VCUarts Qatar's Class of 2024 group photo

Commencement

Counting Down to Commencement Commencement Ceremony 2025 Frequently Asked Questions Archive

Congratulations Class of 2025!

We are excited for the culmination of your academic journey. Please find below important information that will help you prepare for this event.

The VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony is organized by the Strategic Engagement Department.

For further questions and concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Important Dates

Counting Down to Commencement 2025

Welcome Class of 2025!

The date of your graduation is coming up and we want to prepare you for this important milestone of your life. There are various events lined up before the actual Commencement Ceremony in May. The following information will help you make this important celebration more meaningful and unforgettable.

If you have any further questions and/or clarifications, please contact [email protected].

Commencement Fair

Every spring, VCUarts Qatar invites its graduands to gather for the Commencement Fair that kick-starts the countdown for their big day in May – the Commencement Ceremony.

At the Commencement Fair and the Pre-Commencement Suhoor the class marshals and class champion are announced as well as the preliminary Latin Honors. Graduands receive their special accessories based on these honors. They can order their graduation gowns and class rings. Various booths provide useful information on their transition from student to alum, from student life to work life.

Vcuq Commencement Fair 2025 54
Vcuq Commencement Fair 2025 16
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The 2025 Commencement Fair took place on March 13, 2025 followed by a special Pre-Commencement Suhoor in the evening. Students gathered in the Atrium on that day to get prepared for their graduation in May 2025.

Academic Regalia

Academic regalia is the dress worn by faculty and graduates during commencement ceremonies. It goes back to traditions practiced in the fourteenth and fifteenth century universities in England.

VCUarts Qatar’s academic regalia consists of a graduation gown, a graduation cap with a tassel and a stole. MFA students wear an additional hood in brown. BFA and BA students wear specific student stoles, while class marshal or the class champion wear special stoles identifying these roles. Graduates receiving Latin Honors also wear special cords reflecting their honors.

At VCUarts Qatar, academic regalia is available through the bookstore. The VCUarts Qatar bookstore has gowns available in various sizes. Students either rent their gown from the bookstore or have it tailored to their size. Our trusted tailor will be present with a booth during the Commencement Fair to take your order. All graduating students will receive the other accessories that are part of the regalia prior to the ceremony.

Faculty can borrow regalia from the bookstore for the ceremony with the specific stoles for faculty and all required accessories.

Please refer to the guide to your academic regalia for further information.

Class Rings

The official VCU class ring is a lasting symbol of your academic achievements and a constant reminder of your lifelong connection to VCU. Fellow alumni wear VCU rings. The rings provide a means of instantaneous recognition, often serving as a wonderful catalyst for triggering conversations of VCU affiliations and memories. The ring seller is available during the Commencement Fair for you to preorder your rings. 

Graduation Photo Shoot

VCUarts Qatar organizes a special photo shoot for the graduands to have their portraits taken. 

Please note: Students have the option to decide whether they want to have their photos published or not. If they opt to have their photos published the photos will be shared with Qatar Foundation and may be included in VCUarts Qatar and Qatar Foundation’s future publications, press and social media releases as well as other communication materials.

The graduation photo shoot for the Class of 2025 will take place at VCUarts Qatar on March 18- 20, 2025. There will be regalia provided to you for the photo shoot but please bring your personal accessories that you have received during the Commencement Fair. 

Please book your 10-minute photo slot via the graduation photo shoot sign up form before March 16, 2025. A printed copy of the registration form will be available onsite for you to sign. Please review your information and sign across your name upon arrival to ensure that the information you stated upon booking matches the studio’s data. 

*Please note:  It is crucial to provide consent as to whether you want your photo being publicly shared. 

Commencement Ceremony 2025

You made it! Now is the time to honor this achievement and we are all excited to see you in the Commencement Ceremony. The following information will help you make this important celebration more meaningful and unforgettable. 

If you have any further questions, please check out the Frequently Asked Questions (linked) section or contact [email protected].

Commencement Speaker 2025

Peter Gould

Peter Gould
Strategic Design Leader & Founder of Gould Studios

Peter Gould is a design leader and entrepreneur. He advocates for heart-centered design that aligns spiritual aspirations and strategic design practice. Over 20 years his clients have included Apple, Google, Disney, the United Nations and a diverse creative portfolio for governments, startups, and global nonprofits.

His contributions to design have resulted in international acclaim and awards. Peter is a recipient of the Stanford Certificate of Innovation & Entrepreneurship and has lectured Design Thinking at the University of Technology, Sydney. He was appointed as a UNHCR Ambassador in recognition of his efforts supporting refugees.

Peter’s book and educational platform, The Heart of Design, has helped hundreds of teams and individuals worldwide to align their spiritual aspirations with meaningful creative and professional paths.

At the intersection of design, spirituality, and entrepreneurship, Peter aims to inspire a global like-hearted movement and grassroots creative communities for a bright, heart-centered future.

Valedictorian and Salutatorian

The titles Valedictorian and Salutatorian are bestowed on the students who hold the highest academic ranking among the graduation class. They have respectively earned the highest and second highest cumulative grade point average (CGPA) as assessed at the end of the Fall semester prior to the graduation term. 

The Valedictorian is invited to deliver the Student Address during the Commencement Ceremony. In the case of two equally qualified students, two Co-Valedictorians are selected.

Haneen Mohssen Darwich (BFA in Interior Design) has been announced as Valedictorian of the Class of 2025. Anastasia V Marinova (BFA in Graphic Design) has been announced as Salutatorian.

Class Marshals

The Class Marshals are appointed by the Academic Program Department Chairs/Directors in recognition of their services to the academic departments. Class Marshals lead their classmates in the commencement procession and are distinguished by a special sash as part of their regalia.

Class Marshals are announced during the Commencement Fair and will receive their special sash during the official part of the fair.

Class Marshals for the Class of 2025 are:

  • Fatima Khalid Al Moftah, BA in Art History
  • Halah Murad Marouf Rafiq Mahmoud, BFA in Fashion Design
  • Minatuallah Khalil Al Aswad, BFA in Graphic Design
  • Ayah Abdelrahim Ali ElFihail, BFA in Interior Design
  • Ghada Abdulla Alkuwari, BFA in Painting + Printmaking
  • Yasamin Shaikhi, MFA in Design

Class Champion

The Class Champion is competitively selected by the senior academic leadership from the graduating class of undergraduate students who earned a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 360 or higher at the end of the term prior to graduation. The Dean and the Class Champion lead the graduating class into the Qatar Foundation Convocation Ceremony that is usually held soon after VCUarts Qatar’s Commencement Ceremony.

The Class Champion is announced during the Commencement Fair and will receive a special sash during the official part of the fair.

Class Champion for the Class of 2025 is Amani Azhar (BFA in Graphic Design).

Commencement Ceremony Invitations

The VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony is a closed event that requires a ticket for entry. Each graduating student will be issued up to six tickets for her/his guests. 

Graduands will need to register the number of their required tickets by filling the Graduand Information Form prior to picking them up from the Student Life & Engagement Office in April 2025.

If your parents are members of the royal family or VIPs you need to register in the Commencement Ceremony Attendance Form. Two VIP seats per student can be allocated for students whose parents are members of the royal family or VIPs. Please note that this does not automatically guarantee VIP seats for the Qatar Foundation Convocation Ceremony at Qatar Foundation.

Attending VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony – Important Reminders to family and friends attending the ceremony

Welcome to the VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony!

Commencement is a momentous occasion for the soon-to-be graduates. It marks the pinnacle of their academic journey and the beginning of the next chapter of their lives. VCUarts Qatar celebrates this milestone with formal pomp and circumstance befitting their achievements. To ensure the dignity and solemnity of this occasion, guests attending the ceremony are reminded of the following:

Please refer back often as we are constantly updating this page with additional information during the next few months. 

Ceremony Details

VCUarts Commencement Ceremony is held on Monday, May 5, 2025 in Multaqa at Multaqa/ Student Center in Education City, Doha. The ceremony will last approximately 1.5 – 2 hours.

Commencement Program

Every guest attending the in-person Commencement Ceremony will have the opportunity to pick up a printed program when they arrive to commemorate this special occasion. Friends and family can check out the program here and even download their own PDF copy free.

Tickets

In-person attendance to the VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony is by invitation only. Tickets are checked at the registration desk, a No Ticket No Entry Policy is strictly implemented at the venue. 

Attendance

The doors to the ballroom close between 3:45 p.m. and 4:10 p.m. Guests should arrive and be seated by 3:45 p.m. No guest will have access to the ballroom during the Processional. The ballroom will be reopened to guests after the processional.

It is strongly discouraged to bring children under three years old in the ballroom. Children and their caretakers may wait in the reception and/or majlis area during the ceremony.

Photography

VCUarts Qatar official photographers and videographers will be present during the event to capture the moment. Family members and guests may take photos from their seats. However, they will not be allowed to go and stand near the stage to take photos. Personal photographers are not allowed in the venue.

Special Accommodations

The VCUarts Qatar commencement ceremony is an inclusive, accessible event to enable all guests to engage fully. To request special accommodations or inquire about accessibility, Graduands must indicate this in their Graduand Information Form on behalf of their guests.

Special seating for guests with disabilities plus one companion is available on the first two rows of the general audience seating. Depending on availability, guests and their companion will be seated as close as possible to this section.

Translation headsets are available at the reception for guests who wish to listen to the ceremony in Arabic. Guests using the translation headsets must return them to the Reception Desk after the ceremony.

Food and Drinks

Only bottled water is allowed inside the ballroom, no other food and drinks are allowed.

Transportation and Parking

Complimentary parking is available at the VCUarts Qatar parking, Green Spine parking and the Ceremonial Court parking. Shuttle buses operate between these parkings and Multaqa / Student Center between 2 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. as well as from 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Valet parking is available at the valet parking entrance of Multaqa/Student Center. Please note that valet parking fees apply.

Multaqa Map

Dress Code

VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony is traditionally a formal event. Proper business casual attire or national clothing are recommended for all guests.

Etiquette

All guests to the VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony are expected to respect fellow attendees who have come to share this momentous occasion with our graduands. Everyone is expected to observe the following general etiquette during the ceremony.

  • Mobile phones should be turned off or put in silent mode throughout the ceremony.
  • Guests should remain seated during the Processional and Recessional.
  • Guests arriving late should wait until the doors reopen and are ushered to the remaining available seats.
  • Guests should refrain from going in and out of the ballroom during the ceremony.
  • Balloons are not allowed inside the ballroom. Guests can leave them at the reception desk for collection after the ceremony.
  • During the conferment of degrees, we ask guests to be considerate of others and remain in their seats to avoid blocking the view of other guests and the ceremony is not disrupted.

Broadcast Information

We recognize the importance of the VCUarts Commencement Ceremony to our graduands and their families and friends. If you are unable to attend in person but would like to witness this memorable event, the ceremony is broadcast live and is later made available on-demand.

Graduation Gifts

As part of their graduation, VCUarts Qatar graduands receive a gift from the University

Frequently Asked Questions

The VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony is your actual graduation ceremony held by VCUarts Qatar. The event marks the transition of being a VCUarts Qatar student to being a VCUarts Qatar alumni.

The Commencement Fair is organized on campus in spring prior to the actual graduation ceremony. It consists of a fair during the day and an official event in the evening and is planned for Wednesday, March 12, 2025. During the fair graduands can order their graduation gowns and class rings or get more information on their transition from student to alumni from various information booths. During the official event – the Pre-Commencement Suhoor – class marshals and the class champions are announced as well as the preliminary Latin Honors. As part of this event, graduands receive special accessories based on their achievements and/or academic honors. 

The graduation photo shoot is scheduled between the Commencement Fair and Commencement Ceremony. It is a photo shoot for the graduands to have the students’ portraits taken in full regalia. Graduands will receive notice of dates and times.

The graduating students receive digital copies of their graduation photos. Students have the option to decide whether they want to have their photos published or not.

Please note: If they choose to have their photos published, the photos will be shared with Qatar Foundation and may be included in VCUarts Qatar and Qatar Foundation’s future publications, press and social media releases as well as other media materials.

The VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2024 takes place on Monday, May 5, 2025 at 4 p.m.

Participants are requested to arrive no later than 3:15 p.m. Participants line up at 3:30 p.m. 

Guests are requested to arrive no later than 3:45 p.m. The doors to the ballroom close at 3:45 p.m. Latecomers will only be allowed to enter after the processional.

The VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony takes place at Multaqa/Student Center in Education City, Doha.

All graduating students should arrive between 2:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. The line for processional of participating students is at 3:30 p.m. in the left foyer of the ballroom. The ceremony will begin with the processional at 4 p.m.

Guests should arrive no later than 3:45 p.m. The doors of the ballroom are open from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. The ceremony will begin with the processional at 4 p.m. At 3:45p.m. the doors of the ballroom will be closed for guests. They will be allowed to enter only after the processional is over.

Upon arrival your guests will need to register at the registration counter with their tickets. From there they will be guided into the ballroom by our ushers where they will be seated on a first come first serve basis per row.

If your parents are members of the royal family or VIPs please register this with the Strategic Engagement Department in the Graduand Information Form that will be published in April. Two VIP seats per student can be allocated for students whose parents are members of the royal family or VIPs. Upon arrival to the ballroom they will be assisted by VIP seating ushers to find their allocated seats.

Students and faculty will be admitted to their respective robing areas to get dressed in their gowns and regalia. The student robing area is in allocated rooms on the left side of the ballroom. The faculty robing area is at Multaqa’s Blackbox Theatre.

Participants are required to bring their academic regalia. Please ensure you have your complete regalia when you arrive in the venue. We do not have extra accessories on site that you can borrow.

There are specific robing areas for students and faculty members. The student robing area is in allocated roomson the left side of the ballroom. The faculty robing area is at Multaqa’s Blackbox Theatre.

Robing assistants will be present to help you put on your gown and accessories properly. Printed guides to your academic regalia will be available for you to follow.

The official beginning of the Commencement Ceremony is the processional of students, faculty and platform party followed by a number of speeches and the conferment of the degrees. It ends with the recessional of all participants. For families and other attendees, a physical program brochure will be made available at the venue.

The processional and recessional traditionally mark the official beginning and end of the Commencement Ceremony of all participants dressed in regalia marching together to either enter or leave the ballroom. Participants of both processional and recessional will be following their respective marshals and will be lined up before marching.

Processional is the formal entry of the graduands, faculty and platform party into the hall. Recessional is the formal exit of the same group from the hall, after the event concludes.

During the time of the processional all guests are required to be seated inside the ballroom. Late coming guests will not be granted access to the ballroom until after the processional. During the time of the recessional all guests are asked to remain seated until the last participant has left through the ballroom doors.

Only class marshals, the valedictorian, the salutatorian, the SGA president and the QSA president are required to attend the rehearsal. They will be contacted by the Strategic Engagement Department in advance of the rehearsal.

Yes. All graduates who attend the VCUarts Qatar commencement ceremony will have their names called. When your name is called you will walk up the stage from the right side (as you face the stage) to receive your certificate folder and leave the stage from the left side. Ushers will guide you back to your seat.

Yes. The names of all graduates of the respective year – whether they participate in the commencement ceremony or not – will be listed in the printed program.

Yes. All honors awarded are mentioned during the ceremony as well as in the program agenda/brochure/handbook.

Each graduate will be issued up to 6 tickets for his/her guests. Graduates will need to register the number of their required tickets prior to picking them up from the Student Life & Engagement Office in April.

The VCUarts Qatar Commencement Ceremony is your actual graduation ceremony from VCUarts Qatar. It is organized by the Strategic Engagement Department of the university.

The Convocation is a ceremony that Qatar Foundation organizes to recognize the graduating students at all Education City universities of the respective year.

The Convocation is a ceremony that Qatar Foundation organizes to recognize the graduating students at all Education City universities of the respective year. Information is available on the dedicated website site of Qatar Foundation for the Convocation. All questions regarding participating in the convocation are to be directed to the respective Qatar Foundation Office.

No, you may attend one, both, or neither.

Academic regalia is the dress worn by faculty and graduates during commencement ceremonies. It goes back to traditions practiced in the fourteenth and fifteenth century universities in England. Please refer to the guide to your academic regalia for further information.

The academic regalia consists of a graduation gown, a graduation cap with a tassel and a stole. MFA students additionally also wear a graduation hood in brown. Please refer to the guide to your academic regalia for further information..

Graduation gowns can be either rented from the VCUarts Qatar bookstore or ordered from a tailor during the Commencement Fair. All graduating students will receive the other accessories that are part of the regalia prior to the ceremony.

Yes. You will receive the cords signifying Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude or Cum Laude honors during the Commencement Fair when the preliminary Latin Honors are announced. You are required to bring these cords along for your graduation photo shoot as well as the Commencement Ceremony and Convocation.

No. All students receive the same VCUarts Qatar student stoles. Only class marshals and the class champion receive special stole or sash as part of their regalia.

Yes. A cap and gown are required for graduates. The gown can be rented through the VCUarts Qatar bookstore or ordered tailormade at tailor’s booth during the Commencement Fair. The other items that are part of the regalia will be received prior to the ceremony through the VCUarts Qatar bookstore.

Yes. As for the Commencement Ceremony a cap and gown are required for graduates.

Yes. Multaqa/Student Center is accessible and there are seats reserved for guests requiring a wheelchair. For special requirements please contact the Strategic Engagement Department via [email protected].

Complimentary parking is available at the VCUarts Qatar parking, Green Spine parking and the Ceremonial Court parking. Shuttle buses operate between these parkings and Multaqa/Student Center between 2 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. as well as from 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Yes. Shuttle buses operate between the three designated parking areas in Education City and the Multaqa/Student Center between 2 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. as well as from 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Valet parking is available at the valet parking entrance of Multaqa / Student Center. Please note that valet parking fees apply.

You find more information on the ceremony on this website. Should you have further questions please reach out to the Strategic Engagement Department via [email protected].

Participants of the ceremony are requested to refrain from taking photos and are requested to put their mobile phones on silent.

Professional photographers and videographers will be present during the event to capture the moment. All images will be available for download on VCUarts Qatar photo library Luna after the event.

Family members and guests may take photos from their seats. However, they will not be allowed to go and stand near the stage to take photos.

No. Personal photographers are not allowed in the venue. However, family members and other attendees may take photos of the event on their personal electronic devices such as phones before, during and after the event. During the event, images may be taken by family members from their seats; they are not allowed to approach the stage.

If you do not want your picture to be taken when you go on the stage, please inform the Strategic Engagement Department at least 3 days prior to the ceremony via [email protected].

Yes. There is a class photo taken after the ceremony that will be published by VCUarts Qatar and Qatar Foundation.

Please pay attention to the class photo instruction at the end of the ceremony. Your marshals and other ushers will help make it a smooth experience for you. All you need to do is to follow their instructions at the venue.

If you don’t wish to be part of the class photo, please step out of the line as soon as you are outside the graduation hall. However, please do not step out of the line during the recessional to greet your guests while still inside the hall, before the group photo is over.

The event concludes with the recessional that is followed by the class photo shoot for which graduands are required to return to the front of the hall. You can rejoin your family and guests after the class photo has been taken.

If you don’t wish to be part of the class photo, which will be published in the media, please step out of the line as soon as you are outside the graduation hall after the recessional. Please do not step out of the line during the recessional to greet your guests while still inside the hall.

It is strongly recommended to not bring children under three years old in the ballroom. Children and their caretakers may wait in the Majlis area during the ceremony.

No. You will receive a diploma folder with a letter welcoming you as a VCUarts Qatar alum. All diplomas come from our home campus VCUarts in Richmond, Virginia. You will receive your diploma later through the Office of Enrolment and Registration Services.

Yes. Graduands can collect their respective gift bags from the collection desk located just outside the student holding area on the ground floor.

Following your graduation from VCUarts Qatar you officially become a VCUarts Qatar alum. The Alumni Relations Office will reach out to you after your graduation to register you in the alumni network and invite you to upcoming alumni events.

If you have more questions, please contact the Strategic Engagement Department via [email protected].

Archive

Past Commencement Speakers
Commencement Speaker 2024

Sumayya Vally, Founder and Principal of Counterspace, Honorary Professor of Practice at The Bartlett School of Architecture

Commencement Speaker 2023

Shaikha Hanadi bint Nasser Al Thani; Founder and Chairperson of Amwal, Founder & Vice Chairperson of Al Waab City, Vice Chairperson of Nasser Bin Khaled Al Thani & Sons Group, Founding Chairperson of Q-Auto

Commencement Speaker 2022

Fatma Al-Jaidah, Project Director (Corniche Activation), Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy

Commencement Speaker 2021

Sheikha Asma Al Thani, Director of Marketing & Communications, QNOC

Commencement Speaker 2020

Sheikha Asma Al Thani, Director of Marketing & Communications, QNOC

Commencement Speaker 2019

Dana Alfardan, Singer

Commencement Speaker 2018

Shawn Brixey, VCUarts School of the Arts Dean

Commencement Speaker 2017

H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, CEO, Qatar Foundation

Commencement Speaker 2016

Arnold Wasserman, Chairman, The Idea Factory

Commencement Speaker 2015

Diana Al Hadid, VCUarts Alumna

Commencement Speaker 2014

Mohammed Hareeb, Creator and Producer of Freej

Commencement Speaker 2013

H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson, Qatar Museums

Commencement Speaker 2012

Ann Marie Paltsou, Fashion Design