DOHA: An increasing number of young Qatari women are overcoming conventional attitudes and honing their creative skills, in order to pursue a career in the media industry.
Sara Abdulaziz Al Derham, 21, is a positive example of this change. She has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), with a major in Media Industries and Technology.
Despite being faced with some resistance from family members regarding her choice of major, Sara felt it was necessary to persevere and follow her dreams. Initially, she was interested in a career in medicine and volunteered at a local hospital during her time in high school, but she soon had a change of heart.
“It was like this moment when I had an epiphany. I had to stop and ask myself which major would allow me to do all the things I love and would not limit me,” explains Sara. “I wanted a field that constantly changes and where I could learn in the process and experiment. This was the ideal choice for me, because right now I can report, photograph, make short films, and research.”
Determined to prove her potential, Sara has worked very hard to make a difference both on and off campus. She has maintained a commendable Grade Point Average throughout her four years at university and has taken up several leadership roles, including President of the Culture Club at NU-Q.
“I was one of the first students who started filming in Arabic at university. I always try to relate my films to something within my culture, heritage and background. I want to be one of the people who pioneer in creating the real identity of Qatari cinema,” she says.
In 2012, her film Ghazil: The Story of Rashed and Jawaher was selected for screening at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival in Qatar and the Gulf Film Festival in Dubai.
To complement her interest in media and culture, Sara has completed a Certificate in Middle East Studies from NU-Q. In the future, the high-achiever hopes to join Qatar’s diplomatic corps. “I want to be part of the government and to participate in the diplomatic field. I would like to be involved in decision-making and in the amendment of laws,” she explains.
Sara has alsoapplied to graduate school in the UK and hopes to pursue a degree in Creative Media and Cultural Studies before joining Qatar Airways.
Haya Al Mannai, 21, is another exceptional Northwestern University in Qatar graduate with a passion for journalism and a commitment to lifelong learning. In addition to earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, she also holds a Certificate in Public Relations and a Certificate in Middle East Studies. Haya plans to pursue a postgraduate education in Middle East studies in the near future.
“Journalism is definitely something I want to do in terms of a career. My inspiration was that I have always loved to write and read. I’ve read since I was a child and I also remember watching television networks, and that is what sparked my interest,” she says. “I really want to do magazine and feature writing, and I also want to do multimedia journalism.”
Although her choice of career was a little unusual, Haya explains that her family was extremely supportive of her decision and is very proud to see her reach the end of the line.
She says, “I definitely feel that over the years more and more Qatari girls will enrol in Northwestern. I think people’s perceptions are changing and there’s more room for women in journalism.”
During the course of her study, Haya has participated in a number of extracurricular activities and played a role in student government. She also successfully completed a journalism residency at Bloomsbury Publishing in the UK.
In terms of the future, Haya harbours big dreams. “I hope that one day I’ll have at least two Master’s degrees and I would have realised my objective of contributing considerably to journalism in Qatar, specifically in writing and video journalism.”The Peninsula
