU Abu Dhabi; Rana Al-Assah, Assistant Professor of Practice of Biology at NYU Abu Dhabi; Renee Dugan Director of Community Outreach at NYU Abu Dhabi; Samantha Green, Associate Controller at NYU Abu Dhabi; Sheetal Majithia, Assistant Professor of Literature at NYU Abu Dhabi; Sunil Khambaswadkar, Director of Human Resources at NYU Abu Dhabi; Tamu Al-Islam, Deputy Director of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program and Associate Director of Human Resources, NYU Abu Dhabi; Yasser Tabbaa, Visiting Professor of Art History at NYU Abu Dhabi.

About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 115 countries and speak over 115 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.