DOHA, QATAR – Shivani Arora, Manoj Dareddy, Afnan Fahim, Fatema Akbar, Marwa Al Fakhri and Hamsa Al Massri, students of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, were selected to participate in Carnegie Mellon’s Odyssey program at the home campus in Pittsburgh. Odyssey is a special three day immersion program designed to develop writing, research and decision-making skills. The program, which has been running successfully for four years, is a program focusing on self-exploration and development geared towards sophomores who have demonstrated strong academics, creativity and motivation.
Odyssey stimulates intellectual self-development and articulation, enabling them to be more aware of possibilities available at Carnegie Mellon, while they still have time to take advantage of them. Students work in small workshops on their writing and produce a self-portrait, which is the centerpiece of the program. “The goal of the program is to enable the students to take a more self-directed, active role in their undergraduate education through the development of writing, research, presentation and decision making skills” said Stephanie Wallach, Ph.D., assistant vice provost for undergraduate education in Pittsburgh. “The students who have attended from our Qatar campus have been strong, active participants in the program, bringing with them a solid academic foundation on which to develop their leadership and self-development skills.” The name ‘Odyssey’ symbolizes the sense of journey and discovery that is conveyed through the program. The students selected to partake in Odyssey receive ongoing support to help them locate internships, participate in various community service and study abroad experiences, undertake research projects on campus, and ready themselves for competitive fellowship and scholarship opportunities. “The goal of Odyssey is to make students active learners and architects of their Carnegie Mellon education in its broadest terms” said John Robertson, assistant dean for Academic Affairs at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. Students have described the program as “a great educational experience”, Manoj Dareddy, a computer science student said “Odyssey was not only a fun trip, but also a great learning experience. There were a lot of guest speakers including prominent alumni, university deans, and Dr. Jared Cohon. They each spoke about their personal experiences and challenges, inspiring me to set high goals. One particular activity, the “self-portrait,” has motivated me to reflect on how I look at myself in relation to how others view me.” Carnegie Mellon University aims to educate young minds through its academic programs by providing students with the necessary skills and competencies to become innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Aligning its mission with the Qatar National Vision 2030, Carnegie Mellon University is dedicated to educating the youth in Qatar through its academic, extracurricular and outreach programs, helping transform Qatar into a knowledge based society.
