Qatar’s Top University Student On Educational Excellence

When Waad Al-Maadeed graduated from university last year, she wasn't just top of her class at Georgetown University in Qatar, her academic career earned her the top honour for all of Qatar. At last week's Educational Excellence Award ceremony, the Amir of Qatar HH Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani awarded her a Platinum Educational Excellence award, the highest possible honor.

The award recognizes students who demonstrate excellence across multiple dimensions, including leadership, personal development, community contribution, and research. Applying for it prompted Waad to look at her education in a new way, not just as a record of academic outcomes, but as the result of sustained effort and deliberate growth across every stage of her journey.

The Community Celebrates

Her family felt that distinction keenly. When she shared the news, her parents and siblings received it with pride not for her achievements but for the work she put in. The award was a recognition that the values they had instilled, and the encouragement and love they poured in had come to fruition. 

Standing on the stage with the Amir with her family in the audience was a surreal experience. “It felt like the perfect ending to a long chapter of hard work, but also the beginning of something even bigger. It was a moment I shared with my family, who have supported me every step of the way and a reminder to the community that Qatar’s investment in its youth is resulting in excellence across the country,” she said. 

At GU-Q, the response to her win was resounding. Her former Honors in International Politics thesis advisor praised her work on X, and others shared their encouragement in person and online. "It is an incredible honour and a powerful testament to Waad's dedication, talent, and perseverance," said Dr. Ken Grich, Associate Dean of Students.

Georgetown as a Place of Growth for Rising Stars 

It was also a chance to celebrate two other GU-Q students recognised at the ceremony: first-year students Fatma Al-Mohannadi and Fatma Al-Kuwari, honoured for their exemplary high school careers. It's a fitting place for them to continue pursuing excellence, says Waad, who saw Georgetown as a place to grow not just academically, but as a person committed to the greater good. Read her senior profile.

"In retrospect, the most formative experience of my time at GU-Q was being constantly encouraged to step outside my comfort zone." In doing so she had the opportunity contextualize her major in international politics through programs and experiences that allowed her to explore her strengths, background, and place in the world. 

Her advice to students charting their own path: "Give your best effort in everything you do — even the small things. Consistency, discipline, and genuine hard work do not go unnoticed. Results may take time, but dedication always pays off, and there is nothing more rewarding than seeing the outcomes of your efforts gradually take shape."

From Georgetown to the United Nations and Beyond

Shortly after graduating, Waad was selected for the Qatar Leadership Centre's Young Leaders Program, a competitive international fellowship that placed her at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. While interning at the UN Development Coordination Office, they discovered she had done her honors thesis on "Sport as a Foreign Policy Tool: The FIFA World Cup 2022 and Saudi-Qatari Bilateral Relations," and invited her to contribute to a comparative policy analysis on gaps in reporting mechanisms for violence against women and girls in football.

"This experience allowed for an immediate application of my academic training in a real-world policy environment. It also provided a valuable opportunity to work alongside and learn directly from Qatari diplomats at the UN — offering a national perspective that complemented and enriched my academic learning."

Now working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she is focusing on a future of giving back to her country, building on everything that her family, mentors, university, and experience have taught her so far.