NYIT-Abu Dhabi Celebrates at 4th Alumni Dinner and 12th Graduation Ceremony

Members of the NYIT Class of 2018 joined scores of alumni and other members of the NYIT community for NYIT-Abu Dhabi’s 4th Annual Alumni Dinner on May 4. The next day, fifty-one graduates were awarded bachelor’s and master’s degrees at NYIT-Abu Dhabi’s twelfth graduation ceremony, on May 5.

The alumni dinner, held at the Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan hotel, welcomed approximately 80 guests to strengthen connections with former classmates and with the new group of graduates. They heard greetings from NYIT officials visiting from New York as well as from alumni.

Alumni speaker Assma Ftes (B.S. ’17) told her fellow alumni how they, and the rest of society, benefit from simply smiling. “When you give off genuinely good energy,” she said, “you will receive good energy in return.”

NYIT alumni pose for a picture at the 4th Annual Alumni Dinner.

New graduate Kamal Al Daouk (B.S. ’18) said in his remarks to the group, “NYIT isn’t only about studying books and writing exams based on the understanding of those books. NYIT teaches students to think beyond measures and to not limit our knowledge.” He added a heartfelt thanks to his NYIT professors, saying, “I thank you for all the lessons you have given me, and I will forever be grateful.”

The next day at graduation, held in the Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi Hotel, graduates and guests were honored to hear from well-wishers including NYIT Interim Provost Lou Reinisch, Ph.D. After mentioning several prominent NYIT graduates based in Abu Dhabi, Reinisch told graduates, “I look forward to the day that your success stories will be used as examples for future graduating classes.”

Haji Sattar Mohammad Arif (B.S. ’14, M.B.A. ’18), 2014’s graduate speaker, repeated his role at this year’s ceremony, this time after earning an NYIT M.B.A. Arif remarked on the ups and downs of the years since he first spoke at graduation, saying, “No matter what path each one of us may take, there are certain skills that NYIT helped us achieve which will make our future better: flexibility and learning.” These skills are useful, he said, because plans don’t always work out the way we expect.