Gulf-Times: CMU-Q graduates lead the way
“QF business graduates lead the way in Qatar and beyond,” in Gulf-Times, May 2, 2018
Editor’s note: Anthony Lo is a senior at CMU-Q, and Shahryar Nayyer is a Class of 2018 graduate.
Business graduates from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) are positively impacting the economic growth and sustainable development of Qatar, as well as representing the country on a global stage. Graduates Anthony Lo and Shahryar Nayyer formed part of a five-member team that represented Qatar at the regional competition of the CFA Institute Research Challenge in Ireland. The annual global competition offers students the opportunity to learn from leading industry experts and compete with peers from the world’s top finance programmes.
As part of the competition, held in Dublin last month, the team conducted an in-depth analysis of Ooredoo stock to produce comprehensive research and a recommendation, and then presented to an independent panel of judges from the financial sector in Qatar.
The CMU-Q team was the first ever from the Middle East region to reach the finals in the history of the competition, and eventually finished in the top eight.
“Over the past four years, CMU-Q has taught me how to deliver great presentations and handle Q&A sessions. As a team, we were able to use these skills during the CFA competition, where we presented our research to more than 100 people in Qatar and 300 people in Ireland. This was a great experience for us and a great confidence boost,” said Nayyer.
CMU-Q’s Business Administration programme trains students in a number of business-related fields, including accounting, management information systems, business communications, finance, and economics. Students also complete a minor in a different discipline to broaden their body of knowledge and to acquire general problem-solving skills.
“I’m very proud of the four years I’ve spent at CMU-Q. I feel more responsible and mature leaving the university. This is due to the quality of education and the opportunities provided by Qatar Foundation for me to meet and work with professors and peers from all over the world,” said Nayyer, who also completed a minor degree in economics at CMU-Q.
Lo is passionate about pursuing a master’s degree in finance after graduation, and aims to help future QF students to get the same type of education he received in Qatar.
“Qatar Foundation has given me an experience not many people get. It has provided me, and students like me, with a lot of financial support. As alumni, we must help sustain this kind of effort so QF can continue its great work,” said Lo.
Lo, who is originally from Taiwan, came to Qatar from the US, and admires the availability and accessibility of resources in Education City, as well as the ‘open-door’ policy of CMU-Q, where he was able to approach his professors directly about any concerns.
“During my first months at CMU-Q, I didn’t have a clear idea about what I was interested in, and I didn’t understand the importance of knowledge accumulation. I then got the opportunity to explore a number of accounting classes at CMU-Q, and realised I was passionate about finance. CMU-Q also arranges many learning opportunities for students, like outdoor training competitions and the CFA Research competition.”
CMU-Q students took part in a number of local and international competitions this year, including ‘Quick Startup’, an annual competition for young entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas to a judging panel; ‘Al Ruwad Business Case Competition’, a premier inter-collegial business competition; ‘Google Hash Code’, a programming competition for students and industry professionals; and ‘Hackathon’, a 24-hour event where students work individually or in teams to build an application.