Saxophonists, actors and journalists – and one alum – will be heading to Qatar during Spring Break for the official opening of NU’s campus.
Four students from Medill, six students from the School of Communication, four students from the Northwestern University Saxophone Ensemble and one recent graduate of Medill will be traveling to Doha, said Grant Upson, manager of the Qatar Support Office. The students from Medill will be giving 10-minute presentations of their work to students in an inaugural ceremony in Qatar, while the Communication students will be showcasing their musical theater talent. The saxophonists will also be performing at a special dinner.
The students were selected by faculty in each school, and the invitations were issued by the deans.
“It was a hard decision because we have many, many students who have done great things,” said Michele Bitoun, senior director at Medill. “They’ll all have an opportunity to talk and share their work and experiences.”
Joyce Lee, a former Daily staffer and creator of STITCH magazine, said she was contacted by Bitoun to submit an application for an “honors award” and was afterward notified that she was selected to go to Qatar. Lee said she will be talking about her publication and exhibiting work alongside other Medill students in a “multimedia presentation.”
“(The process) was kind of confusing,” the Medill junior said, adding that she is nonetheless excited to go on the five-day trip. “Personally, I’ve never been to the Middle East and I didn’t have any travel plans, and any plans I would have had would have been incomparable to an opportunity like this.”
Lee’s sentiments were echoed by Communication junior Danielle Gaines, who is part of the hand-picked musical theater ensemble slated to perform. Gaines was called by Dominic Missimi, director of the musical theatre department, to see if she wanted to attend.
“I knew that we had a communication school opening there and that maybe people were going to travel there, but I wasn’t expecting anything,” she said. “I was surprised and really excited. I’ve never been to that area of the world before.”
Six U.S. colleges and institutions have branches in Qatar, and NU is the most recent to join, Upson said.
The trip is still in the process of being organized, and while visiting with students on the Qatar campus is the main reason for the visit, Evanston campus students will be able to explore Education City and the surrounding areas.
“My understanding is that there will be an opportunity to tour Education City and also the opportunity to explore Doha in connection with the guided tour,” Upson said.
But the main spectacle will be a survey of the students’ work and accomplishments.
“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to visit a part of the world I don’t think any of them have seen before,” Bitoun said. “It’s an opportunity to learn about students: who they are, their age (and) about their experiences and their hopes.”
