Northwestern University in Qatar officially inducted the Class of 2029, one of its largest, most dynamic incoming classes, at its 18th Convocation ceremony. The event marked the formal entry of first-year and transfer students into the global Northwestern community, capping Wildcat Welcome Week and inaugurating their undergraduate journey.
In his opening address, Dean and CEO Marwan M. Kraidy called on the new students to see Convocation not simply as the start of their studies but as the beginning of a lifelong journey of tajdeed, renewal in Arabic. “Today is not only your first day of university. It is the first day of the rest of your life,” he said. “It is a moment of transformation. You have left behind familiar people and places, and you now stand at the threshold of an extraordinary journey.”
Framing renewal as both personal and collective, Kraidy explained that by choosing Northwestern Qatar, students had already begun a process of redefining their sense of self and purpose. “You embody the richness of our world,” he told them. “Like the classes before you, you all contribute to nurturing and cultivating the community that makes NU-Q what it is.”
He urged students to embrace experimentation, curiosity, and resilience as they face a rapidly evolving global landscape. “Be courageous in your renewal. Reinvent yourselves often. Be open to discovery, to growth, to transformation. Embrace change like your future depends on it, because it does.”
Joining Dean Kraidy in welcoming the new students, Convocation Speaker Miriam Gamoran Sherin, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education at Northwestern University, described Convocation as one of life’s rare moments when “our worlds pivot.” She reflected: “For all of you in the Class of 2029, today is one of them. These moments are wonderful and exhilarating. But they also can seem overwhelming and even a bit frightening. You know part of the path that you have chosen, but other aspects remain unknown, and will gradually reveal themselves over the next four years.”
Sherin outlined three guiding principles for students as they begin their undergraduate journeys: cultivating their stories, developing the discipline of noticing, and finding strength in community. “Your story is developing and evolving,” she said. “A moment that is challenging now might in the future feel like a key moment when we learned to do something new, when we persevered through a difficult time, or when we came to see a new part of ourselves. Have patience with yourself, and have confidence that this is a worthwhile and meaningful journey.”
She went on to emphasize that success at Northwestern is built on collaboration: “We learn through talking with others, by explaining our ideas to our peers, by sharing our thinking through writing, filmmaking, and reporting. This is something I think we do so well at Northwestern – bring people together to share and learn in ways that have the potential to transform not only ourselves and our communities, but also the world.”
The ceremony also featured reflections from Northwestern Qatar Student Government President Deema Al-Sulaiti, Class of 2026, who shared her own journey and encouraged the Class of 2029 to approach their induction as the start of a journey of growth and discovery. “I began my first year hesitant, unsure whether I would find my place here. But with time, I discovered interests I hadn’t expected, communities that welcomed me, and opportunities that helped me grow,” she said.
Drawing on her professional experience during a journalism residency at Qatar’s embassy in London, she encouraged the Class of 2029 to embrace both challenges and opportunities. “You, too, will go through changes in the next three years, and that’s something to not only accept but also embrace.”
Al-Sulaiti urged the students to step into the community with curiosity and courage: “As my journey here at Northwestern is coming to a close, I’ve come to realize that there is a role for everyone to embrace…I believe there is something here for each of you to discover. And, in my humble opinion, you’ve chosen well—Northwestern truly is a special place to belong.”
The induction ceremony, which concluded a week of orientation activities and the traditional March Through the Arch, marked the beginning of the Class of 2029’s Northwestern journey. As one of the university’s largest and most international cohorts, the new students represent many countries and cultures—including, for the first time, Niger, Belarus, and Côte d’Ivoire—and bring with them a wide range of talents in writing, filmmaking, debating, content creation, and screenwriting.
