A record number of students, representing 61 nationalities, apply to Carnegie Mellon Qatar

Nora Al Subai, Carnegie Mellon Qatar alumna and SAP Senior Business Analyst at QP, was among the alumni who attended the reception. As a proud graduate, she shared her CMU experiences in an address to prospective students and their parents.

"The Carnegie Mellon experience is a privilege, one that is paved with hard work, growth and success," Al Subai said.

"I am eternally grateful to my mother for making me apply to CMU. It has honestly been one of the best decisions in my life. It was clear to my parents, and to me, that I came to CMU a child and walked out a confident, independent woman," she added.

Speaking at the event, Ilker Baybars, dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, congratulated the admitted students and recognized their family members for their support. "Carnegie Mellon University has a proud tradition of excellence. We have 18 Nobel laureates and more Turing Award winners in computer science than any other institution. You owe this opportunity to your parents. I hope you will join us and prosper," Baybars said.

The newly admitted students also learned more about the five top-ranked programs offered at Carnegie Mellon Qatar - biological sciences, business administration, computational biology, computer science and information systems.

In addition, a panel of current students offered their personal insights into the courses as they answered questions from prospective students. The panel included Saleh Al Raisi, business administration; Fahim Dalvi, computer science; Fatema Akbar, information systems and Aya Abd Elaal, biological sciences.

Carnegie Mellon Qatar received applications from a record 835 prospective students for the 2013-2014 incoming class, representing 61 nationalities.

These increases are a reflection of the university's focused student recruiting efforts in cooperation with Qatar Foundation's promotion of the universities. Carnegie Mellon's presence in the Middle East is also increasing among the international community through its outreach programs, distinguished lecture series and growing alumni base. The university's highly selective undergraduate programs are known throughout the world for their academic excellence - a top priority among both parents and students.