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Issue 1 — 1 VCUQATAR MAGAZINE 2011–2012 CONTEXT ISSUE N o. 01
Issue 1 — 1
VCUQ ATAR MAGAZINE 2011–2012
CONTEXTISSUE No.
01
1 DEAN’S MESSAGE
2 RESEARCH IN CONTEXT
Peter Chomowic z Associate Dean for Research & Development
6 RESEARCH
10 ACHIEVEMENT: PROGRESS & INTENTIONALITY
John Guthmil ler Associate Dean for Academic Af fairs
14 CULTIVATING CREATIVE THINKING
18 GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
24 ALUMNI PROFILES
32 ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS
34 FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS
36 THE YEAR IN NUMBERS
38 A DESTINATION FOR DIALOGUE
46 FOSTERING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
48 CLASS OF 2012
52 THANK YOU
TA B L E
of contents
Issue 1 — 1
Fall 2012 marks the beginning of the 15th year for VCU in Qatar. Our anniversary provides a moment to celebrate and reflect on the achievements of the university, while looking forward to the future.
When I began my tenure at VCUQatar, the university was celebrating its 10th year. A great deal had been established—three excellent design programs with six years of alumnae, significant international exhibi-tions, conferences and speakers, the annual fashion show, international study trips and a strong connection with the Qatar community.
In the past five years, we have realized many of the goals we envisioned: becoming co-educational; developing student govern-ment and leadership programs; degree program expansion into visual arts and graduate studies; facility, resource and equipment expansion to increase opportunities in programs, research and community engagement; stronger connections between our Qatar and Richmond campuses; the first Qatar National Research Fund, National Priority Research Program applications and awards; a design research journal in collaboration with Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals; advanced study for Qatari employees; expan-sion of community classes to educate a variety of communities in art and design, from children to adults, English, Arabic and hear-ing impaired; and many local, regional and international teaching, research and service collaborations.
With the inspirational and unwavering support of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, we work in a context of continuous, rapid growth with a focus on the future while respecting the past. Our efforts, that are shared throughout this publication, are in line with the Qatar Foundation mission, the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the VCU strategic plan Quest for Distinction. We are concentrating on exemplary quality of the educational experience; expansion, pub-lication and promotion of our research; entrepreneurial and alumni activity; and meaningful community engagements.
When I look forward, I see vast opportunities for our students, alumni and faculty to participate in creating the future of Qatar and the region, bringing a local perspective to international conversa-tions. Our context is changing on a daily basis and we strive to excel in this multifaceted, challenging environment, always being aware, nimble and receptive.
كلمة عميد الجامعةالسيدة أليسون فانستون
كادميي، خريف 2012، بداية الذكرى السنوية اخلامسة عرش عىل هشد بداية هذا العام األإناشء جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر. حيث توفر لنا هذه المناسبة حلظة لالحتفال
والتأمل يف إجنازاتنا وحنن نتطلع إىل المستقبل.
عند بداييت كعميد جلامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر كانت اجلامعة حتتفل بالذكرى السنوية العارشة عىل إناشهئا. ذكرى مرور عرش سنوات عىل قيام اتفاقية عظيمة – ثالثة
براجم متمزية يف التصميم أمثرت عن ست دفعات من اخلرجيات والعديد من المعارض ياء، والعديد من الدولية الهامة والمؤمترات والمتحدثني البارزين، وعرض سنوي لألز
الرحالت الميدانية الدولية، وبناء عالقة قوية ومتينة مع المجتمع القطري.
يف السنوات اخلمس الماضية، استطعنا حتقيق العديد من األهداف والتصورات التالية: فتح الباب أمام التعليم المختلط، وتطوير براجم قيادية وحكومية للطالب، والتوسع يف
براجم الفنون البرصية وبراجم الدرااست العليا؛ والتوسع يف المنآشت والمرافق والموارد والمعدات للتمكن من زيادة الرباجم و البحوث وبراجم المجتمع، وتقوية العالقات بني جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر واجلامعة األم يف ريتشموند فرجينيا، واحلصول عىل
أوىل المنح واجلوائز من الربناجم الوطين ألولويات البحث العلمي NPRP وصندوق قطر لرعاية البحث العلمي QNRF، و جملة يف حبوث التصميم، و دعم الدرااست المتقدمة
للموظفني القطريني، والتوسع يف دورات المجتمع لشمل فئات أوسع من المجتمع وتقديم دورات متعددة يف الفن والتصميم، للكبار والصغار وباللغتني العربية واإلجنلزيية وحىت
لفئة ضعاف السمع، والتعاون يف تقديم العديد من اخلدمات يف التعليم والبحوث عىل المستوى المحيل واإلقليمي والدويل.
وبالدعم الملهم والثابت من صاحبة السمو الشيخة موزا بنت نارص نعمل يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر يف إطار من النمو الرسيع والمستمر يف الرتكزي عىل المستقبل مع احرتام المايض. جهودنا تتماىش مع رؤية ومهمة مؤسسة قطر )QF(، ورؤية قطر الوطنية
2030، وخطة جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر االسرتاتيجية يف سعهيا للتمزي. حنن نركز عىل اجلودة المثالية للتجربة التعليمية؛ التوسع ونرش وتعزيز حبوثنا وأنشطتنا يف ريادة
الماشريع وأنشطة خرجيينا وحتقيق تواصل ذا مغزى مع المجتمع.
وأنا أتطلع إىل األمام، أرى فرصا ضخمة و كبرية لطالبنا وخرجيينا وأاستذتنا للماشركه يف ابتكار مستقبل قطر والمنطقة من منظور حميل إىل مستوى دويل وعالمي. سياقنا يتغري يوميا، حنن نسعى إىل التفوق يف هذه البيئة المتغريه الصعبة ذات اجلوانب المتعددة
وجيب أن نبقى عىل اطالع دائم عىل ما جيري فهيا ومواجهته بفطنة وتقبل.
D E A N ’S
MessageA L LY S O N V A N S T O N E
2 — Issue 1T W O H U N D R E D I S T H E N U M B E R O F P E O P L E W H O D I E E A C H Y E A R I N R O A D A C C I D E N T S I N Q A T A R
R E S E A RC Hin context
ONE MILLION, TWO HUNDRED,
ZERO
P E T E R C H O M O W I C Z
Issue 1 — 3
The numbers in this essay’s title may seem abstract, even out of place for a design school. But they depict the impact VCUQatar’s research is having on our world. For example, one million is the num-ber of people who might benefit from VCUQatar’s migrant worker housing project, aimed to address the need for temporary labor accommodation associated with Qatar’s rapid growth and develop-ment. Two hundred is the number of people who die each year in road accidents in Qatar, half of whom are children, that we hope will be saved through our road safety research-design program. And zero was the number of Gulf Arabic poetry anthologies trans-lated into English for an English speaking audience until one of our faculty, aided by her students, created Gathering the Tide: An Anthology of Contemporary Arabian Gulf Poetry.
These examples illustrate a narrative thread that runs through nearly all of our research inquiries: how can our work benefit soci-ety? While the numbers in these few examples depict the scale and potential benefit to literally millions, there is a smaller number that guides much of our faculty and student research. And that number is one. One individual. One human being. One life whose health, wealth, productivity and time on our planet will be touched for the positive by what we do.
In recent years medical research centers and their funding agencies have placed much emphasis on shortening the time and distance from discovery to development. Called “translational research,” this impulse seeks to connect the laboratory bench with the patient’s bed-side. The theory is that laboratory discoveries might have unforeseen medical benefit if clinicians knew of their existence; and conversely, clinical observations might help target basic research if only doctors at the bedside had the opportunity to share their experiences.
Similarly, design research has been characterized in recent years by the interdisciplinary nature of bench to bed, and is often referred to as “social design.” Social design seeks to move beyond the bed-side and address community issues directly, by first understanding the “problem”—what it is this community really needs—and then placing the “solution” directly back into the community. Problem discovery, ideation, prototype and assessment, all within the commu-nity boundaries. At Qatar Foundation we are blessed to have both worlds. We have the best of scientific discovery, a deep and abiding respect for community, and a shared ethic of applying our skills to solving some of the nation’s most pressing problems.
البحث العلميمليون، مائتان، صفر
قد تظهر األرقام يف عنوان هذا المقال نظرية أو جتريدية، وحىت دون معىن خاصة وهي صادرة عن مدرسة للتصميم. لكن هذه األرقام تصور أثر البحوث العلمية جلامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر عىل عالمنا. عىل سبيل المثال، مليون هو عدد الناس يف قطر والذين ممكن أن يستفيدوا من مرشوع جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر لتصميم مفهوم سكين
جديد للعمال المهاجرين يف قطر والذي هيدف لتلبية االحتياجات السكنية للعمالة المؤقتة و المرتبطه بالتطور و النمو الرسيع يف دولة قطر. مائتان هو عدد الناس الذين
ميوتون كل عام يف حوادث الطرق يف قطر ونصفهم من األطفال، والذين نأمل يف إنقاذهم من خالل برناجمنا للبحوث والتصميم “السالمة عىل الطريق”. أما الصفر فكان عدد
كتب الشعر العربية اخلليجية والمرتمجة إىل اللغة اإلجنلزيية حىت قامت إحدى أاستذتنا ومباسعدة من إحدى طالباهتا، بابتكار Gathering the Tide – مقتطفات من الشعر
العريب اخلليجي المعارص”.
يبا دامئا عرب االستفاسرات يف أحباثنا: هذه األمثلة توضح حبكة الرواية اليت منر هبا وتقركيف ميكن ألعمالنا أن تفيد المجتمع؟ بينما أن األرقام يف هذه األمثلة القليلة تصور
حجم الفوائد المحتملة للماليني إال أن هناك أرقاما أصغر، توجه أغلب أحباث أاستذتنا وطالبنا، وهذا الرقم هو واحد، فرد واحد، إناسن واحد، ستتأثر حياته الصحية وثروته
وإنتاجيته ووقته عىل كوكبنا بإجيابية ومن خالل ما نقوم به.
يف السنوات األخرية وضعت مراكز األحباث الطبية، ووكاالت التمويل اخلاصة هبم، الكثري من الرتكزي عىل اختصار الوقت والماسفة من االكتاشف إىل التطوير. وأطلقوا علهيا
“البحوث المتعدية”، يسعى هذا الدافع إىل ربط جتارب المخترب برسير المريض. النظرية هي أن االكتاشفات المعملية قد يكون لها فوائد طبية غري مرئية وغري متوقعة إذا عرف األطباء عن وجودها، وعىل العكس، قد تاسعد المالحظات الرسيرية أهداف البحوث
األاسسية إذا أتيحت لألطباء الفرصة لتبادل اخلربات وماشركهتا.
وبالمثل، اتسمت حبوث التصميم يف السنوات األخرية بطبيعة متعددة التخصصات من البدائل إىل المضمون، وغالبا ما ياشر إلهيا باسم “التصاميم االجتماعية”. تسعى “التصاميم االجتماعية” إىل جتاوز المضمون إىل قضايا المجتمع مبارشة، أوال من خالل
فهم “المشكلة” - ما هي االحتياجات احلقيقية لهذا المجتمع، ثم وضع “احلل “ مبارشة داخل المجتمع. اكتاشف المشكلة، التفكري، وتقييم النموذج األويل كله داخل حدود
المجتمع. يف مؤسسة قطر أنعم الله علينا بكال العالمني. لدينا أهم وأفضل االكتاشفات العلمية، االحرتام العميق للمجتمع وااللزتام، وأخالقيات مشرتكة لتطبيق مهاراتنا يف حل
كرث إحلاحا يف البالد. بعض الماشكل األ
عندما جاء مكتب رشكة مريسك للمسؤولية االجتماعية بطلب الماسعدة يف محلهتم الاشملة “ السالمة عىل الطريق”، متكنا وبهسولة من رؤية وإدراك طبيعة المجتمع
والمرشوع وجتاوز البدائل إىل المضمون. واأل كرث من ذلك، فنحن مجيعا نشرتك يف نفس األخالقيات الرئيسية الستخدام مواردنا للماسعدة يف إنقاذ بعض األطفال والذين يقتل
مهنم كل عام أكرث من مائة طفل عىل طرقاتنا ودون ذنب. كشفت أحباثنا وبرسعة عن األسباب وراء موت أطفالنا، لم يكن هناك أي أسباب غامضة، حيث يف معظم األحيان
كان األطفال ميوتون لنفس األسباب اليت تواجهها أي بلد صناعية يف طريقها للتحرض والتنمية. ولكن ماذا ميكننا أن نفعل حيال ذلك؟ كما هي احلال مع الطبيعة المعقدة ألحباثنا فإن نظام واحد وحده لن يستطيع حل هذه المشكلة. وحنن هنا لدينا إرادة
وزارات دولة قطر، ودعم كامل من واحدة من أكرب الرشكات يف العالم، رشكة مريسك، لمعاجلة وحل هذه المشكلة، وحنن اآلن حباجة إىل ماسعدة كل من علماء االجتماع،
O N E M I L L I O N ,
T W O H U N D R E D , Z E RO
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4 — Issue 1
When Maersk’s office of corporate social responsibility came to us seeking help for their nationwide road safety campaign, we could all easily see the holistic, bench-to-bed-to-community nature of the project. What’s more, we all share the same ethical principle to use our resources to help save some of the over 100 children needlessly killed every year on our roads. Our research quickly revealed the reasons why children were dying: nothing mysterious, mostly the same issues any industrializing country confronts on its path of urbanization and development. But what can we do about it? As is typical with the complex nature of our research, one discipline alone could not solve this problem. We had the will of Qatar’s minis-tries and the full backing of one of the world’s largest corporations, Maersk, to tackle this problem; we now needed the help of sociolo-gists, linguists, traffic forensics experts and designers, all dedicated to working this problem out. In design research sometimes the community you’re helping isn’t the only one to benefit; sometimes it’s the creative community you assemble. We have no doubt the group’s research will benefit Qatar, and if it saves one life it will be well worth our effort. We also have no doubt, as this community of like-minded researchers rolls up their sleeves, that others will join. This, in our view, is what design research is all about: sustainability.
We often talk about sustainability as an environmental, economic or social imperative. To be sure, this is true, necessary and, indeed, part of every research project at VCUQatar. Here, we are also speaking of
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علماء اللغة، وإدارة المرور والطب الرشعي، والمصممني وتكريس جهودهم مجيعا للعمل عىل حل هذه المشكلة. أحيانا يف حبوث التصميم ال يكون المجتمع الذي تاسعده هو المستفيد الوحيد، ولكن قد يستفيد مهنا المجتمع اإلبداعي الذي جتمعه. ليس لدينا شك بأن البحوث اجلماعية ستفيد دولة قطر، وإن جهودنا يف هذه البحوث لن تضيع
سدى إذا ما متكنا من إنقاذ حياة واحدة. مما ال شك فيه أيضا أنه يف مثل هذا المجتمع فإن العديد من الباحثني المفكرين سيشمروا عن سواعدهم وسينضمون لماسعدة
اآلخرين. وهذا يف رأينا هو مفهوم ومعىن حبوث التصميم، االستدامة.
دامئا ما نتكلم عن االستدامة باعتبارها رضورة بيئية واقتصادية أو اجتماعية. ومما ال شك فيه فإن هذا صحيح ورضوري ويف الواقع، هو جزء من كل مرشوع حبيث يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر. حنن هنا نتحدث أيضا عن أنواع خمتلفة من االستدامة. عندما قامت
الربوفيسور غيبونز جبمع الشعراء المعارصين من خمتلف أحناء اخلليج لتبادل أصواهتم الفريدة من نوعها، كانت أيضا تقوم خبلق وابتكار جمتمع مكرس لمعاجلة القضايا يف
المنطقة. ولقد اسعد كتاهبم “Gathering the Tide – مقتطفات من الشعر العريب اخلليجي المعارص” عىل جتسيد تعاوهنم وعرض الكتاب عىل أنه دليل وهشادة عىل رعايتنا
يبا، وهو لمجتمعنا. هناك مرشوع آخر تقوم به أيضا الربوفيسور غيبونز، وسينرش قرمجع احلكايات الشعبية القطرية ونرش النسخة اإلجنلزيية، و الرسوم الفنية التوضيحية
المستوحاة من كل قصة. هذا هو أحد أبعاد االستدامة: احلفاظ عىل التارخي والثقافة القطرية. مبعىن آخر حنن نقوم ببناء جمتمعا قطريا ياشرك اآلن يف متكني األجيال القادمة من معرفة المايض. وهبذا المعىن، فإن خمرجات أحباثنا األاسسية هو تنمية السكان، وباألخص
شعب قطر، واجليل القادم من الباحثني.
عىل طريق االكتاشف هناك دامئا التقلبات غري المتوقعة والمنعطفات. واحلق يقال، ففي أي عملية حبث فإن هذه هي المتعة واإلحباط. ولكن ما جيعل األمر يستحق العناء
بالنسبة لنا يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر، هو معرفة أن شخصا ما يف مكان ما سوف يستفيد مبارشة من عملنا. حنن نأمل بلمس حياة شخص واحد، وحنن مرسورون
بالمجتمع الذي ابتكرناه ونتعجب من قدرة تأثري البحوث اإلبداعية عىل كوكبنا بأرسه.
01 Gathering The Tide press
conference attendees
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03 The final cover of Gathering The Tide
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a different kind of sustainability. When Professor Gibbons brought together contemporary poets from across the Gulf to share their unique voices, she was also creating a community dedicated to ad-dressing the issues in the region. Their resulting book, Gathering the Tide: An Anthology of Contemporary Arabian Gulf Poetry, helps to concretize their collaboration and present it as testimony to car-ing for our community. A follow-on project also directed by Prof. Gibbons, and nearing publication, is to gather Qatari folktales and publish the English versions, as well as artistic illustrations inspired by each story. This is one dimension of sustainability: the preserva-tion of Qatari history and culture. In another sense we are building an intergenerational community of Qataris now empowered to take part in how future generations will know the past. In this sense, our primary research output is the development of people, in particular, Qatar’s people as the next generation of researchers.
On the road to discovery there are always unforeseen twists and turns. This is the joy, and the frustration, truth be told, of any re-search process. But what makes it all so worthwhile for us at VCUQatar is knowing that someone, somewhere, will directly ben-efit from our work. We hope to touch one life; we delight in the com-munity we create; and we marvel at the impact of creative research’s ability to affect our entire planet.
“While the numbers in these few examples depict the scale and potential benefit to literally millions there is a smaller num-ber, and a more fundamental concept, that guides much of our faculty and student research, and that number is one … One life whose health, wealth, productivity, and time on our planet will be touched for the positive by what we do.”
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The Tide Comes In: Celebrating the Publication of Gathering the Tide: An Anthology of Arabian Gulf Poetry
L A U R E N M A A S
A great emotional geography still remains to be relayed about the Arabian Gulf countries and their peoples. Layered questions about their idiosyncrasies and commonalities, their fears and desires, their aspirations for the future and reservations about the present cannot, by their nature, be answered by pull-quote sized responses in the New York Times; yet, it is far easier to talk about luxury cars, GDPs and rising divorce rates. Conveying the answers to these more ineffable questions is becoming the life’s work of creators from the Gulf—the writers, artists and innovators giving voice to a world they have both intimate knowledge of and inexorable stake in. It is clear that theirs is not work that can remain hidden from the eyes and ears of an increasingly global society—such is the impetus behind the publication of Gathering the Tide: An Anthology of Contemporary Arabian Gulf Poetry. This, the first English-language anthology of contemporary Arabian Gulf poems, was conceived in response to a pal-pable void of translated collections in the region. Patty Paine, editor, poet and Assistant Professor of English at VCUQatar cited her desire to “give thanks to the incredible trust that has been given to us by Qatar to teach its young people,” and found herself, along with co-editors Jeff Lodge and Samia Touati and their students, hard at work collecting poems from writers of the region. As evidenced by the performances and discussions at the VCUQatar-hosted book launch, this text provides a window into the hearts and minds of writers who are at once both representative of their nations and individuals with unique messages and styles. The three-day event featured two readings and three panels celebrating the work of 17 poets and translators. One question raised during a panel discus-
sion was, “How would you like the outside world to experi-ence this book?” In response, Saudi Arabian poet Nimah Nawwab said, “As an Arab, I’m fascinated. So what would this mean to the West?” Implied in her response is the richness of the book’s content, capable of captivating even those who created it. Thus, one can expect that it will enthrall those readers discovering the work for the first time. From the affecting narrative poems of Shihab Ghanem to the stark, image-driven lyrics of Ali Abdullah Khalifa, those readers who presented their work both in the original Arabic and in the translated English provided an experience of sonic variety that is seldom given to any audience, anywhere. Among the most remarkable of the launch were performances from the youngest poets included in the anthology— Maryam Al-Subaiey of Qatar and Laala Alghata of Bahrain. Al-Subaiey read “The Invisible Army,” which boldly questions the value of human life in the context of workers’ rights in Qatar. Her voice stood as testament to the power of the form, and the demand it places on the listener to consider those often lacking consideration. Of the anthology, Alghata said, “The importance of knowing you’re not alone is massive,” emphasizing Gathering the Tide’s value not only as a work of translation aimed at bringing Gulf poetry to the wider world, but as a work of collection aimed at engaging a regional community. Poetry dissolves the loneliness Alghata speaks of, for both readers and writers. It is through a poem that empathy and experi-ence find common ground. These abstractions have their particular formula and slant in this region, and those gifted with the ability to voice them deserve every opportunity to do so. Gathering the Tide ushers in the beginning, one hopes, of many more such opportunities.
RESE ARCH
8 — Issue 1
Retail Without Walls: Kiosk Culture
Assistant Professors of Interior Design Liam
Colquhoun and Matthew Holmes-Dallimore
presented a dissemination of their research,
“Retail without Walls: Kiosk Culture,” at
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art from
1 to 11 April, 2012.
Funded by a VCUQatar faculty research
grant, the project came about as a direct
result of their teaching a retail design studio
together every year for the past eight years.
Retail is a massive sector within the com-
mercial design industry; however despite the
plethora of information concerning retail
design in general, very little material exists
about how designers typically approach small,
ad-hoc retail opportunities like a kiosk. For
Colquhoun and Holmes-Dallimore, this was
an invitation for further exploration.
They found that having students design a
mobile kiosk was a good introductory project
for the class, leading them to consider some
of the core considerations of retail design,
such as identity and functionality, but on
a fairly compact, manageable scale. In an
effort to provide some supporting informa-
tion for VCUQatar students, Colquhoun and
Holmes-Dallimore began to collect their own
data about how people design environments
that support a simple transaction, which
raised questions that had not previous been
considered about exactly what makes a kiosk
successful. Subsequent research asked the
Shell Eco Car Collaboration
Design students from VCUQatar collaborated
with engineering students from Texas A&M to
design and build an ‘urban concept car’ for
this year’s finals of the Shell Eco-marathon Car
competition, held in Kuala Lumpur in July 2012.
Shell Eco-marathon (SEM) is one of the
world’s most innovative and challenging
student competitions held annually in Europe,
America and Asia where university student
teams from around the world are challenged
to design, build and compete with energy
efficient vehicles. The winner is the team that
goes the furthest distance using the least
amount of energy.
question: “What are the core properties com-
mon to impromptu retail opportunities in dif-
ferent cultures and how might they be used
to inform contemporary retail kiosk design?”
A series of grants supported research in
Dubai, Boston, Marrakech, Mumbai and
Istanbul, and allowed Colquhoun and
Holmes-Dallimore to look closely at how
these structures varied and shared some
common characteristics. These observations,
in turn, informed new kiosk design projects
undertaken in the retail design studio that
started the whole process. Their efforts to
make steps in this direction are not intended
to be a definitive checklist of “what makes
a good stall or kiosk,” but rather an opening
comment in what they hope will become a
fertile discourse among retail designers and
other interested parties.
The presentation at Mathaf was the culmina-
tion of 18 months of work but Colquhoun and
Holmes-Dallimore have plans to continue
the research further, perhaps exploring the
phenomenon of un-manned kiosks and how
identity plays a larger role in the design of
western kiosks.
The final design remained true to the original
concept, embracing flowing aerodynamic lines
with state-of-the-art recycled materials for
the body. “Working with Texas A&M students
and faculty gave VCUQatar an opportunity
to showcase our design talent on a world
stage. This collaborative project overcame
many design challenges and we think our
innovative design skills added value, function-
ality and visual appeal to this year’s entry.
We look forward to working with Texas A&M
on many future user-centered design
and innovation projects,” said Director of
Entrepreneurship Roger Griffiths.
RESE ARCH
Issue 1 — 9
The Donkey Lady
& Other Tales from the Gulf
From mischievous goats to magical fish, The Donkey Lady and Other
Tales from the Gulf offers readers a diverse and delightful collection
of illustrated folk tales from the Middle East. The book represents
the culmination of a collaborative project that sought to collect,
preserve and re-present traditional folk tales. Initially funded by an
Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) grant by Qatar
National Research Fund (QNRF), the project was led by VCUQatar
Assistant Professor of English and Assistant Director of Liberal Arts
and Sciences, Patricia Paine Gibbons, along with assistant professors
Jesse Ulmer, Michael Hersrud and Donald Earley in collaboration with
Dr. Sara Al-Mohannadi, assistant professor of English Language at
Qatar University.
The tales were collected by students at Qatar University and illustrat-
ed by art and design students at Virginia Commonwealth University
in Qatar. The collection bridges past and present through illustrations
that engage the imaginations of contemporary readers while also
presenting a variety of fascinating tales that enliven local histories.
The Donkey Lady and Other Tales from the Gulf preserves regional
culture while also serving as an introduction to the visual arts for
young audiences. These timeless and beautifully rendered tales are
of interest to readers of all ages, and are especially relevant to those
interested in folk tales and lore, as well as graphic and children’s
literature. The book is edited by Paine Gibbons, Ulmer and Hersrud
and published by the Berkshire Academic Press, United Kingdom.
VCUQatar partners with Sidra
Medical & Research Center
The VCUQatar Center for Research, Design
and Entrepreneurship promotes innovative
initiatives and develops new projects, many
of which are commissioned by industry or
government sponsors. The Center has un-
dertaken a research-based design project to
develop the clinical and nonclinical uniforms,
patient-wear and linens for Sidra Medi-
cal and Research Center, an ultra-modern,
academic medical center offering world-
class health care and specializing in care for
women and children.
In addition to the design of the garments,
the Center researched textile technologies
used in healthcare and ascertained that the
current standard used internationally offers
little protection to the wearer or the patient.
To this end, the team identified and orches-
trated the incorporation of a clinically proven
new technology in Sidra’s uniforms, patient-
wear and linens. When applied to the textiles
the technology minimizes the absorption of
spills while offering exceptional anti-microbial
performance and significant energy savings
in the laundering process.
“By incorporating this technology into our
designs, Sidra will not only benefit from a sig-
nificant reduction in the transfer of infectious
bacteria and reduced energy costs, but also
will be offering a service that is at the top
of its field and revolutionary in its approach
towards health care,” said Roman Turczyn,
director of the Center for Research, Design &
Entrepreneurship.
The design phase of the uniforms, patient-
wear and linens is scheduled for completion
in early 2013.
RESE ARCH
10 — Issue 1
J O H N G U T H M I L L E R
A C H I E V E M E N Tprogress & intentionality
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCEAT VCUQ ATAR
E X C E L L E N C E I N D E S I G N E D U C A T I O N E N C O U R A G E S S T U D E N T S T O T H I N K B E Y O N D “ H O W ” T O T H E E T H I C A L I M P L I C A T I O N S O F “ W H Y. ” I N G R E E N R E L AT I O N S H I P , I M A D F A D E L U S E S R E C Y C L E D M A T E R I A L & O P E N S O U R C E T E C H N O L O G Y T O R E E V A L U A T E O U R R E L A T I O N S H I P W I T H T H E E N V I R O N M E N T.
Issue 1 — 11
Universities like to tout their commitment to academic excellence. After all, successful teaching and learning are at the heart of a uni-versity’s mission. A school that isn’t successful at teaching and learn-ing is going to have difficulty attracting good students, good faculty and generous donors. It will also be challenged to graduate satisfied alumni. Having a reputation for academic excellence, then, is criti-cal to any university’s future prospects. Rankings have become an increasingly popular way to spotlight a university’s academic suc-cesses and build its reputation, but rankings may not be an accurate way to gauge an institution’s actual commitment to promoting the intellectual growth and maturation of its students. One of the mea-sures used in producing a particularly popular national ranking, for example, is the selectivity used in admitting students: the greater the selectivity the greater the likelihood of a higher ranking. Is this what we mean when we speak of academic excellence? What about the school that admits a broader base of students while still doing a remarkable job of maximizing student growth and learning? Where does it stand? What then do we mean by academic excellence? How do we measure it? Where do we look to find VCU’s real commitment to student growth and performance? These are among the questions to consider as we review our work of the past year.
Many institutions, VCU included, embed their commitments to academics in their strategic plans. VCU’s plan is called Quest for Distinction, and in it VCU makes academic excellence one of the four pillars or themes of the entire Quest. To quote the plan:
“Our faculty and staff must epitomize the vision for excellence for our students, a vision that promotes VCU’s core values of accountability, achievement, collaboration, freedom, innova-tion, service, diversity, and integrity. Likewise, the university must embrace teaching excellence as a core expectation across all academic units with teaching excellence defined as a more active, learning-centered, collaborative, and interdisciplinary approach to the process of teaching and learning.” 1
This is a strong commitment to identifying excellence, measuring its outcomes and connecting those outcomes to core values such as freedom and integrity, diversity and achievement. VCU further clarifies its vision in the metrics it has established to measure the university’s progress in making good on its pledge. Among these metrics are not only the familiar graduation and retention rates, but also the percentage of students experiencing internships, practica and other “real-world” learning opportunities. Emphasis is placed on students’ expressed satisfaction with their learning experience and their perception of opportunities after graduation.
1 VCU Quest for Distinction: Theme I: http://www.future.vcu.edu/plan/plan/theme1.html
اإلنجاز، والتقدم والتعمدالتميز األكاديمي في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر
كادميي. ال بد من الذكر بإن التدريس ترغب اجلامعات يف اإلعالن عن الزتامها بالتفوق األ والتعليم الناجح هما من صميم راسلة كل اجلامعات. ستواجه المدارس اليت ال تنجح يف
التدريس والتعليم صعوبة يف جذب الطالب المتفوقني واألاستذة الكفؤين واجلهات الماحنة السخية. كما ستواجه حتدي خترجي خرجيني راضني. فاكتاسب سمعة يف التمزي
كادميي، هو أمر بالغ األهمية لمستقبل أي جامعة. لقد أصبحت التصنيفات وسيلة األكادميي وبناء سمعهتا، ولكن قد ال يكون شعبية مزتايدة تسلط الضوء عىل جناح اجلامعة األالرتتيب يف هذه التصنيفات وسيلة دقيقة لقياس مدى الزتام المؤسسة الفعيل يف تعزيز النمو الفكري لطالهبا ومدى نضوجهم. فعىل سبيل المثال، من الواسئل المستخدمة يف
إنتاج تصنيف خاص ذو شعبية وطنية، االنتقائية المستخدمة يف قبول الطالب: حيث كلما زادت درجة االنتقائية زاد احتمال حصول اجلامعة عىل مرتبة أعىل يف التصنيف. فهل
كادميي؟ ماذا عن المدرسة اليت تقبل قاعدة واسعة من هذا هو ما نعنيه بالتفوق األالطالب بينما ال تزال تقوم بعمل رائع يف زيادة منو الطالب والتعليم؟ ماذا يعين ذلك؟ ثم
كادميي؟ كيف ميكننا قياس ذلك؟ أين حنن من الزتام جامعة ما الذي نعنيه بالتفوق األفرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر احلقيقي جتاه منو الطالب وأدائه؟ هذه األسئلة من بني أسئلة
أخرى ال بد من النظر إلهيا وحنن نستعرض أداءنا يف العام المايض.
تقوم العديد من المؤساست، ومهنا جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر، بتضمني وترسيخ كادميي يف خططها االسرتاتيجية. تطلق جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر عىل الزتامها األ
هذه اخلطة مسمى “السعي للتمزي”، حيث تعمل اجلامعة يف هذه اخلطة عىل جعل التفوق كادميي واحد من الركائز األربع أو المحاور اليت تسعى إلهيا اجلامعة بالكامل. وللتعبري األ
وتوضيح هذه اخلطة:
“يقوم أعضاء الهيئة التدريسية والموظفون يف اجلامعة بتلخيص رؤيهتم عن التمزي لطالبنا، وهي رؤية تعزز القيم األاسسية جلامعة فرجينيا كومنولث، المسؤولية واإلجناز، التعاون
واحلرية، االبتكار والتجديد، اخلدمة والتنوع، األمانة واالستقامة. وبالمثل، جيب عىل كادميية مع اجلامعة أن حتتضن التمزي يف التعليم كمتطلب أاسيس يف مجيع الوحدات األ
كرث ناشطا، حموره التعليم والتعاون، وتعددية التمزي يف التدريس وتعريفه عىل أنه الهنج األالتخصصات يف التدريس والتعليم.”
إنه الزتام قوي لتعريف التمزي وقياس نتاجئه، وربط تلك النتاجئ بالقيم األاسسية مثل احلرية والزناهة ، التنوع واإلجناز. تعمل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث عىل توضيح المزيد
من رؤيهتا يف المقاييس اليت وضعهتا لقياس مدى الزتامها بالعمل عىل تقدمها وجودة أداهئا. ولم تقترص هذه المقاييس عىل معدالت التخرج والقدرة عىل المحافظة عىل
هذه المعدالت فقط إمنا شملت أيضا النسبة المئوية للطالب الذين ميارسون التدريب والتطبيق العميل، ومدى حصولهم عىل فرص التعلم يف “العالم احلقيقي” . مع الرتكزي عىل
مدى رضا الطالب عن جتربهتم التعليمية، وتوقعهاهتم للفرص المتاحة بعد التخرج.
من األهمية يف سياق السعي للتمزي أن نالحظ أن معدل التخرج يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر بأربع سنوات لدفعة عام 2012 كان 73٪. وبلغت نسبة االحتفاظ بالطالب اجلدد خالل العام المايض أكرث من 95٪، كما أن كل ختصص من ختصصات
التصميم لدينا يتطلب التدريب العميل من الطالب خالل فرتة دراسته يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر. ومن بني اخلرجيني اجلدد، قام 95٪ من اخلرجيني بتقييم جتربهتم كادميية يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر كتجربة ممتازة أو جيدة )65٪ ممتاز، ٪30 األ
جيد( من بني اختيارات )ممتاز، جيد، متوسط، أقل من متوسط(. هذه نسب رائعة جلامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر عند مقارنهتا باجلامعة األم يف ريتشموند وغريها من المؤساست النظرية وخنبة اجلامعات. ومما يثري اإلعجاب، التفاين الهادف إىل التحسني
كادميية الذي ميزي جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر والناس الذين المستمر يف الرباجم األيعملون ويتعلمون فهيا.
ACHIEVEMENT
12 — Issue 1
ACHIEVEMENT
It is significant in the context of the Quest for Distinction to note that VCUQatar’s four-year graduation rate for the class of 2012 was 73%, that freshmen retention last year was over 95%, and that every one of our design majors is required to take an internship while at VCUQatar. Among new alumni, 95% of last year’s graduat-ing seniors rated their overall academic experience at VCUQatar as excellent or good (65% excellent, 30% good where the choices were excellent, good, average, below average). These are enviable num-bers for VCUQatar when compared with VCU peer institutions and with many elite universities. Equally impressive is the pur-poseful dedication to continuous improvement that is characteristic of VCUQatar academic programs and the people who teach and learn in them.
More than 2000 years ago the ancient Greeks conceived of excellence as a state of being or becoming all that one could be. Their word was arete, and inherent in the fullness of the meaning of arete are the notions of progress and intentionality. In an academic community where excellence is the ethos, doing something well is only the first part of distinction: continually doing it better (progress) and doing so on purpose (with intention) are those characteristics that truly define excellence. VCU’s Quest for Distinction emphasizes both progress and intentionality, and at VCUQatar these are primary objectives in all our academic programs.
For example, the Graphic Design department has been experiment-ing with team teaching for almost five years. This year they have taken it a step further and are teaching sophomore and junior studio classes with six faculty (three teams of two faculty for five weeks each) rotating through the classes. The faculty meet as a group for an hour each week to keep track of student progress and ensure con-tinuity in delivery. According to the department chair, “Students are relishing the idea and experience of the transitions. They are seeing the continuity and transmission of information from one class to another and appreciate the seamlessness and the low walls between knowledge in one course and another. They say that they feel more
منذ أكرث من 2000 عام استطاع قدماء اإلغريق أن يتصوروا التمزي كدولة ميكن أن تكون أو تصبح كل ما ميكن للمرء أن يكون. كانت كلمهتم “arête“ وهي كلمة متأصلة ومليئة
كادميية حيث التمزي هو “الروح”، فإتقان مبعاين التقدم والتعمد. ففي األواسط األاألداء هو فقط اجلزء األول من التمزي: االستمرار بتحسني األداء )التقدم( وأداء ذلك عن قصد )مع النية( هي اخلصائص اليت حتدد حقا التمزي. السعي للتمزي يف جامعة فرجينيا
كومنولث يؤكد كل من التقدم والتعمد، ويف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر هذه هي كادميية. األهداف الرئيسية يف مجيع براجمنا األ
عىل سبيل المثال، قام قسم تصميم اجلرافيك يف اجلامعة بتجربة “الفرق الدارسية” لما يقرب من 5 سنوات. قام القسم هذا العام باختاذ خطوة أخرى، حيث قام 6 من
األاستذة بتدريس طالب السنة الثانية والثالثة المقررات العلمية )االستوديو( )3 فرق، أستاذان لكل فريق ولمدة مخسة أاسبيع لكل مهنم( وبصورة دورية خالل المقرر. جيتمع
األاستذة كمجموعة لمدة اسعة واحدة كل أسبوع ليتمكنوا من تتبع تقدم الطالب وضمان االستمرارية يف التسليم. وبالرجوع إىل مدير القسم، “قام الطالب باالطالع عىل الفكرة وجتربة التحوالت. استطاع الطالب رؤية وإدراك استمرار ونقل المعلومات من مقرر إىل آخر وقدروا التناغم والتالحم واجلدران المنخفضة بني المعرفة والعلوم يف كل
المقررات. قال الطالب بأهنم يشعرون بقدر أكرب من المسؤولية جتاه التعليم اخلاص هبم ويشعرون بأهنم متعلمني مستقلني”. استطاع األاستذة والطالب معا خلق مناذج للتقييم
والتصنيف، وبدا اجلميع متاشركني بشكل كامل مع اإلحلاح الواضح عىل “احلصول عىل كل ما ميكن” من الوقت الذي لدهيم معا. كان هذا مثاال عمليا عن جمتمع متعلم. فهم يرون بوضوح هذا التقدم الكبري. وسيكون من المثري لالهتمام أن نرى كيف يظهر هذا التقدم،
أو ما إذا كان يظهر يف قامئة المقاييس احلالية. ويف الوقت احلارض فهناك الكثري مما ميكن قوله عن احلماس لتعلم أن هذا الشعور يولد التقدم.
يف الهشر المايض تلقى ثالثة خرجيني حدييث التخرج من قسم تصميم األزياء يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر اتصاال هاتفيا من أحد األاستذة الموجهني اخلاص هبم،
دونالد إيريل، وهو مدرس ماجستري يف الرسوم التوضيحية )illustration). كان من ياء، وأراد الواضح بأن هناك فرصة فريدة من نوعها عىل وشك أن تتكشف يف عالم األزاألستاذ إيريل تشجيع طالبه الثالثة الاسبقني عىل الماشركة. قامت هاربر بازار العربية ياء لهذا العام. لم (Harpers Bazaar Arabia) برعاية ماسبقة ألفضل راسم لألز
يفكر أي من اخلرجيني الثالثة بدخول المنافسة، ولكن مع تشجيع السيد إيريل، قام كل من اخلرجيني الثالثة بدخول المنافسة وتم اختيارهم ضمن قامئة األسماء يف هنائيات أفضل 10
“In an academic community where excellence is the ethos, doing something well is only the first part of distinction: continually doing it better (progress( and doing so on purpose (with intention( are those characteristics that truly define excellence.”
Issue 1 — 13
ACHIEVEMENT
responsible for their own education and feel like independent learn-ers.” Faculty and students together are creating grading rubrics, and everyone appears to be more fully engaged, with a palpable ur-gency to “get all they can” from the time they have together. This is an example of a learning community in action. They clearly perceive this as significant progress. It will be interesting to see how this progress shows up, or whether it shows up, in the existing metrics. For the time being there is much to be said for the enthusiasm for learning that this sense of progress engenders.
Just last month three recent graduates from VCUQatar’s Fashion department were contacted by one of their faculty mentors, Donald Earley, a master teacher of illustration. It seems that a unique op-portunity was about to unfold in the fashion world and Professor Earley wanted to encourage the three former students to get in-volved. Harper’s Bazaar Arabia was sponsoring a competition for the top fashion illustrator of the year. None of the three students had thought to enter the competition on her own, but with Mr. Ear-ley’s encouragement, all three did, and all three were named finalists among the top 10 vying for the ultimate prize. When interviewed about this, one of the former students, Yang Soon “Elizabeth” Ju said that she had initially been reluctant to stand on her own two feet or even ask for Mr. Earley’s feedback. “But,” she said, “He al-ways pushed us on how we progress, how we process, and how (es-pecially) we enjoy what we’re doing. He gave me my artistic passion. He taught me to never have the regret of not doing my best.” When Professor Earley called her with the encouragement to enter the competition, Elizabeth was so touched that, as she said, “The hairs stood up on the back of my neck.” His intention to push her and the others to be their best even after they had graduated is what our academic programs are all about. This is academic excellence at VCUQatar … in progress, and with full intention.
From left
01 Chair of Fashion Design Sandra Wilkins
demonstrating stitching technique to
graphic design students (co-teaching
with graphic design professor
Law Alsobrook)
02 A student placing the final touches on
her project
03 Student stitching
يتنافسون عىل اجلائزة الهنائية. وعند مقابلة الماشركني هبذه الماسبقة، رصحت إحدى الماشركات، الطالبة الاسبقة يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر الزيابيث ياجن سون
بأهنا كانت يف البداية مرتددة يف الماشركة أو حىت سؤال السيد إيريل عن رأيه، ولكنه كان “دامئا يدفع بنا للتقدم، كيف نؤدي أعمالنا وخاصة كيف نستمتع مبا نقوم به، لقد منحىن شغفي الفين. لقد علمين أن ال أندم أبدا عىل عدم بذل أقىص ما أستطيع”. عندما كلمها السيد إيريل ليشجعها عىل دخول الماسبقة، تأثرت إلزيابيث كثريا بذلك “لقد شعرت بأن شعري قد وقف يف اجلزء اخللفي من رقبيت”، قالت إلزيابيث. نيته يف دفعها وغريها ليكونوا
كادميية وتتحدث عنه. هذا هو األفضل حىت بعد خترجهم يصف كل ما حتتويه براجمنا األكادميي يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر … التقدم مع وجود نية كاملة. التمزي األ
01 02
03
14 — Issue 1
01 The final looks
Right Page Process work
The Ayaba Project
01
Taking inspiration from the traditional abaya, the Ayaba Project set out to create a simple garment that may be worn, adapted and modified with or without accessories to create different looks for every day of the year. Fashion adjunct faculty member, Stella Colaleo and fashion students Marion Sanguesa, Maysaa Almumin, Elizabeth Yang Soon Ju, and Mona Al-Ansari, revisited the ever-declining traditional abaya, now worn only by the grandmother and mother generations of Gulf women, and resurrected it in homage as a ver-satile multicultural garment to be shared by women around the world.
Over the years the traditional Gulf abaya has been abandoned in favor of more modern styles with different femi-nine silhouettes, elaborate embellish-ment and, in true fashion statements, even some experimentation with color. While the new abaya has developed an individuality, it misses some of the simplicity and versatility it had in its traditional form. With the traditional abaya the older generation was able to control the degree of coverage by choosing whether to place it on the shoulders, wrap and hold it around the body, or to wear it on the head and hold it closed with a single hand (or, additionally, hold it across the face for maximum coverage). Those who are old enough will remember being cov-ered with it like a bed sheet while they napped as children, or being folded inside their mother’s abaya as she wore it, feeling small and engulfed in their mothers arms and this magnificent, soft and light fabric.
C U LT I V A T I N G
Creative Thinking
Issue 1 — 15
The AYABA project (mirroring the word abaya), set out to take the shape of this outmoded clothing and recreate its ver-satility, combining it with the desire for individuality that is provided by the modern abaya, developing it further and ex-tending it to women of diverse backgrounds and cultures as a celebration of this understated yet splendid garment. With simple modifications such as slits, buttons and drawstrings, the Ayaba can playfully morph into endless variations, reflecting multicultural styles that reach across the world from East to West, while also presenting a variety of looks from funky day to elegant evening wear. It can also retain its original func-tion as a clothing of modesty.
Al-Ansari comments, “The adaptability of this garment means I am able to wear the Ayaba as an abaya in public to maintain my modesty, and then I may quickly change it into an elegant evening garment by adding glamorous accesso-ries after I walk through the doors in private places. I don’t have to consider wearing an additional abaya.”
16 — Issue 1
CULTIVATING CRE ATIVE THINKING
Portfolio Development Courses
& Children’s Programs
The goal of VCUQatar is to deal with every step of a stu-
dent’s progress through our programs, from the moment
one becomes a prospective student to the time that
he or she has graduated into the ranks of VCU alumni.
The community programs for children, the portfolio
development classes and portfolio crit classes are impor-
tant steps in this direction. They give older students the
invaluable opportunity to sharpen their portfolios and get
a taste of university life, while younger children explore
and learn about art materials and design techniques to
develop their appreciation and understanding of art and
design in a fun and creative way.
VCUQatar offered three portfolio development courses in
Fall 2011 and four portolio crit classes in Spring 2012 to 95
high school students. The university also offered a short
holiday program with classes in ceramics, painting, char-
acter drawing and animation to 35 Arabic-speaking girls
below the ages of 12; and in conjunction with the Ministry
of Social Affairs, created a skill-building program in
graphic and fashion design for 20 female Qatari students.
In the summer, VCUQatar offered community programs
to 100 K-12 level students; it was taught by VCU
Richmond’s art educators along with VCUQatar faculty.
Design Intensive course was geared for students aged
16 and above; Creative Discovery targeted students
aged 13–15, introducing them to art and design through
creativity exercises, group activities and classes in drawing,
painting, digital media. VCUQatar also offered opportuni-
ties for younger students, hosting week-long classes:
Art Exploration for 10 to 12 year olds was offered for the
second time; and a new course Art Fun, was introduced
for students aged 5–9. The younger students transformed
the Gallery into a wonderland of color, shapes and
incredible creations in a whole variety of media.
Issue 1 — 17
CULTIVATING CRE ATIVE THINKING
Council for Interior Design
Accreditation Renewed
The Interior Design program’s Council for Interior
Design Accreditation (CIDA) was renewed for a
six-year period. To attest to the quality of the review,
CIDA requested the Program Assessment Report
and images of our display for use as examples of
“best practices” at the CIDA workshop for the Interior
Design Educators Council (IDEC) Conference.
18 — Issue 1
G L O B A L
Experience
Issue 1 — 19
Sandberg Institute: Amsterdam 2012
In March, nine MFA students travelled to Amsterdam for a weeklong immersive experience with the Sandberg Institute. Under the leadership of Jerszy Seymour—whose multidisciplinary program (The Dirty Art Department) operates on the border of art and design, infusing design with timely political and social messages—the students worked on a joint project entitled Extra National Style. The project looked into the issues of national identity, multiculturalism and design activism. The results were as diverse as the workshop’s participants, resulting in projects exploring extra-national notions on hygiene, investigations on extra-national seating and renditions of extra-national performances.
20 — Issue 1
Student Exchanges between
Richmond & Qatar
Three students from the Doha campus and
five students from the Richmond campus
participated in the VCUQatar and VCU
Richmond exchange this year. In addition,
VCUQatar hosted one study abroad student
from VCU Richmond for the Spring 2012
semester. VCUQatar sent one Fashion Design
junior and one Interior Design junior to
Richmond for the Fall 2011 semester; and one
Painting and Printmaking sophomore for the
Spring 2012 semester.
Ten rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors,
four of whom were Qatari, traveled to
Richmond during the summer to take five-
week courses in classes such as letterpress,
storyboarding, anthropology, sociology,
glass-blowing, ceramics and jewelry-making.
Two VCUQatar Graphic Design alumni acted
as program interns.
International Learning
Opportunities
Seventy-six VCUQatar students participated
in field study trips abroad. Foundation took 10
students to Dubai to visit Art Dubai; Fashion
Design took 16 students to India to attend the
Wills Lifestyle India Fashion week in Delhi as well
as visit the Calico Museum in Ahmadabad and
the National Institute of Design; Graphic Design
took eight students to Phnom Penn and Siam
Reap and 16 students to Barcelona, Cordoba
and Madrid to catalyze their new insights of a
context far away with the hopes of developing
their perceptions and skills to interpret their
own context of Qatar; Interior Design took 12
students to Helsinki, the 2012 UNESCO World
Design Capital, to visit art and design museums,
the design district, and architecturally significant
sites; and Painting and Printmaking took five
students to attend the Venice Biennale, one of
the most prestigious cultural institutions in the
world, known for its promotion of avant-garde
artistic trends and organization of international
events in the contemporary arts.
GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
Issue 1 — 21
Qatar Day in Richmond
VCUQatar and VCU Richmond hosted Qatar Day in March
on the Richmond campus. A student-initiated program,
Qatar Day was inaugurated last year with the intention of
strengthening the relationship between the two campuses
and the understanding between the two cultures. The event
provided Richmond students and faculty an opportunity to
learn more about VCU’s Qatar campus. Tents were set up in
the Commons Plaza and featured various traditional Arab
activities. The event also included a trunk show of works
designed by fashion alumni from VCUQatar and Richmond
and an exhibition of work by VCUQatar students.
GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
VCUQatar Receives
Cumulus Membership
VCUQatar received full membership status from Cumulus
(International Association of Universities and Colleges of
Art, Design and Media) during the 2012 General Assembly in
Helsinki this past May. Membership to Cumulus is selective to
ensure sustainable growth as well as educational, regional and
geographical balance.
Cumulus is the only global association to serve art and design
education and research. It is a forum for partnership and
transfer of knowledge and best practices. Cumulus consists
currently of 189 members from 46 countries.
22 — Issue 1
East Modernism: VCUQatar at Design Days Dubai
VCUQatar’s MFA faculty and students presented a curated exhibition of their work entitled East Modernism at Design Days Dubai in March.
Strategically situated on the crossroads of the Gulf region, the graduate program at VCUQatar is both inspired and informed by design culture of the Gulf. East Modernism is the department’s reflection on the state of this culture in transition. “The exhibition overlays the rich artistic heritage of the Middle East over the foundations of modern design as it utilizes traditions of local crafts, revived and reused in a new unusual context,” said Constantin Boym, inaugural director of the MFA program and curator of the exhibition.
“East Modernism is a wink at postmodernism, characterized by multiplicity of meaning, irony and cultural criticism.”
The exhibition included East-modern furniture by Constantin and Laurene Boym; Sadu Thread Cabinet by VCUQatar Assistant Professor Thomas Modeen; Middlefield, a foosball table, and Non-Renewable Oil Lamp by Assistant Professor Paolo Cardini; Vessel Revisions by VCUarts Sculpture alumnus Benjamin Jurgensen; and the Shared Glass collection by VCUQatar MFA students Amin Matni, Alia Khairat, Imad Fadel, Rania Chamsine, Corby Elfor, and Sameh Ibrahim.
01
Issue 1 — 23
Opposite Page
01 East Modernism at
Design Dubai 2012
Clockwise from top left
02 Non-Renewable Oil Lamp
by Paolo Cardini
03 Shared Glass vessel
by Amin Matni
04 Professor Modeen with visitors
05 Middlefield by Paolo Cardini
GLOBAL EXPERIENCE
02 03 04
05
24 — Issue 1
aisha al muftahINTERIOR DESIGN ‘05
ALUMNI PROFILES
Issue 1 — 25
Interior designer and art historian Aisha Al Muftah feels fortunate to be teaching at VCUQatar, a job she cares deeply about. Having such a diverse educational background has set the course for all of her subsequent projects to be interdisciplinary, which the cultural environment in Qatar certainly encourages.
Aisha chose to study at VCUQatar because she always wanted to do something related to art and architecture and, of all the programs available in Qatar, the university’s Interior Design program came the closest. “VCUQatar was a fairly new school and I had heard about it from relatives and friends,” she comments. “My mother was not very encouraging of me studying abroad, so I applied to the school and I got a scholarship from the Ministry of Education (now the Higher Education Institute).”
From the very beginning, Aisha loved the atmosphere at VCUQatar. “I liked the art projects we had to work on during the foundation year, and everybody from the administration to the faculty mem-bers seemed very welcoming and friendly,” she says. “I particularly enjoyed the art history classes; it was something new I discovered through VCUQatar and was eye-opening. I had studied history be-fore in high school of course and I loved it, but now it was history and art combined! Both subjects I enjoyed the most.” From that point on, Aisha took almost every art history course that was offered as an elective. Even after graduating in 2005, when Professor Jochen Sokoly offered an introductory course in Islamic Art history the fol-lowing fall, she just had to come back and enroll for it.
While still a student at VCUQatar, Aisha did an internship with a small interior design firm and, although she says the experience was not bad, it made her realize she needed to rethink her plans for the future. “My interest was already elsewhere, in art and the history of art,” she comments. “And though I enjoyed the design studios and I did very well in them, I enjoyed the reading and writing assign-ments for the art history and English classes more.”
So, after finishing the course with Professor Sokoly, Aisha applied for a job at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) which was still un-dergoing fundamental development in preparation for its opening.
“I got a job as a researcher there, which allowed me to work closely with the collections. I loved that!” she says. “I had to write reports for cataloguing and short essays on specific topics related to the objects in the museum.” Aisha was also involved with a smaller ex-hibition on Mughal jewelry during the Asian Games in 2006. She helped with researching the pieces that were showcased, writing captions and arranging the objects within the exhibition space. She also enjoyed giving brief tours and short talks about the exhibition, especially to children visiting from the different schools in Qatar.
Prior to the opening, Aisha was responsible for two galleries display-ing permanent collections related to Islamic calligraphy, another art form she is passionate about. She collaborated with colleagues and
عائشة المفتاحدفعة 2005 – التصميم الداخلي
تشعر المصمم الداخيل و مؤرخ الفن عائشة المفتاح أهنا حمظوظة حلصولها عىل فرصة للتدريس يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر، تلك الوظيفة اليت هتمها وبشكل كبري.
فوجود مثل هذه اخللفية التعليمية المتنوعة حدد ماسر جلميع ماشريعها الالحقة لتاسعدها يف أن تكون متعددة التخصصات، األمر الذي يلقى تشجيعا من البيئة
الثقافية يف قطر بكل تأكيد.
اختارت عائشة الدراسة يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر ألهنا كانت دامئا ترغب يف عمل يشء يرتبط بالفن والعمارة، ومن بني مجيع الرباجم المتوفرة يف قطر ، كان برناجم التصميم الداخيل يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر هو أقرب ما يكون إىل ما تطمح
إليه. وعن ذلك قالت عائشة » يف ذلك الوقت كانت جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر مدرسة جديدة إىل حد ما وقد سمعت عن وجودها من بعض األقارب واألصدقاء«.
وأضافت : »لم تكن والديت تشجعين عىل الدراسة يف اخلارج لذلك قمت بالتقديم للجامعة وحصلت عىل منحة دراسية من وزارة الرتبية والتعليم )والذي هو اليوم معهد
التعليم العايل( .
منذ البداية جدا، أحبت عائشة اجلو يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر. “أحببت الماشريع الفنية اليت كنا نعمل علهيا خالل السنة التأسيسية يف اجلامعة، وكان اجلميع
من الموظفني واإلداريني حىت األاستذة يبدون كل اهتمام وترحيب وصداقة. لقد استمتعت خاصة يف دروس ومقررات تارخي الفن، كان شيئا جديدا استكشفته من خالل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر وكان مبثابة فتح عيوين عىل أفاق جديدة. لقد درست
التارخي مسبقا يف المدرسة الثانوية طبعا ولقد أحببته، ولكنه اآلن خليط من التارخي والفن معا! وهما أكرث مادتني أحببهتما عىل اإلطالق”. ومنذ ذلك الوقت، بدأت عائشة بأخذ
يبا واليت كانت تقدمها اجلامعة كمقررات اختيارية، وحىت بعد كل مقررات تارخي الفن تقرخترجها يف عام 2005 ، قامت بالتسجيل لدراسة مقرر تارخي الفن اإلسالمي الذي قدمه الربوفيسور يوكون سوكويل يف فصل اخلريف التايل من نفس العام. كان كل ما علهيا هو
العودة للدراسة مرة أخرى فقط.
قامت عائشة وخالل دراسهتا يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر بالتدرب العميل يف رشكة تصميم داخيل صغرية، وعىل الرغم من أهنا تقول بأن التجربة لم تكن سيئة، إال أن هذه التجربة جعلهتا تشعر بأهنا حباجة إىل إعادة التفكري يف خططها وتطلعاهتا للمستقبل.
“ كانت اهتمامايت يف مكان آخر كليا، يف الفن ويف تارخي الفن، وعىل الرغم من أنين استمتعت مبقررات استوديو التصميم وكان ادايئ جيدا فهيم، إال أنين استمتعت أكرث
بالمهام الكتابية والقراءة يف تارخي الفن ومقررات اللغة اإلجنلزيية”.لذلك، وبعد انهتاء مقررات الربوفيسور دكتور سوكويل، قامت عائشة بالتقدم لشغل
“The art and cultural scene in Doha is a collaborative movement that should involve schools, museums, public libraries, families and people from the higher authorities in organizations public and private.”
ALUMNI PROFILES
26 — Issue 1
researchers to write captions and wall texts for them. “I also wrote reports on Persian paintings focusing on some of the most beautiful Qajar portraits in the collection,” she recalls. “And I worked on some of the Mughal jewelry, of course!”
In 2008, Aisha wrote some articles related to modern and contem-porary Middle Eastern art that were published in the Saudi cultural magazine Almajallah Alarabiya. Shortly after the opening of the MIA, Aisha resigned and joined Qatar Foundation. Within a few months, she received a scholarship to do her Master’s (MA) in His-tory of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, for a year. “I came back in October 2010 and since December of that year I have been working at VCUQatar as a teaching assistant in the Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) depart-ment,” she says.
“Being a student at VCUQatar was a great learning experience. I learned a lot of skills—from things like doing research to writing academic papers to citing work, to defending your ideas and thinking critically—that might sound very basic, but to me at that time, they were very new and sometimes difficult to achieve,” Aisha comments. She is grateful to many people who have guided her throughout her life and career. They include her parents and the many instructors she had while studying at VCUQatar: Lisa Clayton, whose art his-tory classes she says felt like an exciting tour around the world; Randall Williams, who always encouraged her to read and write, not only in English but in her native language, Arabic; Professor Jochen Sokoly; and Professor Doris Behrans-AbouSeif, her supervisor for her dissertation at SOAS.
“I am always inspired by art and design in every aspect of my life. Ever since I was a child I have loved reading and visiting museums and for that, I am grateful to my family. Both my parents loved the arts; raised us to appreciate art and admire all the beautiful things around us. They have always been very encouraging with the de-velopment of my career and supportive of all the decisions I made regarding my studies and work,” she says, citing their support as the reason she applied for a job at VCUQatar. She continues, “And although I was hesitant at first, it felt great to go back to my old school, which is like a second home to me where things are more settled and relaxed. I am enjoying the environment a lot, and work-ing with the students as well. I am trying my best to pass down my enthusiasm and love for the arts and culture to them. And I always hope that I am to them what my teachers mean to me, an ongoing inspiration.”
وظيفة يف متحف الفن اإلسالمي )MIA( والذي كان ال يزال يف مرحلة التحضريات األاسسية الفتتاحه. “حصلت عىل وظيفة باحثة يف المتحف، واليت مكنتين من العمل
عن قرب يف جمموعة التحف الفنية ومقتنيات المتحف. لقد احببت ذلك جدا! كان من ضمن مهامي كتابة التقارير وفهرسة الكتالوجات وكتيبات المتحف وكتابة العديد من
المقاالت القصرية حول مواضيع حمددة تتعلق مبقتنيات المتحف”. كما اشركت عائشة أيضا يف معرض صغري للمجوهرات المغولية خالل دورة االلعاب االسيوية يف عام 2006. اسعدت عائشة يف البحث عن القطع اليت تم عرضها، وكتابة تعليق علهيا وكيفية ترتيب
األشياء داخل المعرض. كما استمتعت أيضا بتقديم جوالت تعريفية وأحاديث قصرية عن المعرض، وخاصة لألطفال الزائرين من خمتلف المدارس يف قطر.
قبيل االفتتاح، كانت عائشة مسؤولة عن معرضني يعرضان جمموعات فنية دامئة ترتبط باخلط اإلسالمي، شكل آخر من الفنون اليت تتحمس لها. تعاونت مع زمالهئا وغريها من
الباحثني عىل كتابة ملخص توضيحي وتعليق عن تارخي كل مهنا. “قمت أيضا بكتابة تقارير عن اللوحات الفارسية مع الرتكزي عىل بعض أمجل الصور لقاجار يف المجموعة. وبالطبع
عملت أيضا عىل بعض المجوهرات المغولية”!
يف عام 2008، قامت عائشة بكتابة بعض المقاالت المتعلقة بالفن احلديث والمعارص يف الرشق األوسط واليت تم نرشها يف جملة سعودية ثقافية اسمها “المجلة العربية”. وبعد افتتاح متحف الفن اإلسالمي بوقت قصري، قامت عائشة بتقديم استقالهتا
وااللتحاق بالعمل يف مؤسسة قطر. ويف غضون بضعة أهشر، حصلت عائشة عىل منحة دراسية الستكمال دراسة الماجستري يف تارخي الفن يف كلية الدرااست الرشقية واألفريقية
(SOAS)، جامعة لندن، لمدة عام. قالت عائشة: “عدت يف هشر أكتوبر من عام 2010 ويف هشر ديسمرب من نفس العام بدأت العمل يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر
.”(LAS) كمعيدة يف قسم الفنون والعلوم العامة
أضافت عائشة: “لقد كان وجودي كطالبة يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر جتربة تعليمية رائعة وعظيمة. تعلمت الكثري من المهارات – من األشياء مثل األحباث وحىت كادميية ألماكن العمل، الدفاع عن أفكاري والتفكري الناقد - قد يبدو كتابة األوراق األ
ذلك من األشياء األاسسية جدا، ولكن بالنسبة يل يف ذلك الوقت، كانت أشياء جديدة جدا ومن الصعب إجنازها يف بعض األحيان”. تشعر عائشة بالشكر واالمتنان لكثري من
األشخاص الذين قاموا بإراشدها خالل حياهتا المهنية. ومهنم والدهيا والعديد من األاستذة الذين درسوها يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر مهنم لزيا كاليتون )اليت
كانت تدرس مقررات تارخي الفن( واليت جعلتنا نشعر بأننا يف رحلة فنية مثرية حول العالم، راندل ويليامز والذي شجعها دامئا عىل القراءة والكتابة ليس فقط باإلجنلزيية ولكن أيضا
باستخدام لغهتا األم ، العربية . الربوفيسور الدكتور يوكون سوكويل فضال عن الربوفيسور دوريس هبرانز أبو سيف ، المرشفة عىل راسلهتا للماجستري يف كلية الدرااست الرشقية
.(SOAS) واألفريقية
“الفن والتصميم هما دامئا مصدر إلهام يل يف كل جانب من جوانب حيايت. فمنذ أن يارة المتاحف ولهذا فأنا أشعر باالمتنان لعائليت. فوالدي كنت طفلة أحببت القراءة وز
كالهما أحبا الفن ، وأنآشنا عىل حبه وتقديره واإلعجاب بكل األشياء اجلميلة المحيطة بنا. لقد كانا دامئا يشجعاين عىل تنمية وتطوير مسرييت المهنية وكانوا دامئا مؤيدين وداعمني يل
يف مجيع قرارايت اليت اختذهتا يف دراسيت وعميل” قالت عائشة . “لقد كان دعمهم يل وراء قراري بالتقدم جلامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر بطلب وظيفة«. وأضافت “وعىل الرغم
من ترددي يف بادء األمر ، لقد كان شعورا رائعا أن أعود إىل مدرسيت وجامعيت القدمية واليت كانت مبثابة بييت الثاين واليت فهيا األمور أكرث استقرارا وهدوءا. إنين استمتع جبو
ALUMNI PROFILES
Issue 1 — 27
Aisha believes the art and cultural scene in Doha is still in the pro-cess of developing and needs more time to mature, expand and reach out to people. “It is a collaborative movement that should involve schools, museums, public libraries, families and people from the higher authorities in organizations public and private,” she com-ments. “I do appreciate all the temporary exhibitions being hosted in the museums, the new upcoming art galleries scattered around town, the music concerts taking place now in Qatar, but I wish the people who were responsible for putting these events together would plan and arrange more cultural undertakings that relate to our commu-nity and that people from here could relate to.”
As for her own future plans, Aisha hopes to pursue a PhD in art his-tory next year perhaps. “I would love to get a degree in Arabic lit-erature someday and maybe do something related to film studies,” she says. “I would love to continue in my academic career but would also like to start a project that encourages reading and writing and includes events like book discussions, poetry readings, musical eve-nings and film screenings that would involve young people from the community here and promote arts and culture around the city.”
العمل يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر كثريا كما استمتع أيضا بالعمل مع الطالب. إنين أبذل جهدي يف نقل محايس وحيب للفن والثقافة إلهيم. وآمل دامئا بأن اكون لهم كما
كان أاستذيت يل ، مصدر إلهام مستمر”
تعتقد عائشة بان المهشد الفين والثقايف يف الدوحة ال يزال يف عملية تطور وحيتاج اىل مزيد من الوقت للنضوج والتوسع والوصول إىل الناس. وعن ذلك علقت عائشة قائلة:
“ال بد لنا من حركة تعاونية تشمل المدارس والمتاحف والمكتبات العامة واألرس واألشخاص من السلطات العليا يف المنظمات العامة واخلاصة. انا أقدر كل المعارض المؤقتة اليت تستضيفها المتاحف، ومجيع المعارض الفنية اجلديدة القادمة والمنترشة
حول المدينة، واحلفالت الموسيقية اليت تقام اآلن يف قطر، ولكن أرغب يف أن يقوم الناس المسؤولني عن ترتيب وختطيط هذه األحداث بوضع الماشريع الثقافية اليت تتعلق وترتبط
أكرث مبجتمعنا والناس الموجودين هنا واليت من الممكن للناس أن يتفاعلوا معها أكرث”.
وعن خططها اخلاصة للمستقبل، تأمل عائشة يف استكمال دراسهتا واحلصول عىل درجة الدكتوراه يف تارخي الفن رمبا يف العام القادم. “إنين أرغب جدا يف احلصول عىل درجة
يف األدب العريب يوما ما ومن الممكن أيضا أن أقوم بأداء يشء يتعلق بدراسة األفالم. كادميية، ولكنين أرغب أيضا أن أبدأ يف مرشوع إنين أرغب وبشدة أن أكمل مسرييت األ
يعمل عىل تشجيع القراءة والكتابة من خالل إقامة الفعاليات مثل حلقة لمناقشة كتاب أو قراءة للشعر أو أمسية موسيقية أو عرض فيلم واليت يتمكن جيل الشباب يف المجتمع
يز الفن والثقافة حول المدينة”. من الماشركة هبا وتعز
Being one of only six male students at VCUQatar, Ahmed
El Sayed admits he did stand out, and being the only male
student in the Fashion department when he began his stud-
ies in 2007, he did get spoilt a bit. After he graduated in 2011,
Ahmed started accepting styling projects on a freelance
basis with local fashion magazines. He was well-known
by most of them thanks to his fashion blog Nomad which
he started in his senior year with classmate Carla Mallari.
Ahmed left Nomad just before graduating so he could
focus on launching his own ready-to-wear brand White
Stain which he did in October of that year. “The name
was chosen because my first collection involved me
experimenting with different prints and accessories on
a plain white canvas (T-shirts). continued on page 30
ahmed el sayedFA SHION DESIGN ‘11
اعترف أحمد بشعوره عند بداية دراسته في عام 2007 بان يكون واحدا من ستة طالب من الذكور فقط في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث
في قطر، وأن يكون الطالب الوحيد في قسم تصميم األزياء بين الطالبات، لقد جعله ذلك مدلال قليال. بعد تخرجه في عام 2011، ابتدأ أحمد في قبول مشاريع في التصميم كعمل مستقل مع
مجالت الموضة المحلية. كان معروفا للغالبية منهم والشكر في ذلك يعود لموقع )بلوج( Nomad لألزياء والذي ابتدأه في سنته
النهائية في الجامعة هو وزميلته كارال ماالري .
ترك أحمد Nomad مباشرة قبل تخرجه رغبة منه في التركيز على االستعداد إلطالق عالمته التجارية الجديدة في المالبس الجاهزة
الوصمة البيضاء WhiteStain والذي أطلقها في أكتوبر من نفس العام.“قمت باختيار هذا االسم لمجموعتي بعد اول مجموعة أزياء لي والتي جعلتني أجرب العديد من الطباعات المختلفة
واإلكسسوارات على أقمشة كتانية بيضاء )تي شيرت(. يتبع ص30
ALUMNI PROFILES
أحمد السيدتصميم األزياء – دفعة 2011
28 — Issue 1
maryam yousef al homaidGR APHIC DESIGN ‘10
ALUMNI PROFILES
Issue 1 — 29
“I love to be surrounded by students and teachers and to be exposed to the way students think while solving design problems.”
Maryam Al-Homaid’s career as an artist began with her father, re-nowned Qatari artist Yousef Ahmed. She grew up surrounded by paintbrushes and colored markers and knew back then that she would be painting and drawing for the rest of her life.
So it is no surprise that Maryam is back at her alma mater, VCUQatar, now as a student in the Master of Fine Arts program in Design Studies. “I missed school; I love to be surrounded by students and teachers and to be exposed to the way students think while solving design problems,” she says. Maryam was also keen to join the grow-ing community of artists and designers here in Doha, Qatar now that Qatar has started embracing the art and design culture.
Maryam had graduated from VCUQatar in 2010 with a degree in graphic design, and joined RasGas shortly after to work in their Public Affairs department as a designer. “I was able to experience working on client-based projects. I had to manage projects from start to finish,” she notes. “Writing the scope of work, working with budget and contracts, working with suppliers and printers, de-signing all the collaterals and also dealing with the transportation and logistics to make sure the client was happy with the outcome.” Maryam says the experience was amazing because she got to see and deal with clients and work based on their needs. “VCUQatar did a great job training us in these aspects, but it did make me real-ize that dealing with real-life projects involves more than just the design project itself,” she comments. “You get to deal with contracts, budgets, suppliers and so many different people through all of this. It is a challenge, but has only made me learn more and gain from the experiences.”
Family and friends have always been Maryam’s source of inspira-tion and support, along with her professors. “During my years at VCUQatar,” she says, “I was constantly encouraged by my profes-sors, who always taught me to look at the various artists and design-ers from all around the world as inspiration and to challenge myself to think outside the box.” This is why Maryam aspires to be a source of inspiration to the next generation of artists and designers and would love to teach art and design in Qatar.
“It feels so good to be back at VCUQatar and I’m definitely looking forward to challenging myself over the next two years in the MFA program,” she says.
مريم يوسف الحميددفعة عام 2010 – تصميم الغرافيك
بدأت مريم احلميد مهنهتا كفنانة مع والدها، الفنان القطري المعروف يوسف أمحد. نأشت مريم حماطة بفرايش وأقالم األلوان لتدرك من ذلك الوقت بأهنا ترغب يف أن ترسم
وتلون للعمر البايق من حياهتا.
ولذلك لم يكن من المستغرب عودة مريم إىل حيث تنتمي ، إىل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر، ويف هذه المرة عادت مريم كطالبة يف برناجم ماجستري الفنون الراقية يف درااست التصميم. عن ذلك قالت مريم »لقد افتقدت اجلامعة، أحب أن أبقى حماطة
بالطالب واألاستذة وأن أبقى عىل اطالع دائم بطرق تفكري الطالب و إجياد حلول لماشكل التصميم«. كانت مريم متحمسة جدا لاللتحاق مبجتمع المصممني والفنانني المتنامي يف
الدوحة ، قطر . فقد بدأت قطر اآلن يف احتضان ثقافة الفن والتصميم.
خترجت مريم من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر عام 2010 من ختصص تصميم الغرافيك وبعد وقت قصري من خترجها التحقت برشكة راس غاز للعمل كمصممة يف إدارة الشؤون العامة. “كنت قادرة عىل جتربة العمل يف الماشريع القامئة عىل العميل.
كان ال بد يل من إدارة الماشريع ابتداءا من كتابة وصف العمل، العمل مع المزيانية والعقود، العمل مع الموردين والطابعني، تصميم كل المطبوعات وأيضا التعامل مع تأمني
المواصالت والنقل وكل األمور المتعلقة بالتخطيط والتنفيذ مبا جيعل العميل راضيا عن النتاجئ”. قالت مريم بأن التجربة كانت رائعة ألهنا استطاعت التعامل مع العمالء ورؤيهتم
والعمل معهم حسب احتياجاهتم. “قامت جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر بعمل رائع ليس فقط يف تدريبنا عىل كل هذه األمور، إمنا جعلتين أدرك بأن العمل يف ماشريع احلياة الواقعية هو أكرث من جمرد تصميم المرشوع فقط. عليك التعامل مع العقود والمزيانيات،
والموردين والكثري من الناس المختلفني من خالل ذلك. إنه حتدي، ولكنه جعلين أتعلم المزيد وأكتسب اخلربات أكرث وأكرث”.
كانت العائلة واألصدقاء جنبا إىل جنب مع أاستذهتا هم دامئا مركز اإلحياء وااللهام والدعم لمريم«. خالل سنوايت الدراسية يف جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر ، كان
أاستذيت يشجعونين دامئا وباستمرار كما علموين بأن أنظر دامئا إىل خمتلف الفنانني والمصممني ومن مجيع أحناء العالم كمصدر لإلحياء واإللهام وأن احتدى نفيس وانطلق
بتفكريي إىل خارج احلدود« وهذا كان مصدر اإلحياء لمريم وطموحها بأن تكون هي نفهسا مصدرا إللهام األجيال القادمة من الفنانني والمصممني يف قطر ، وهي حتب جدا ان تقوم
بنفهسا بتعليم الفن والتصميم يف قطر.
“إنه شعور رائع أن أعود جلامعة فرجينيا كومنولث يف قطر وإنين وبالتأكيد أتطلع لتحدي نفيس خالل العامني القادين يف دراسيت للماجستري” قالت مريم.
ALUMNI PROFILES
30 — Issue 1
ألكساندرا ويندرمدفعة 2012 – التصميم الداخلي
ولدت ألكساندرا وترعرعت في ساوثبورت، في المملكة المتحدة ، حيث جاءت إلى قطر في عام 2005 مع عائلتها لاللتحاق بوالدها الذي كان يعمل هنا. اكتشفت ألكساندرا ولعها الحقيقي
“التصميم” بينما كانت تقوم بإكمال المستوى األول في مدرسة الدوحة كوليج ! قالت ألكساندرا: “أحد المقررات التي كنت أدرسها كان تكنولوجيا التصميم وكنت أحب جدا العمل في
ورش العمل واستخدام يدي وبناء األشياء التي كنا نبتكرها من الشخبطة السريعة التي نقوم بها على قطعة خالية من الورق”. في ذلك الوقت كانت ألكساندرا قد أمضت عامين فقط في
قطر ، لكنها كانت كافية لتحب ألكساندرا حياتها في قطر وأن ترغب في البقاء فيها. “عندما كنت أقوم باستكشاف خيارات الجامعات ، كانت جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر أحد الخيارات المرجحة جدا من المجتمع في قطر ، لقد كنت محظوظة جدا إليجاد مثل هذا البرنامج الرائع في التصميم في قطر. خالل سنتي النهائية في الدوحة كوليج ، عملت بجد و بدأت الرسم بانتظام
البتكار ملف شخصي فني مميز وكنت دائما أصلي حتى أقبل في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر ، ولحسن الحظ تم قبولي”. يتبع ص31
ALUMNI PROFILES
Alexandra was born and raised in Southport, UK and moved to Qatar in 2005 with
her family to join her father, who was already here. While completing her A-Levels
at Doha College, she found her true passion—design! “One of my classes was design
technology and I loved to get into the workshop to use my hands and build objects
that were created from a quick doodle on a blank piece of page,” she says. Although
Alexandra had only been in Qatar for two years at that time, she had come to love
her life here and wanted to stay. “While I was exploring university options VCUQatar
was gaining high recognition within the community, and I was fortunate enough to
find such a wonderful design program in Qatar,” she comments. “During my final
year at Doha College I worked hard, began to sketch regularly to create a great
portfolio and prayed that I would be accepted into VCUQatar—fortunately I was!”
Alexandra believes VCUQatar is a pivotal and important presence within Qatar in
helping shape young designers. “To have had the ability to obtain such a prestigious
American degree in the Middle East is a rather unique experience. As a student here
in Qatar I have had some phenomenal opportunities that I know I would have had
if I were at the Virginia Campus. Qatar is a young designers’ hub, it’s a fast paced
growing city where worldwide acclaimed architects are making their mark on the city.”
Alexandra currently works as an interior architect for Origins International, located
in the Tornado Tower in Doha. It is a small, British company that has recently formed
a partnership with Hamad Al Mana—majority owner of Bluu—an office interior
fit-out company in Qatar. There are two parts to Origins International: furniture
retail and hospitality/residential interior design. continued on page 31
تتمة ص27 األبيض هو اللون الذي أرغب في وجوده في كل مجموعاتي، فمن دونهذا اللون، أعتقد بأنني ربما سأفقد لمستي الخاصة“. كانت هذه المجموعة واحدة من أول
المجموعات في الباليز )التي شيرت( التي تخرج من الدوحة، والتي بيعت في جميع أنحاء دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي.
Impression قمت بعد ذلك بابتكار مجموعة حصرية من الباليز )التيشرتات( لمحالت“ في اللؤلؤة قطر، والتي تم بيعها ونفاذها مرة أخرى سريعا”. قام احمد بعد ذلك، بالعمل مع
فندق W قطر، مع زميلته سيلينا فاروقي، حيث قاما معا بإنشاء مجموعة WAHM الحصرية إلعادة افتتاح بار WAHM في فندق W. يقبل أحمد طلبيات لألزياء الرسمية من زبائنه العاديين، كما يقوم أيضا بكتابة عمود في مجلة GLAM بصورة شهرية، وهي مجلة لألزياء مقرها قطر.
“إنها بكل تأكيد فرصة عظيمة بأن تعمل من أجل نفسك، يستطيع الناس معرفتك ويستطيعون تمييزك وتمييز أعمالك أكثر، وبذلك تصبح أعمالك شخصية أكثر. بعملك لنفسك يصبح ال خيار لديك من أن تتعلم بان تصبح أكثر تنوعا. فأنت هنا مسؤول عن نفسك وأنت بنفسك ستدفع
حتى ثمن أصغر أخطائك. لقد نضجت جدا من عملي لنفسي ولقد سنحت لي الفرصة لمقابلة العديد من الناس الذين أثروا بي وشجعوني”.
يعمل أحمد حاليا من دبي، حيث تم انتقاله وبمساعدة أحد زبائنه اإلماراتيين. وهو حاليا في وسط اإلعالن عن إطالق مجموعة جديدة من األزياء “مجموعة أزياء الصحراء” والمستوحاة من
دول الخليج العربي.
alexandra windrumINTERIOR DESIGN ‘11
continued from page 27 White is a color I have to include in all my collections, without
that color, I think I would probably lose my signature touch.” The collection turned
out to be one of the first T-shirt collections to come out of Doha, and soon sold all
over the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council countries).
“I was then commissioned to create an exclusive T-shirt collection for Impression
Boutique at The Pearl Qatar, which again sold out very quickly,” comments Ahmed. He was subsequently approached by the W Hotel in Qatar and, along with classmate
Selina Farooqui, created the exclusive Wahm collection for the reopening of the W’s
iconic bar of the same name. He accepts custom orders from his regular clients, and
serves also as a monthly columnist for GLAM, a fashion magazine based in Qatar.
Says Ahmed, “It’s definitely a great experience working for yourself; people tend
to recognize you and your work more, so it becomes more personal.. Also, working
for yourself you have no choice but to learn to be disciplined. You report to yourself,
and you pay the price for even one small mistake. I have grown a lot from working
for myself and I’ve met a lot of influential people who’ve encouraged me.”
Ahmed recently relocated to Dubai, a move that was pushed for by his Emarati
clients. He is in the midst of releasing a new collection, ‘The Desert Collection’,
inspired by the GCC."
Issue 1 — 31
When Hessa Al Muhannadi started working as a math and science teacher with
the Ministry of Education’s (MOE’s) elementary and secondary schools, little did she
know that in 10 years she would be switching careers and designing the interiors
for the Qatar Amiri Flight.
After graduating from Qatar University with a bachelor’s degree in physics, Hessa
started teaching math and science at the MOE’s elementary and secondary, as well
as independent schools. Nine years later she became vice principal at one of the
independent schools and worked in this position for 18 months.
While enjoying her new position as vice principle, she chanced upon an advert
in the newspapers about VCUQatar. “When I came across this opportunity to
study at VCUQatar, I felt very deeply in my heart that it was something I had to
do, especially as I had previously tried to study interior design through a distance
education program with an American institution but couldn’t complete it because
one of my children was very sick, and they are my first priority in my life,” she says.
With support and encouragement from her husband, Hessa applied for and got
into the Interior Design degree program.
“The experience of studying at VCUQatar was amazing and I miss it a lot. It was very
different from any other experience in my life; it was a discovery of cultures, people,
art and design. The age difference between me and other students helped us form
a very nice relationship. I was like their older sister,” she reminisces. Hessa admits
it was very challenging to keep up with the younger students at the academic
level but, she says, “I loved every bit of this experience with its ups and downs.
Interacting with the professors also was very special. I learned a lot from them,
and I appreciated their hard work with us students.”
Hessa graduated from VCUQatar in May 2011 and started working as an interior
designer for Qatar Amiri Flight (QAF), a VIP airline owned and operated by the
government of Qatar, in August 2011. “It was a very short break between gradua-
tion and starting to work again, but I’m very glad to have had this opportunity,”
she says. “Going back to work also meant shifting back to my lifestyle before
VCUQatar, but with a makeover—a very different job description in every way!”
hessa al muhannadiINTERIOR DESIGN ‘11
ALUMNI PROFILES
حصة المهنديدفعة 2011 – التصميم الداخلي
عندما بدأت حصة المهندي العمل كمدرسة علوم ورياضيات في بعض المدارس االبتدائية والثانوية التابعة لوزارة التربية والتعليم، لم يدر بخلدها انه وخالل عشر سنوات ستغير مهنتها
وستقوم بالتصميم الداخلي للرحالت األميرية القطرية.
فبعد تخرجها من جامعة قطر وحصولها على درجة البكالوريوس في علوم الفيزياء، بدأت حصة بتدريس العلوم والرياضيات في مدارس وزارة التربية والتعليم االبتدائية والثانوية والمدارس
المستقلة. وبعد تسع سنوات أصبحت حصة نائب المدير في أحد المدارس المستقلة وعملت في هذا المنصب لمدة ثمانية عشر شهرا.
عندما كانت حصة تتمتع بمنصبها الجديد كنائب مدير المدرسة، وقع نظرها على أحد إعالنات جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر. “عندما حصلت على فرصة الدراسة في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر، شعرت في أعماقي ومن قلبي بأنه شيء ال بد من القيام به، خاصة
وأنني حاولت مسبقا دراسة التصميم الداخلي من خالل الدراسة باالنتساب في أحد المعاهد األمريكية ولكني لم استطع إكمال هذه الدراسة بسبب مرض أحد أطفالي الشديد، والذين
كنت اعتبرهم أهم أولوياتي في هذه الحياة“ قالت حصة. وبتشجيع ومساندة زوجها، قامت حصة بالتقديم للدراسة في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر وتم قبولها للدراسة في برنامج
التصميم الداخلي في الجامعة.
“كانت تجربتي في الدراسة في جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر تجربة رائعة وأنا افتقدها جدا. لقد كانت تجربة تختلف عن أي تجربة أخرى في حياتي، استطعت من خاللها اكتشاف
الثقافات والناس والفن والتصميم. لقد مكنني فرق العمر بيني وبين الطلبة اآلخرين من تشكيل عالقة صداقة رائعة جدا، لقد كنت بمثابة أختهم الكبرى”. اعترفت حصة بأنه كان تحديا
صعبا لها أن تستطيع مواكبة الطالب األصغر سنا على المستوى األكاديمي ولكن “ أحببت كل شيء في هذه التجربة بكل ما فيها من نجاحات وإخفاقات. لقد كان التعامل مع األساتذة شيء
خاص جدا، لقد تعلمت منهم الكثير وأقدر عملهم الدؤوب معنا كطالب”.
تخرجت حصة من جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر في شهر مايو من عام 2011 وبدأت في ،)QAF( شهر أغسطس من نفس العام بالعمل كمصمم داخلي للرحالت األميرية القطرية
وهي شركة طيران كبار الشخصيات مملوكة وتدار من قبل حكومة قطر. “لقد كانت فترة استراحة قصيرة جدا ما بين تخرجي وبداية عملي مرة أخرى، ولكنني سعيدة جدا بحصولي على
مثل هذه الفرصة«. وأضافت: »لقد كان في عودتي إلى العمل أيضا عودتي إلى أسلوب حياتي قبل جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر ولكن مع اختالف كبير – عمل ووظيفة مختلفة جدا
في كل شيء!”
continued from previous page “Before graduating I considered going to work for a
highly recognized international firm,” Alexandra comments. “However, I know that
being an important contributor to the small team where I am right now is much
more beneficial for me as a fresh graduate. I feel so blessed to be part of Origins
International. I’m involved in all aspects of the business—meeting prestigious clients,
making design decisions and being fully encouraged to embrace my intuition. I
have ultimately become part of the Origins family.”
تتمة تؤمن ألكساندرا بأن وجود جامعة فرجينيا كومنولث في قطر هو عامل حيوي ومهم في المساعدة على تشكيل صغار المصممين. “إنها تجربة فريدة من نوعها من أن تستطيع الحصول
على شهادة جامعية من جامعة أمريكية رائدة في الشرق األوسط” كطالبة هنا في قطر، كان لدي العديد من الفرص الخارقة التي أعلم بانني ما كنت ألحصل عليها حتى في جامعة فرجينيا
األم في ريتشموند. قطر هي قلب المصممين الشباب النابض. إنها المدينة اآلمنة التي تنمو بسرعة والتي يسعى فيها المعماريون ومن جميع أنحاء العالم لوضع بصمتهم عليها.”
تعمل ألكساندرا حاليا في العمارة الداخلية لشركة دولية بريطانية “أصول Origins“ التي تقع في برج تورنادو في الدوحة. وهي شركة صغيرة شكلت مؤخرا شراكة مع حمد المانع مالك
“ Origins بلو – مكتب داخلي يتناسب مع الشركة هنا في قطر. هناك جزءان لشركة “أصولالدولية: قسم بيع المفروشات وقسم الضيافة والتصاميم الداخلية للمنازل. “قبل التخرج كنت أفكر في العمل لدى شركة عالمية كبرى، ولكنني أدرك اآلن بأن تكون مساهما مهما في فريق
صغير وكما انا اآلن هو أكثر فائدة لي كخريجة جديدة. إنني أشعر بالسعادة والرضا بأن أكون جزءا من هذه الشركة الدولية. فأنا أشارك في جميع األعمال التجارية وأقابل العديد من العمالء
الراقيين، واستخدم حدسي في اتخاذ قرارات تصميمية. وفي نهاية المطاف فأنا اآلن جزء ال .”Origins – يتجزء من عائلة “أصول
32 — Issue 1
Ahood Al Dafa
2012
Graphic Design
Designer at Mathaf:
Arab Museum of Modern Art
Alexandra Windrum
2012
Interior Design
Designer at Origins
Erin Gibson
2012
Interior Design
Interior designer at Mathaf:
Arab Museum of Modern Art
Ahmed El Sayed
2011
Fashion Design
Founder of White Stain fashion label, and
columnist for GLAM magazine
Dana Riad
2011
Fashion Design
Founder of Dana Riad fashion label
Dima Masoud
2011
Interior Design & Fashion Design
Designer at DFI, was the principal designer
for all of their kiosks last fall for the
DTFF & DFI.
Hamza Mufid Jumah Abdel’al
2011
Graphic Design
Graphic designer at Fitch Qatar
Hessa Al-Muhannadi
2011
Interior Design
Interior designer in the design department
for Amiri Flights
Selina Farooqui
2011
Fashion Design
Founder of Selina Farooqui fashion label
Zina Zisco
2011
Interior Design
Founders of ElFekra Design Studio
Hadeer Omar
2010
Graphic Design
Founder of Kroki Graphic Design Studio
Joanna Dallimore
2010
Fashion Design
Co-founder of Common Thread pop-up
Boutique
Maryam Al Homaid
2010
Graphic Design
Designer at RasGas prior to joining the
VCUQatar MFA program in Fall 2012
Nada Al Saadi
2010
Graphic Design
Graphic Designer at Al Jazeera Arabic
Reem Al-Thani
2010
Interior & Fashion Design double major
Designer at Mathaf, Arab Museum of
Modern Art
Roqaya Al Thani
2009
Interior Design & Fashion Design
Founder of ‘Roqaya Al Thani’
fashion design label
Latifa Al Mudaihki
2008
Fashion Design
Founder of ModaKey Boutique
Maha Al Essa
2008
Graphic Design
Co-founder of 974design
Pegah Simi
2008
Fashion Design
Junior Project Manager at Qatar Luxury Group
Manar Al Muftah
2007
Graphic Design
Artist
Noor Ibrahim Al-Nasr
2007
Graphic Design
Business Analyst (web services) at
Qatar Petroleum.
Reham Mohamed Aleid
2007
Interior Design
Project Manager (architect) at Q.Media
Roda Al Hetmi
2007
Graphic Design
Co-founder of Impressions Boutique
and Tasmeem shop
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS
VCUQatar graduates are pursuing success-
ful careers within the government, nonprofit
and private industries in Qatar and around
the world. Many have gone on to establish
their own businesses, thereby contributing to
the development of the small and medium
enterprise culture in Qatar. A few examples
are listed below:
Issue 1 — 33
Sara Al-Abdulghani
2007
Fashion Design
Owner of Sara Secrets Boutique
Fatema Al Hudaifi
2006
Graphic Design
Co-founder of Impressions Boutique and
Tasmeem shop
Aisha Muftah
2005
Interior Design
Program and Teaching Assistant, Liberal Arts
and Sciences at VCUQatar
Hend Zainal
2005
Graphic Design
Head of Communications Dept. at
Mackeen Marketing + Student at the Qatar
Leadership Center
Noor Jassim Al Thani
2005
Interior Design
Founder of D’esspace Interiors and Ayyam
Marketing & Advertising Solutions
Noora Al-Mana
2005
Interior Design
Assistant General Manager and designer
at Almana Maples
Amal Ajlan Al Kuwari
2004
Graphic Design
Corporate Communications and PR manager
at Qatar Project Management
Maryam El Bishri
2004
Interior Design
Events Manager at Barwa and runs her own
corporate team building company, Biz-Events.
Noor Hamad Al Thani
2004
Fashion Design
Senior Fashion Designer at Qatar Luxury Group
Lama Abu Dheyas
2003
Graphic Design
Freelance graphic designer co-working on a
nation-wide road and safety campaign
Noor Al Kuwari
2003
Interior Design
Entrepreneur, founder of design firm and
showroom kro-k
Roda Al Marzouqi
2002
Fashion Design
Program and Teaching Assistant, Fashion
Design at VCUQatar
Shaikha Mahmoud Al Mahmoud
2002
Interior Design
Coordinates all the new construction at Qatar
Foundation Capital Projects
The Design Entrepreneurship
Network (DEN)
The VCUQatar Center for Research, Design
and Entrepreneurship supports VCUQatar
alumni to apply their design skills on
contemporary design problems. The Center
addresses the needs of Qatar’s economy
and collaborates with major companies to
develop better products, services and systems.
This spring, the Center launched an ecosys-
tem for design entrepreneurship through
VCUQatar’s network of partner organizations
that will offer young design entrepreneurs
training and development programs, business
planning advice, early stage funding, soft
loans, personal development workshops and
access to exhibition and retail space. DEN will
be a birthplace for originality and inventive-
ness, pioneering a vibrant, prosperous and
sustainable creative industries sector for Qatar
that supports the National Vision 2030 and
meets the social, economic and environmen-
tal challenges of tomorrow.
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS
34 — Issue 1
FACULT Y & STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS
Throughout the year, faculty and staff
publish in professional journals and public
magazines and participate in conferences
and exhibitions as guest speakers, artists and
designers. A few examples of these endeavors
are listed below:
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
Law Alsobrook was a speaker at the inaugural
TEDx Education City event in April 2012
where he spoke about Design Thinking &
Making Meaning.
Director of Art History Dina Bangdel
presented a lecture entitled ‘Objects’ Jour-
neys and Transformation: Circulation and
re-appropriations across the Himalayas and
beyond’ at the Musee du Quai Branly and
Universite Nanterre, Paris Symposium in
September 2012.
Assistant Professor of Interior Design
Liam Colquhoun disseminated findings
from his “Retail Without Walls: Kiosk Culture”
project (jointly with Holmes-Dallimore, see
below) at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern
Art, in Doha in April 2012.
Robin Fetherston, assistant professor of
English, presented “Crossing the Atlantic in a
Bucket: Dickens’s Inspector and his Fat Fore-
finger Point to the New World” to the Qatar
Foundation Research Forum, her research
on Dickens’s creation of Inspector Bucket in
Bleak House, where it stands in the historiog-
raphy of detective fiction, and, according to
her theory, in what ways it foreshadows the
American hard-boiled detective.
Chair of Interior Design Carolyn Freeman
and Dak Kopec’s (Radford University, US)
proposal, “Inspiring Multi-Institutional Col-
laboration within Design,” was accepted for
presentation at the 2012 National Outreach
Scholarship Conference at the University of
Alabama in early October 2012.
Assistant Director of Liberal Arts & Sciences
and Assistant Professor of English
Patty Paine Gibbons’ ‘The Sounding
Machine’ a collection of poetry that inter-
rogates memory, culture and loss, was the
winner of the 2011 Accents Publishing Inter-
national Poetry Book Contest.
Health and Wellness and International Stu-
dents Coordinator Lesley Gray co-presented
“Collaborative Design of Meaningful Service-
Learning” at the 2011 ISPL Symposium in
Siena, Italy and was also a co-presenter in
the ACPA Global Dimensions Commission
webinar entitled “Engaging Muslim Students”
in November 2011.
Student Counselor Laura Green com-
pleted a month long faculty exchange in the
University Counseling Services in Richmond,
conducting cultural awareness trainings,
seeing clients, and assisting in outreach
presentations.
Director of Entrepreneurship Roger Griffiths
was a guest speaker at AIESEC where he
spoke about entrepreneurial opportunities in
the Middle East. AIESEC is one of the world’s
largest youth organizations, with over 60,000
members across 110 countries.
Head of Instructional Services, Libraries,
Lore Guilmartin attended the steering com-
mittee meeting of the Information Literacy
Network of the Gulf in September 2012 at
United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, UAE.
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
Basma Hamdy was part of the panel
discussion “Arabic Street Art” at the “Festival
Against Fatigue” organized by the Heinrich
Boll Foundation in Berlin in June 2012 and
she is also completing a book publication
on “Street Art of the Egyptian Revolution,”
published by From Here To Fame in Berlin.
Assistant Professor of Interior Design
Li Han presented her research on hybridized
design at three international conferences last
academic year and won a 2000US$ award
at Texas A&M Qatar’s Fourth Visualization
Development Competition 2012.
Director of Libraries Carol Hansen, attended
a workshop entitled “Emotional Intelligence
and Coaching Skills for Leaders” in May
2012 in Doha, Qatar as well as the American
Library Association in Anaheim, California in
June 2012.
Assistant Professor of Art History
Debra Hanson was a roundtable presenter
in the “Things in Motion” session, at the
Tocqueville Fellows Conference, University of
Richmond, in May 2012, speaking about the
methodological and pedagogical insights
gained in the process of preparing and teach-
ing her Tocqueville-sponsored class on “Gate-
ways to Globalism: The 19th C World’s Fairs.”
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
Michael Hersrud spent the summer of 2012
travelling through Russia, Mongolia and
China by train. During this time he shot
several hours of video footage and photo-
graphic images that he plans to use for
future short film projects as well as ideas
for an exhibition or book.
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
Leland Hill presented a paper on ‘Service
Learning in a Global Society’ at the Fifth
Annual Global Studies Conference, Moscow
State University, in Russia in June 2012. The
paper discussed promoting the collaboration
of design disciplines to create a broader sense
of design for students through intercultural
service learning projects in a global society.
Director of Painting and Printmaking
Rhys Himsworth, exhibited at ‘Up and
Coming’- a survey of artists working within
printmaking, at the Hunterdon Museum, New
Jersey, USA and also completed a residency
in Dafen, South East China.
Assistant Professor at the Writing Center
Jean Hodges presented a paper “Integrating
Writing with Contemporary Mathematics to
Develop Critical Thinking Skills” at the 119th
Issue 1 — 35
Annual ASEE Conference & Exposition in June
2012, in San Antonio, Texas.
Assistant Professor of Interior Design
Matthew Holmes-Dallimore is working
with Delft University in Rotterdam, Holland
on projects including an in-class collabora-
tion combining Qatari and Dutch students,
as well as a further exhibition and dissemi-
nation presentations concerning the “Retail
Without Walls: Kiosk Culture” project.
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
Peter Martin was invited by the Center of
Design Innovation (CoDI) in June 2012, as a
consultant, for how design thinking could be
integrated into the development of a project
initiative led by the Enhancing Learning and
Research for Humanitarian Assistance (ELRHA).
Adjunct Professor at the Writing Center
Molly McHarg participated as panel
presented “The Work of the Writing Center:
Facilitating Autonomous Learning” at the
Qatar TESOL conference in April 2012.
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
Diane Mikhael presented a talk around the
theme Design and Disability titled “Ultra
Sonic: Design and Emotion for the hearing
impaired” at the MENA Design Research
Center, Beirut during the Cultural Exchange
at DESMEEM in May 2012. It presented the
teaching and learning experience of how de-
sign is becoming the tool that channels the
voice of the hearing impaired community.
A selection of Assistant Professor of Founda-
tion Simone Muscolino’s video-work was
displayed in the exhibition “Stay Awake. One
Night Stand Video.” in October 2011 at FMG
Gallery in Milan, Italy.
Reference and Instruction Librarian
Sue Page, initiated the school’s first an-
nual Student Art in the Library Competition.
Launched in February 2012, three students
were selected from the entrants to have their
artworks exhibited for a year in the main
VCUQatar Library. An award ceremony was
held in May 2012.
Pornprapha Phatanateacha, associate
director, MFA in Design, presented ‘Sustaining
Contextual Exchanges: Tasmeem Doha 2011
as a Model for an Experiential Conference’
at the Eighth International Conference on
Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social
Sustainability, University of British Columbia,
Vancouver, Canada in January 2012.
Assistant Professor of Fashion Design
Della Reams’ creative research work was
shown in two group exhibitions “2011 Lines
into Shapes”, Art Center of Estes Park, Co and
“F for Faculty”, VCUQatar Gallery and was also
accepted into two books in process, to be
released at the end of 2012, Textiles: The Art
of Mankind by Mary Schoeser, Thames and
Hudson, Essex, UK, and Patternbase, Crown
Media & Publishing, Chicago, IL.
Assistant Professor of Art History
Jochen Sokoly presented a lecture titled,
“Inscribed Early Islamic ‘Tiraz’ Textiles as
Historical Documents: A Silk Textile from
Nishapur in the Collection of the Metro-
politan Museum of Art” at the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York in April 2012.
Chair of Graphic Design Muneera Spence
travelled to Corvallis, Oregon in June 2012
to present a curriculum workshop “Thinking
out Loud” to faculty of the School of Design
and the Human Environment and to make
a public presentation on Global Education
to the Oregon State University and Corvallis
community. The workshop dealt with curricu-
lum development, promoting faculty research,
including Design Foundations curriculum and
Muneera also shared her ideas about interna-
tional experiences for students.
Outreach and Community Class Coordinator
Annette Wendling-Willeke participated in
Qatar Fine Arts Society’s three day painting
workshop in May 2012 and exhibited the out-
come together with the other participants in
September 2012, at the Qatar Fine Arts Society
Building at Katara Cultural Village in Doha.
Assistant Professor of English
Diana Woodcock won the first prize in the
Artists Embassy International, 19th Annual
Dancing Poetry Competition, 2012 for her
poem “Cormorant and Dragonflies.”
Student Counselor Jacki Woodworth co-
presented ‘Mindfully Designing Personal Devel-
opment Groups for Diverse Populations’ at
the NASPA - ACPA Gulf Conference in Doha
in Feb 2012. Jacki Woodworth designs and
leads weekly the first Student Mindfulness
Stress Reduction group in Education City, this
group has been ongoing for nearly 2 years.
Assistant Professor of Interior Design
Kevin Woolley presented a research paper
“Hybrid Design Studios: Classrooms of the
Future” at the 2012 International Conference:
The Future of Education in Florence,
Italy in June 2012.
Byrad Yyelland, director of Liberal Arts &
Sciences, travelled to Brazil in the summers
of 2011 and 2012 for research on the favela,
Tavares Bastos, in Rio de Janeiro. While there
he also met with faculty at one of VCU’s
international partner universities, the
University of Sao Paolo, to discuss future
collaborations in research and teaching.
FACULT Y & STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS
36 — Issue 1
YE AR IN NUMBERSYE AR IN NUMBERS
2011–2012
Q ATARI
53%
14TH ACADEMIC YE AR
228 BFA + 16 MFA STUDENTS ENROLLED
IN THE INCOMING FALL CL A SSE S
11TH GR ADUATION CL A SS
43 STUDENTS GR ADUATED
365 ALUMNI
S T U D E N T S E N R O L L E D
244 STUDENTS
B R E A K D O W N B Y M A J O R
B FA ( A S O F FA L L 2 0 1 1)
FOUNDATION 66
FA SHION 22
GR APHIC 67
INTERIOR 60
PAINTING AND PRINTMAKING 13
M FA ( A S O F FA L L 2 0 1 1)
16 STUDENTS
C R O S S R E G I S T R AT I O N
EDUCATION CIT Y UNIVERSITIE S: 91
ACADEMIC BRIDGE PROGR AM: 28
R E C R U I T M E N T
175 COMPLETED APPLICATIONS
68 ACCEPTED STUDENTS
62 ENROLLED STUDENTS
A L U M N I 2 0 0 2 –2 0 1 2
365 STUDENTS
243 Q ATARI, 122 NON- Q ATARI
356 FEMALE, 9 MALE (STARTING 2011)
B Y M A J O R
FA SHION 41
GR APHIC 166
INTERIOR 146
GR APHIC / FA SHION 4
INTERIOR / FA SHION 8
S T U D E N T P O P U L AT I O N
NON Q ATARI
47%
UN
ITE
D S
TAT
ES
TR
IND
AD
& T
OB
AG
O
CA
NA
DA
ME
XIC
O
BR
AZ
IL
T H E Y E A R
In Numbers
Issue 1 — 37
YE AR IN NUMBERSYE AR IN NUMBERS
SA
UD
I A
RA
BIA
YE
ME
N
S
WIT
ZE
RL
AN
D
GR APHIC DE SIGN
27%
INTERIOR DE SIGN
25%
MFA DE SIGN STUDIE S
7%
PAINTING & PRINTMAKING
5%
117
20
02
20
01
122
20
03
141
20
04
159
20
05
182
20
06
192
20
07
193
20
08
210
20
09
20
10
20
11
22
3 23
1
24
4
T O TA L E N R O L L M E N T E N R O L L M E N T B Y D E PA R T M E N T
FOUNDATION
27%
FA SHION DE SIGN
9 %
BFA
MFA
STUDENTS
FACULTY / STAFF
SW
ED
EN
FIN
LA
ND
LE
BA
NO
N
PAL
EST
INETU
RK
EY
CR
OA
TIA
RO
MA
NIA
UK
RA
INE
HU
NG
AR
Y
GE
RM
AN
Y
DE
NM
AR
K
UN
ITE
D K
ING
DO
M
IRE
LA
ND
JOR
DA
N
BO
SN
IA &
HE
RZ
EG
OV
INA
KE
NY
A
SO
UT
H A
FRIC
A
NA
MIB
IA
SU
DA
NEG
YP
T
TU
NIS
IA
ALG
ER
IAF
RA
NC
E
ITA
LY
QA
TAR
KU
WA
IT
RU
SSIA
BA
HR
AIN
IRA
NA
RM
EN
IA
IRA
Q
OM
AN
IND
IA
SR
I L
AN
KA
BA
NG
LA
DE
SH
PAK
ISTA
N
TH
AIL
AN
D
SIN
GA
PO
RE
IND
ON
ES
IA
AU
STR
AL
IA
NE
W Z
EA
LA
ND
PH
ILIP
PIN
ES
KO
RE
A
CH
INA
MA
LA
YS
IA
SYR
IA
38 — Issue 1
2011–2012 Exhibitions & Lectures
Throughout the year, VCUQatar hosts a diverse program of exhibitions and lectures that are open to the general public.
The Gallery at VCUQatar encourages the appreciation and understand-ing of art and design and its role in society through collaborations with other galleries worldwide and local art groups. The Gallery stimulates active learning about the creative process through dialogue among communities of students, faculty, artists, scholars and the wider public.
The Gallery started off the year with Children of Gaza, featuring the extraordinary work of renowned artist Dia Azzawi and international award-winning photographers Giuseppe Aquili, Jim McFarlane and Anthony Dawton, hoping to define the process in which art can bring understanding to seemingly intractable political conflict. An interactive project, THINK TANK 2012, was an opportunity for everyone interested in the Gallery—as well as those interested in issues relating to the creation, display and viewing of art and design works generally—to come together and contribute to discussions surrounding these areas. The Beaded Prayers Project, an international, collaborative project by Sonya Clark launched in Richmond, Virginia in 1998 to celebrate diversity and unity through a participatory art form, culminated with an exhibition at the Gallery. VCUQatar’s Crossing Boundaries Lecture Series reflects the cross-disci-plinary nature of the featured speakers who are representatives of excel-lence in creative and innovative thinking. The 2011–2012 speakers included Sonia Ashour, interior designer; Eric Gaskins, fashion designer; Bruce Sterling, author, journalist, editor and critic; Crispin Jones, interaction designer; and architect Juhani Pallasmaa. The departments at VCUQatar also hosted Burkhard Remmers, head of international communications with German office furniture manufacturer Wilkhahn; Dr. Sohair Wastawy, dean of the university libraries at Illinois State Univer-sity; calligrapher Wissam Shawkat; environmental psychologist Dak Kopec; and architect, urban designer, writer and educator Ali Alraouf.
Nada Shabout, Ph.D., associate profes-
sor of art history and director of the
Contemporary Arab and Muslim Cul-
tural Studies Institute at The University
of North Texas, met with VCUQatar
faculty and students over two days as
they discussed presentation of public
art. This was followed by Shabout’s
public lecture “Traditions and Contro-
versies,” which focused on issues of
tradition, artistic creation, public and
private presentation and education.
Shabout is a founding member and
first president of the Association for
Modern and Contemporary Art of the
Arab world, Iran, and Turkey (AMCA)
and was a member of the Cultural
Development Committee Board of
Governors, Qatar Foundation, and a
consultant to the Museum of Modern
Arab Art in Doha, Qatar between 2008
and 2011.
Expert on Modern & Contemporary
Arab Art Visits VCUQatar
A D E S T I N A T I O N
Fo r D i alogue
Issue 1 — 39
01 Children of Gaza exhibition
02 THINK TANK 2012 highlights
01
02
40 — Issue 1
Issue 1 — 41
Rendering of the exterior of the Virginia Commonwealth University’s Institute for
Contemporary Art (ICA) in Richmond, VA. Designed by Steven Holl Architects,
the ICA is anticipated to open in 2015. Image courtesy of Steven Holl Architects.
VCU Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA)
The Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond campus has announced plans for an Institute for Contemporary Art, designed by world-renowned architect, Steven Holl. The VCU ICA will be a non-collecting institution focused on exploring the art of today and tomorrow — a place for the presentation of the latest visual art, performance and film from around the world, as well as a lab for developing the art of the future.
Located at one of Richmond’s busiest intersections, this 38,000-square-foot building was designed “to be a flexible, forward-looking instrument that can illuminate the transformative possibilities of contemporary art,” according to Holl.
“The ICA will be a catalyst for new kinds of artistic explorations and discourse for the VCU community both in Richmond and Qatar, while contributing to the international conversation in the arts,” says VCUarts Dean Joseph Seipel.
A capital campaign is underway for the $32 million project with more than $20 million raised to date. For more information, visit ica.vcu.edu.
A DESTINATION FOR DIALO GUE
42 — Issue 1
VCUarts Sonya Clark Exhibits
at VCUQatar
This spring, the Gallery at VCUQatar
presented The Beaded Prayers Project,
curated and directed by Sonya Clark, chair of
Craft/Material Studies, VCUarts in collabora-
tion with art educator Sara Wilson McKay.
The project was originally launched in 1998
as an international, collaborative project to
celebrate diversity and unity through a
participatory art form. Since then, over 5000
people—ages six to 90, from 35 countries—
have participated in the project by creating
and contributing the beaded packets
exhibited at VCUQatar. There are four parts
to the project—a lecture, a workshop, a trav-
eling exhibition, and a reflective publication.
The exhibition at VCUQatar represents the
culmination of this project, concluding a tour
that has taken it to over 25 venues.
The name of the project comes from the
shared etymology of the words “bead”
and “prayer.” The concept for creating
packets with potent contents was inspired
by traditions among different peoples from
Africa and the African Diaspora. Powerful
prayer packets are found in other traditions
as well. They are known as doaa nameh in
Iran, scapulars among Catholics, dhuwas
in Sri Lanka, and mezuzahs and tefillin in
the Jewish tradition. Even the Romans and
Greeks had a practice of using lamellae
and phylacteries.
“Each packet contains the wish, hope, dream,
blessing, or prayer of an individual partici-
pant, written on a piece of paper and
encased with a covering that includes at
least one bead on the surface,” said Clark.
“Most participants made two packets: one
to keep and the other for this installation,
which celebrates the role of the individual
and the importance of that person’s place in
the community. From the exquisitely crafted
to the crudely stitched, each beaded packet
is the unique expression of an individual
aspiration. Even those pieces that resemble
one another on the outside no doubt have
different messages sealed inside.”
A DESTINATION FOR DIALO GUE
Issue 1 — 43
The keynote address was delivered by Paul Goldberger, the Pulitzer
Prize-winning author and architecture critic for The New Yorker.
Twenty fellows were selected for the Hamad Bin Khalifa Travel Fellow-
ships out of over 200 applications. They attended the special events
and were awarded a Hamad Bin Khalifa Fellowship certificate.
The Hamad Bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art is organized by
Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom who have shared the Hamad
Bin Khalifa Endowed Chair of Islamic Art at Virginia Commonwealth
University since its establishment in 2006. God is Beautiful; He Loves
Beauty was co-sponsored by Virginia Commonwealth University
School of the Arts, Qatar Foundation, VCUQatar, the Qatar Museums
Authority (QMA) and the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA).
Fourth Biennial Hamad bin Khalifa
Symposium on Islamic Art
Scholars from around the world explored individual objects held by
the Museum of Islamic Art during the fourth biennial Hamad bin
Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art, October 29–31, 2011 at the Museum
of Islamic Art in Doha. Widely considered the preeminent conference
regarding Islamic art and culture, the three-day symposium, God
is Beautiful; He Loves Beauty: The Object in Islamic Art and Culture,
featured 12 speakers from around the world, all of whom are leading
scholars in Islamic art and architecture. Their papers addressed
objects held by the Museum of Islamic Art, including an Umayyad
Koran manuscript, an Ottoman calligraphic album, 17th-century
Persian oil paintings and the stucco of Samarra.
44 — Issue 1
01 Fashion designer
Eric Gaskins
02 Bruce Sterling’s
lecture
03 Rhys Himsworth’s
“Entropy” exhibit
04 Crispin Jones
05 Sonia Ashour
06 A performance at
Think Tank 2012
07 “F for Faculty”
Exhibit 2012
01
02
04
03
05
Issue 1 — 45
07
A DESTINATION FOR DIALO GUE
06
46 — Issue 1
Service Learning Trips
Thirteen students and four faculty went to Yogyakarta, Indonesia
in May 2012 as volunteers on a trip organized by Reach Out to Asia
(ROTA) during which students led four five-day workshops on art
and design at the SMK ROTA school in Bayat. The Student Affairs
office also collaborated with theInterior Design department and
Into The Wild on a service-learning trip to northern Thailand in
May 2012 with 12 students and three faculty/staff participating in
community-building projects.
F O S T E R I N G
Community Involvem ent
01 Display of bracelets by local artisans
02 Locals making bracelets in Bayat
03 Students painting a wall in Cambodia
01
02
03
Issue 1 — 47
At the request of Her Excellency Sheikha Al
Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Carolyn
Freeman, chair of the Interior Design (ID)
Department at VCUQatar, and Roger Griffiths,
director of Entrepreneurship, worked with
Qatar Museums Authority, Qatar National
Hotels Company and the Sheraton Doha Resort
and Convention Hotel, to develop a competi-
tion that involved a collaboration of VCUQatar
ID students and faculty with architecture
students and faculty from Carnegie Mellon
University and Qatar University as well
as students from eight local high schools:
Al Bayan Educational Complex for Girls;
Al-Ieman Secondary Independent School for
Girls; Al Khor International School; Al Wakra
Independent Secondary School for Boys; Doha
College; Gulf English School; Qatar Academy
and Qatar Leadership Academy. In a high-en-
ergy, two-day charrette in late January at the
Sheraton, the 10 teams developed concepts
to redesign the Sheraton’s State Suites for
the GCC countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman,
Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Community Classes
As part of our mission to provide educational
experiences in art and design, and cultural
opportunities to the various communities
of Qatar, VCUQatar offers classes to the
community each spring and fall. Our faculty
and alumni are committed to participating
in these classes. This year 696 community
members took part in 78 four to eight week-
long Community Class programs in both Eng-
lish and Arabic. The university collaborated
with the Qatar Social and Cultural Center for
the Deaf to offer an eight-week graphic de-
sign and photography course for the hearing
impaired, culminating with an exhibition at
Katara, and teamed up with the Community
College of Qatar for an eight-week fashion
design and illustration course. Thirty-eight
Qataris participated in these programs.
FOSTERING COMMUNIT Y INVOLVEMENT
Sheraton Charrette
48 — Issue 1
C L A S S O F
2012
Issue 1 — 49
CL A SS OF 2012
Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar held its 2012 Commencement Ceremony on 7 May at the Education City Student Center, conferring 43 Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Fashion, Graphic and Interior design and two Master of Fine Arts degrees in Design Studies. This, the 11th commencement brought the number of VCUQatar alumni to 365.
“Graduation is a time for celebration and reflection,” said VCUQatar Dean Allyson Vanstone in her message to the graduating students. “Your years at VCUQatar have been transformational for each of you. You have enriched our university and our wider community through your projects, research, service, activities and unique voice. You have already contributed toward our vision of a Qatari society that innovates through art and design. You are fortunate to graduate within an environment that acknowledges your talents and challenges you to participate in building the nation and to contribute to the Qatar National Vision 2030,” she added.
During the ceremony renowned Master Calligrapher Mohamed Zakariya received the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, VCU’s highest form of recognition. Zakariya is considered the preeminent ambassador of the art of Islamic calligraphy in America. In 2009, Mr. Zakarya was commissioned by U.S. President Barack Obama to create a gift of calligraphy for King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia. He was a member of the VCUQatar Joint Advisory Board from August 2003 to May 2011.
Anne Marie Paltsou, fashion and public relations consultant from Milan, delivered a commencement address that reflected on her experiences in the industry.
VCU President Dr. Michael Rao addressed the graduating students during the ceremony. “My greatest privilege in this role is honoring our students who dream big and accomplish much, who possess an unrelenting desire to create, and who are distinguished in their pursuit of excellence. The pinnacle of your academic pursuits, whether you study in Richmond or in Doha, is always commencement. I am honored and delighted to be with you on your day,” said President Rao. “In your time at VCUQatar, you have demonstrated a desire to be the very best and nothing else. Now, you are called upon to be leaders in your field. That is what graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University do all around the globe. Not take jobs, but create them. Not consume, but innovate. Not simply to be a part of the world, but to change the world. This is what we ask you to do as VCU’s newest alumni. And this is what the world will expect you to do because of your credentials. As you graduate, you become further evidence of why VCUarts is ranked so highly,” he added. President Rao concluded his address by saying, “You depart with a tremendous responsibility, and I am confident that we can count on you to accept the challenge of advancing new opportunities for humankind throughout the world.”
Hamad bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) Senior Convocation took
place on 8 May, 2012 at the Qatar National Convention Centre.
During the Convocation, 373 students from Virginia Commonwealth
University in Qatar, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Texas
A&M University at Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar,
Georgetown University – School of Foreign Service in Qatar), Qatar
Faculty of Islamic Studies, HEC Paris in Qatar and Northwestern
University in Qatar were honored in front of family and friends.
Qatar Foundation Chairperson Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint
Nasser, and President of HBKU and Vice President of Education at
QF His Excellency Dr. Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani were joined by uni-
versity presidents, deans and faculty members in celebrating the
success of QF’s latest graduates. Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint
Nasser and His Excellency Dr. Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani addressed
the graduating class.
Commencement 2012
Convocation 2012
50 — Issue 1
Issue 1 — 51
BFA & MFA Showcase 2012 & Annual Fashion Show
BFA & MFA Showcase 2012, the annual exhibition of VCUQatar’s
43 BFA and MFA graduating artists and designers opened with a
reception on 6 May 2012. The Showcase was conceived as a satellite
exhibition, with visitors invited to go on their own mini-tour of the
VCUQatar building and discover the departmental exhibition zones
located over three floors.
“We asked students to approach this exhibition as they would
approach an exhibition in the real world as artists and designers,”
said Caitlin Doherty, exhibitions and speaker curator at VCUQatar.“
The works on view comprised couture fashion, furniture, book
projects, graphics, and interior designs that reflected the creativity
of each individual student, as well as the variety of curricula explored
at VCUQatar.”
VCUQatar’s thirteenth annual fashion show, Arabesque, showcased
the work of four graduating seniors whose thesis collections were
an eclectic mix of day to evening looks and consisted of a minimum
of 12 looks featuring a range with components of the traditional,
handcrafted, modern, eclectic, architectural and glamorous.
CL A SS OF 2012
52 — Issue 1
M E M B E R S O F T H E J O I N T A D V I S O RY B O A R D 2011– 2012
CO-CHAIR
H.E. SHEIKH DR. HAMAD NASSER AL THANI
ADVISOR AT THE GENER AL SECRETARIAT OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
CO-CHAIR
DR. BEVERLY WARREN
PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, VCU
M E M B E R S
MR. JAY COOGAN
PRESIDENT, MINNEAPOLIS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN
DR. AHMED HASNAH
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, QF
MR. SAMUEL HOI
PRESIDENT, OTIS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN
DR. ROGER MANDLE
SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF Q ATAR MUSEUMS AUTHORITY
MR. JEFFREY NESIN
PROVOST, SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS
MR. DAVID ROSS
GENER AL COUNSEL, VCU
MR. JOSEPH SEIPEL
DEAN, SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, VCU
E X- O F F I C I O M E M B E R S
H.E. DR. ABDULLA AL THANI
PRESIDENT, HAMAD BIN KHALIFA UNIVERSITY AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR EDUCATION, QF
MS. ALLYSON VANSTONE
DEAN, VCUQ ATAR
T H A N K Y O U
VCUQatar’s remarkable achievements would not have been
possible without the generosity of our donors who contributed their time,
talent and gifts to make the university the success it is today.
It is this thoughtfulness that will allow VCUQatar to continue on its
journey of creativity and innovation.
S T U D E N T S C H O L A R S H I P S & G R A N T S 2011–2012
Ali Bin Ali Group
Arab Engineering Bureau
Higher Education Institute (HEI)
Mannai Corporation
Ministry of Interior
Qatar Building Company
Qatar Foundation
Qatar Museums Authority
Sarah Abdulghani
United Nations COP 18
G I F T S
Maserati
Qatar Museums Authority
Qatar Shell Service Company WLL
CONTEXT
C R E D I T S
©Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar
The VCUQatar Magazine is published annually by the
Office of Communications. We welcome your comments.
Please send them to [email protected]
EDITOR
Meike Kaan
WRITER
Priya Lorraine Dominica D’Souza
DESIGN
Sara Shaaban
Jordan Gushwa
PHOTOGR APHY
Markus Elblaus
CONTRIBUTORS
Lauren Maas
Peter Chomowicz
John Guthmiller
COPY EDITOR
Anna McAllister
Nadia Abu Dayeh
TR ANSLATOR
Adel Jamal Awad
