Sheikh Saqr Overseas Scholarship Program: Scholar Profiles Sheikh Saqr Overseas Scholarship Program: Scholar Profiles Asma Jooaan Al Blooshi Asma is pursuing her PhD in educational management at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom (UK). She chose to study abroad because schools overseas are well equipped to train her in management education. Asma’s social and academic interests have no bounds, and she advises others to study abroad to enrich their knowledge base as well as the personal and social lives. Her goal is to be one of the leaders in the UAE and to be a part of the great achievers in her country while improving education in the UAE, especially English education. “[My major is a] PhD in educational management. I have chosen it, as it is my ladder to success.” Mohamed Saif Al Ghais Mohamed always looks forward to learning and gaining new experiences. His interest in environmental studies has led him to study overseas at Western Washington University in the northwestern region of the United States. Mohamed was motivated to study abroad by the chance to receive a better education, and he intends to continue his studies by earning a PhD after he completes his bach- elor’s degree. One of his goals is to bring his knowledge of urban planning and sustainability back to the UAE to share with his community. “[I’m studying] environmental studies/urban planning. Since I was a child, I have always loved knowing more about the environment.”
Asma is pursuing her PhD in educational management at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom (UK). She chose to study abroad because schools overseas are well equipped to train her in management education. Asma’s social and academic interests have no bounds, and she advises others to study abroad to enrich their knowledge base as well as the personal and social lives. Her goal is to be one of the leaders in the UAE and to be a part of the great achievers in her country while improving education in the UAE, especially English education.
“[My major is a] PhD in educational management. I have chosen it, as it is my ladder to success.”
Mohamed Saif Al Ghais
Mohamed always looks forward to learning and gaining new experiences. His interest in environmental studies has led him to study overseas at Western Washington University in the northwestern region of the United States. Mohamed was motivated to study abroad by the chance to receive a better education, and he intends to continuehis studies by earning a PhD after he completes his bach- elor’s degree. One of his goals is to bring his knowledge of urban planning and sustainability back to the UAE to share with his community.
“[I’m studying] environmental studies/urban planning. Since I was a child, I have always loved knowing more
Currently, Salem is a student at California State University Northridge, which located in Los Angeles County, Cali-fornia (US). He is interested in a career in the business world and is therefore studying business administration, focusing on finance. In addition to learning about the finer points of accounting, Salem says that he has also learned the importance of taking responsibility. Salem intends to further his education and gain more practical experience and says that his studies abroad have allowed him to see the world and its different cultures in a positive way.
“I have taken financial accounting and managerial accounting, and I really love these subjects because I have learned about business concepts and financial statements
[through them]. Although they were tough subjects and required a lot of effort, I gained much useful information
that will help in my career and life.“
Mouza Saeed Abdullah Al Khatri
As a student studying abroad in Bahrain, Mouza is most enthusiastic about becoming a resource for other students. She is taking advantage of the opportunities that her university offers, including training in research according to the scientific method, access to the campus library, and participating in exhibitions that involve her specialty.
Ultimately, Mouza wants to be an advocate and source of guidance for talented students by raising awareness of their potential and finding programs that fit their needs and gifts. She encourages others to study overseas and eventually hopes to study at Harvard and to meet the inspiration for her educational path.
“I want to help and counsel talented students so they’re able to use their talents to serve their country.”
Born and raised in Ras Al Khaimah, Omar took the advice of his family and is studying abroad at the University of Essex near London, England (UK). Majoring in contract and corporate law, Omar believes that the UK offers some of the best programs in his field.
Omar enjoys his various law courses and finds time to play football with friends and to improve his communi-cation skills through an on-campus public speaking so-ciety. He looks forward to bringing his legal expertise to the UAE and advises students to study abroad, as it has helped him to grown academically and personally.
“My biggest dream . . . for my future is to have my own law firm and work on different types of commercial law cases.”
Ahmed Al Mehairi
As a doctoral student at California State University, Ful-lerton, Ahmed pursues personal balance by participating in social activities such as football, squash, and chess in addition to his studies. He believes that studying abroad has provided him with excellent academic opportunities to grow in his leadership skills and the understanding that a company’s greatest asset is its human capital. Studying overseas, says Ahmed, is the chance of a lifetime, and students should take advantage of such opportunities in order to improve their language skills, have access to a world-class education, and gain insight into themselves and others.
“My favorite memory from studying overseas was when I met Kevin Cashman, a bestselling author and
internationally recognized pioneer in CEO and executive development. I had the great opportunity to have dinner
with him while discussing leadership skills and strategies. It was truly an unforgettable and valuable experience for
Ali values relationships and academic excellence and invests in his community. Like his brother, Ali chose to study in Canada, pursuing his degree at Dalhousie Uni-versity, Halifax, Nova Scotia. From an early age, Ali found manufacturing and assembly interesting. This interest in machines and systems led him to study mechanical en-gineering. During his time in Canada, Ali has refined his English skills, participated in sports tournaments, and interned with an oil and gas company there. Ali hopes to bring his work ethic, teamwork, and time management skills to the UAE to help optimize the industries there.
“Being immersed in an entirely new cultural setting is scary at first, but it is also exciting. It is an opportunity to discover new strengths and abilities, conquer new
challenges, and solve new problems. You will encounter situations that are wholly unfamiliar to you and will learn
to adapt and respond in effective ways.”
Ahmed Ali Mohamed Ali Darbool Al Shehhi
Ahmed has studied mechanical engineering at the Uni-versity of Tulsa in Oklahoma (US). He feels that studying abroad through the Sheikh Saqr Overseas Scholarship Program has equipped him with marketable engineering abilities and valuable life skills. He has particularly en-joyed expanding his horizons by interacting with different nationalities and living with an American family.
Ahmed is also aware of the personal growth that studying abroad has afforded him. Independence has helped him to refine his sense of personal responsibility. As evidence of his open-mindedness, Ahmed says that even when he returns to the UAE with an engineering degree, he does not intend to stop learning.
“If you want to learn someone’s language fast, live with them.”
Jamal is a lifelong learner. He graduated secondary school in 1988 and is now earning his master’s degree at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Jamal is studying project management, a field in which few Emir-atis specialize. His goal is to support the UAE’s develop-ment, and he is also president of the Emirates Student Association at his university. Jamal encourages others to continue studying and hopes to share insights he has gained from interacting with other cultures abroad.
“[My favorite class] was in the English language because I studied with students from different countries
in a multicultural class. It was fun.”
Hasan Obaid Al Tayer Al Tenaiji
Hasan enjoys meeting new people, traveling, camping, and reading about the global economy, marketing, and human resources (HR). He attends Wright State Universi-ty in Dayton, Ohio (US). Hasan elected to pursue a dual major in management and human resources because most UAE companies need human resources support. Ideally, he would like to work in an HR department that values the hard work of employees and supports their creativity.Studying overseas helped Hasan learn time management, problem solving, and decision-making skills.
“My favorite memory was in one of my senior year classes. . . . Our project was to create an employee
handbook for a local non-profit organization. . . . We had to present it to the executive manger of the organization. . . . The unforgettable moment . . . was when he accepted
our project, and he said this project would [have] cost him millions to do with agencies.”
An ambitious student, Saleh graduated from Ryerson Uni-versity in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with a degree in civil engineering. He now strives to apply his training and to contribute to the development of the UAE’s infrastructure. Currently, Saleh is gaining professional experience with Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation. He attributes his English and professional communication skills to studying abroad, and advises other students to study overseas to attain the career and communication benefits he’s re-ceived.
“[My favorite memory from campus is] the international event where we represented the UAE with
the Arab community.”
Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed Ali Al Wahedi
As a student at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, Mohamed has made the most of his opportunities over-seas. He focuses on his studies during the week but also finds time to go to the beach, play sports, and scuba dive. He’s also learned how to cook and be more open-mind-ed. Mohamed chose to major in international business in part because there are not many people in the UAE with that specialty. He has worked to support this training by improving his English and Spanish skills, which studying in Australia helped him to do. Eventually, Mohamed hopes to use these abilities as part of an international business firm.
“I think the beneficial outcome I’ll bring to the UAE will be my skills in international trade. The United Arab
Emirates depends on international trade. I’m familiar with the international market and trade.”
After graduating from secondary school in 2008, Abdul-rahman pursued an education in a field that had always interested him: mechanical engineering. Studying en-gineering at California State University in Los Angeles, California has only increased Abdulrahman’s passion for mechanical systems, and he wants to use his expertise to give back to the UAE. Not only has he gained leadership and communication skills while studying abroad, Abdul-rahman has had the opportunity to engage other cultures and to enjoy soccer (football) and archery on California State’s campus.
“These four years that I have spent here in the United States are the four years that I think will be the most
memorable in my entire life.”
Ali Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim Al Zaabi
Ali decided to maximize his interest in mechanical sys-tems by studying engineering at Coventry University in the United Kingdom (UK). His brother and father both studied abroad and encouraged him to follow in their footsteps by investing in an excellent education. In ad-dition to studying subjects like thermodynamics, Ali also makes time for on-campus activities such as football. Ali feels that his time in the UK has given him self-confidence and independence, and he encourages others to study abroad for the same reasons. He has also learned to work as a team with people of different nationalities, a skill that he looks forward to bringing back to the UAE.
“[My favorite memory from studying overseas is] joining the University Mechanical Engineering Institute.”
Ammar felt that studying overseas would give him access to better research universities and more diverse campus-es. Therefore, he is working on his PhD in civil engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington (US). Ammar desires to use his skills to promote the UAE as a community, and is interested in optimizing infrastructural systems to yield higher benefits for communities in terms of better ser-vices and welfare.
Studying abroad has strengthened Ammar’s respect for all cultures and broadened his perspectives in a variety of ways. As he studies practical ways to resolve infrastruc-ture failures and otherwise serve his community, Ammar remains grateful for his time overseas and for the privileg-es he’s been given.
“Studying abroad will unleash hidden capabilities. It’s an experience that will certainly shape one’s future.”
Omar Saleh Obaid Saleh bin Jaber Al Zaabi
Fascinated by the field of electrical engineering, Omar is pursuing his graduate studies at Pennsylvania State Uni-versity in the eastern United States. Having already been awarded his undergraduate degree, Omar is now enjoying graduate courses that focus on topics like dielectric devic-es and their device applications.
Omar intends to bring his training as an engineer back to the country that continues to provide him with many opportunities, like studying abroad through the Sheikh Saqr Overseas Scholarship Program. In the mean time, he’ll balance his academic studies with playing sports like soccer and snow boarding.
“My future vision is to be a lead researcher in a research facility that would work on energy-harvesting smart devices that would minimize power consumption.”
Yaser was motivated to study at the University of Tech-nology, Sydney by its academic excellence. His love of machines, engines, and turbines drew him to study me-chanical engineering while developing his communication and social skills.
Yaser calls his time in Australia an adventure, and he will bring not only engineering expertise back to the UAE but also a respect for human nature that motivates him to treat everyone equally—no matter how poor or rich the person is or whatever background the person comes from.
“[My favorite class was] Mechanical Design. It was the most practical subject I ever had, as it included building
two vehicles. . . . I worked with five different students, and each of them [was of a] different ethnicity. It was a great
achievement, and [we did] great work together as a team.”
Ghaya Mohammed Bani Rushaid
Ghaya has been earning her degree at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom (UK). studying chemical engineering. She’s also investing in science and research by serving as the secretary of her school’s chapter of Engi-neering Without Borders.
At the professional level, Ghaya has learned to be inde-pendent and to apply the knowledge she has gained from her studies. On the personal front, Ghaya has enjoyed living with roommates and the intercultural exchange that her studies abroad have afforded her. She intends to bring both her professional and personal skills back to the UAE in order to help develop the country’s sources of renew-able energy.
“[My goal is] working on enhancing and improving the renewable energy sources in the UAE (since we lack that
Omar graduated from Khatt Secondary School and now attends Oregon State University in the United States. Because nuclear engineering interests Omar and is a new area of study in the UAE, he made it his college major and hopes it will become his career. Math and chemistry have been Omar’s favorite classes because he has loved solving problems since he was young. One of the best extracurricular activities that he’s discovered abroad is American football, and his university sometimes gives students free tickets to these sports events. It’s expe-riences like these that lead Omar to encourage other students to see what the world has to offer by studying overseas.
“[I have] a lot of great memories [from] trips with my friends, especially when we traveled to New York and
Orlando.”
Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi
A graduate of Ras Al Khaimah Academy, Abdulaziz chose to attend undergraduate school in the United States. He’s been studying finance at California State University of Northridge because he’s interested in numbers and hopes to work for a financial firm after graduation. Of all the courses Abdulaziz has taken at California State, critical thinking has been his favorite and has enhanced the way he approaches different subjects. In addition to focusing on academics, Abdulaziz has also found time to play volleyball and make friends from many different places, making his journey overseas a highly productive one.
“Studying here in the States helped me to look at the world from a different perspective, to be independent,
Saeed describes himself as a practical person who enjoys connecting what he learns in class to its real world appli-cations. Studying at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Saeed is pursuing his degree in engineering management, which combines his interests in science and finance. Though he has lived apart from his family and community for five years, Saeed feels he has over-come the challenges associated with studying overseas. He’s also enjoyed the unique privileges of living abroad, including participating in an Emirati students’ forum in Washington, D.C. In his words, Saeed “really advise[s] and push[es] students to study abroad” so that they can dis-cover and improve themselves.
“All that I have learned from my experience in the USA, I will apply [when I return to] my country. My family will be proud of me because my first concept is to serve my
country.”
Ali Salem Al Nuaimi
Ali Al Nuaimi has been interested in engineering since he was young, and his hard work has taken him overseas to study to become an electrical engineer. As a student at Valparaiso University in Indiana (United States), Ali has gained a great deal of academic and interpersonal skills. Classes such as “Linear Signals and Systems” have pre-pared Ali to serve the UAE as an engineer. At the same time, he has also enjoyed interacting with students from different backgrounds and served as the president of the International Student Association. Ali’s passion for seeking to respect people from different cultures is evident, and he advises other students not to give up on the various challenges they encounter because these build character.
“I would advise new students who want to study overseas is to respect everybody [they] see . . . because everybody
Fatema has a passion for science and loves helping oth-ers, which has led her to pursue medical studies overseas. She graduated from Zainab Secondary in 2001 and is now attending England’s University of Oxford at John Radcliff Hospital. She appreciates being immersed in another culture as she gains experience in both treatment and re-search. Fatema chose to study outside the UAE particular-ly because of the caliber of research being done abroad. Eventually, Fatema hopes to establish a gastroenterology and hepatology research center in the Emirates.
“By enrolling in a study abroad program, you’ll have the chance to see a side of your major that [you] may not have
