NYU Abu Dhabi already had an impressive statistic with the number of Rhodes Scholars its produced, 22 since its first graduating class in 2014 — but what is equally as impressive is the Emirati women that have made up more than a third of the recipients of the prestigious scholarship.
The eight Emirati women who have gone on to pursue graduate degrees at the University of Oxford have done so in almost every field. The alumni have also held impressive roles after graduating, including serving as ministers and playing significant roles in burgeoning private sectors.
The Rhodes Scholarship is a prestigious international award that allows outstanding students to continue their studies at the UK’s University of Oxford. Each year, a class of approximately 100 Scholars is selected from over 60 countries around the world, with NYUAD having now produced 22 Rhodes Scholars in the last decade.
We take a look back at all eight of the impressive Emirati women that have received the Rhodes Scholarship since the University's first graduating class.
Her Excellency Shamma Al Mazrui
Class of 2014
In 2016, less than two years after graduation from the University of Oxford, the NYU Abu Dhabi alumna had landed one of the UAE's top jobs. Her Excellency was appointed Minister of State for Youth and Chair of the UAE National Youth Council.
Minister Al Mazrui, who now serves as Minister of Community Development, was born and raised in Abu Dhabi and said she is passionate about public service. She had earned her master's from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and graduated NYUAD with a degree in economics.
“NYUAD shaped my life in the most fundamental ways as a learner, a citizen, and a human being. It taught me how to participate in building a big vision from the ground up and to build it by listening to the needs of its stakeholders — NYUAD taught me that no challenge is big enough or hard enough to overcome if we put our heart and soul into overcoming it together.”
Dubai Abulhoul
Class of 2017
Abulhoul majored in political science and researched the effect of gender roles and culture on political participation in her home country as part of her senior capstone project. She was a member of the Emirates Youth Council, a government initiative aiming to develop government strategies to keep up with youth trends, identify challenges facing today’s youth, and to ensure participation of youth in UAE public affairs.
She was named a Rhodes scholar in 2017, and went on to pursue an MSc in Diplomacy and Global Governance.
"I wouldn't have been able to do it without the support and kindness of all the people in the NYUAD community who helped and encouraged me throughout," Dubai said.
Maitha Al Memari
Class of 2018
AlMemari majored in Social Research and Public Policy with a minor in Legal Studies and Political Science at NYU Abu Dhabi. As a Rhodes Scholar, she majored in Public Policy, with an emphasis on looking at education reform and empowering youth. In 2015, she spoke at TEDxNYUAD where she addressed stereotypes about Emiratis and specifically misconceptions about the Abaya, a traditional Emirati female clothing.
As a member of the RoadWatch team, she won the HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Best mGovernment Service Award, UAE University category, at the World Government Summit in 2016. AlMemari also volunteered to teach Abu Dhabi high school students about the power of female leadership as part of the Girls’ Education Network.
Amal Al Gergawi
Class of 2019
Al Gergawi, from the UAE, majored in Social Research and Public Policy with minors in Economics and Film and New Media. Her Capstone project explored data privately provided from Global TIES for Children to unpack the educational challenges of refugee children within school communities in Niger, the outcomes and policy recommendations of which will aim to inform educational institutions how best to meet the learning needs and ambitions of these migrant children.
During her time at NYUAD, she volunteered at The Brooklyn International High School in New York, tutoring immigrant and refugee students and translating content into Arabic for Yemeni migrant students.
Al Gergawi spoke at the 2015 TEDxNYUAD on the positionality of Emirati culture in the midst of globalization and was the Co-Curator of the 2016 art exhibition East-East, which aimed to explore bridges and links between the UAE and Japan through the works of emerging artists. Al Gergawi is a co-captain of the women’s basketball team and an active member of the Sufara’a ambassador group at NYUAD. At Oxford, she plans to pursue an MPhil in Development Studies.
“As an NYU Abu Dhabi student, I learned the power of digesting and navigating intellectual discomfort as both a window for personal growth and for constructive conversations. With the growing global crisis on forced migration, the Rhodes allowed me to engage with a diverse cohort of visionaries committed to the delivery of humane, effective, and sustainable outcomes.”
Majida Al Maktoum
Class of 2019
Al Maktoum majored in Political Science with a minor in Social Research and Public Policy. Her senior Capstone project is aimed at addressing the question: What inspires political participation among Emirati youth? and is being conducted through quantitative methods and survey research.
She previously collaborated with HE Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, the former UAE Minister of Climate Change, and NYUAD Adjunct Professor of Legal Studies Shakeel Kazmi, on publishing a UAE Country Report in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Annual Country Report. She also took part as a research assistant in a project entitled The Politics of Women Empowerment: Gender Parity in the UAE, working with NYUAD Assistant Professor of Political Science Rahma Abdulkadir, and Research Fellow Henriette Mueller.
Throughout her time at NYUAD, Al Maktoum has been a part of the UAE Youth Ambassador Program to China with the Crown Prince Court; was an intern to the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the UN; and was a research intern to the UAE Minister of State of Youth Affairs Office. At Oxford, she enrolled to complete a MSc in Global Governance and a MSt in Women’s Studies.
Hoor Al Nuaimi
Class of 2021
Hoor Alnuaimi majored in Political Science and Literature and Creative Writing with a concentration in Economics. She was the Co-Founder and Co-President of the Mooting Student Club at NYUAD and was an author and oralist in the 2020 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Alnuaimi previously interned at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Economic and Trade Affairs Department.
Alnuaimi is interested in the study of international law and institutions, particularly the role that Arab states play in them. She is also passionate about Arabic literature, where she studies how Arabic literature encounters politics and travels across language. Her Capstone project explored the role that the UAE plays in the international humanitarian system.
She has enrolled to obtain two masters from the University of Oxford: an MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy and an MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation.
Maitha Al Suwaidi
Class of 2021
Maitha AlSuwaidi majored in Political Science and minoring in Creative Writing and Social Research and Public Policy. She is helped kickstart the Engulfed Collective, a platform that publishes intellectual and creative work on the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. In addition, AlSuwaidi was a Senior Editor of the NYUAD Journal of Social Sciences and spearheaded the creation and sustainment of the Rab3i Platform’s blog, which aims to increase the inclusion of People of Determination in the UAE.
From a young age, mental health has played a big role in Al Suwaidi’s life. Upon joining NYUAD at 17, she was curious about mental health and realized she was not the only person in her community who was struggling to fully understand her own emotional wellbeing. AlSuwaidi then began contributing to the conversations on mental health that were happening around her and eventually led events such as co-organizing the Mind Matters Youth Mental Health Conference which is dedicated to educating UAE youth about matters such as burnout syndrome, positive psychology, and much more.
At Oxford, she aims to pursue a Master’s in Science in Evidence-Based Social Prevention and Policy evaluation, followed by a Master’s in Public Policy. Long-term, AlSuwaidi’s goal is to serve her country by leading the public mental health sector, focusing on understanding the mental health issues facing different populations in the UAE while trying to improve the nation’s collective wellbeing.
Sarah AlNajjar
Class of 2024
Sara Al Najjar plans to pursue a nine-month MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy followed by a nine-month MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Oxford University. She aims to write a thesis that would help incorporate UAE’s commitment to combating human trafficking on a global scale, advance international justice, and suppress cross-border crime, with a view to eventually represent the UAE as a diplomat abroad. She has interned at the UAE Embassy in the UK, gaining insights into international affairs and honing her diplomatic skills.
“My time at Oxford University, building on my experience at NYUAD, will enhance my understanding of cross-border crime and foster key skills around conflict mediation, political acumen, and crisis management skills. As a young Emirati with lofty ambitions, I hope my thesis will contribute to the UAE’s efforts in combating human trafficking through multilateral cooperation.”
Established in 1902, the Rhodes Scholarship is one of the world's oldest and most recognizable awards for international fellowship and academic study. Applicants are selected through an intensive process including a written application and in-person interviews.
