Georgetown University in Qatar Welcomes Class of 2021

After a week filled with campus tours, meetings with their professors, and fun activities with their new classmates, Georgetown University in Qatar’s (GU-Q) Class of 2021 was officially inducted into the University with a traditional convocation ceremony.

The event took place at the end of a busy orientation program designed to prepare the new students for the start of the academic year and introduce them to Georgetown’s history, values, and campus life.

The 79 new students represent 23 nationalities, including 39 Qatari students (about half of the class) and GU-Q’s first Cambodian, Ethiopian, and Vietnamese students. The incoming class speaks 25 different languages; 58% of the new students are bilingual, while 41% speak three or more languages. With GU-Q receiving the largest number of applications in its history this year, they join the student body after successfully navigating a highly competitive admissions process.

"The new student convocation is an important day – it is when our first year students become part of the Georgetown community,” said GU-Q Dean Dr. James Reardon-Anderson. “As their academic program begins this week, the Class of 2021 will start down the path toward their degree, and they will also begin a journey to become analytical learners, strong leaders, and engaged global citizens.”

The new class will be studying toward GU-Q’s Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree, a unique interdisciplinary program that enables students to tackle pressing global issues by helping them develop their critical thinking, analysis, and communication skills in an international context.

During the four year undergraduate program, students follow the same curriculum as their peers at Georgetown’s campus in Washington, D.C. They benefit from the unique facilities available at GU-Q’s world class Education City campus, small class sizes, and interactions with peers from more than 40 different countries.    

After they graduate in 2021, they will join Georgetown’s diverse alumni community, who now work for leading local and international organizations in industries ranging from finance to energy, diplomacy, education, and media.