NYU Abu Dhabi’s 11th Commencement ceremony saw its largest class, more than 475 students from over 80 countries, graduate to a keynote address from a Nobel laureate.
Nobel Peace Prize winner and NYUAD Professor of Practice of Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution Ouided Bouchamaoui delivered the keynote speech. Her speech focused on underlining the impact youth have on making “the world a better place.”
"As you step out of NYU Abu Dhabi, you should observe four pillars for success: discipline and autoregulation, sticking to the big picture, maintaining a high level of commitment, and respecting ethics," said Bouchamaoui.
During their four years, the Class of 2024 has excelled in both academic and extracurricular pursuits. It has participated in student clubs, athletic groups, and built ties with the Abu Dhabi community.
“NYU Abu Dhabi was designed to foster creativity, commitment, and care by deploying the great diversity that is a given of the human condition. The ethos of the UAE, a peaceable home to people from 200 countries, propels our learning community," NYUAD Vice Chancellor Mariët Westermann commented.
Highlights from Commencement 2024
Eighty eight percent of the graduating class held at least one internship during their academic career in some of the world’s most respected organizations such as the United Nations Development Program, Mubadala, Microsoft, United States Congress, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, and Google.
Some have received graduate school offers from a range of institutions including University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Trinity College Dublin, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, and University of Michigan, among others.
Class of 2024 Emirati student Humaid Abdulla Aljailani, who double majored in Philosophy, and Social Research and Public Policy, offered welcome remarks.
His classmate, Stefan Mitikj, spoke on behalf of the graduating class. Originally from the Republic of North Macedonia, Mitikj majored in Political Science as well as Social Research and Public Policy.
“As we go our separate ways and embark on our individual journeys, I encourage you to remember what this liberal arts institution taught us - the importance of the collective, and the combined power of togetherness. Graduating becomes an opportunity - an opportunity for all of us to create a society guided by kindness, supported by courage, strengthened by resilience, and bound by everlasting care for one another. This is the mission of our generation," he said.
The speakers delivered their remarks to a packed stadium on NYU Abu Dhabi’s Sadiyaat campus. In attendance were His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Advisor of Special Affairs at the Presidential Court; Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan; Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Hamad Al Nahyan; His Excellency Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi; Rima Al Mokarrab, NYU Trustee; and NYU President Linda Mills.
Approximately four percent of those who applied to be a part of the Class of 2024 were accepted for admission, and the standardized test profile of the Class of 2024 matched those of the most elite higher education institutions in the US.
Students have also secured offers of employment from key local and global organizations including PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Goldman Sachs, Emirates NBD, Deloitte, and Brevan Howard.
