Doha: Twenty new students were admitted to Qatar Foundation’s Academic Bridge Programme (ABP), this spring semester. The new students attended an orientation session in the ABP’s LAS building in Education City to learn about ABP policies and procedures and to meet ABP administrators and faculty members before they started classes the following day on January 6.
The session started with a short welcome speech by ABP Director, Dr Bryan Lewallen. Dr Lewallen advised the new students to take full advantage of the next five months, urging them to always attend all of their classes on time and to keep up with their studies so that they are not overwhelmed at the end of the year. Dr Lewallen pointed out that ABP’s courses, homework and coeducational setting will at times seem challenging to the new students, but that they should not forget that they have a strong support system — ABP’s qualified faculty and staff — who are geared towards helping them to transition smoothly into ABP’s pre-university system.
Assistant Director of Student Services, Moza Al Boainain, came next to explain the role of Student Services and to introduce the new students to the Student Services team. She went on to explain ABP’s general rules of conduct and policies (dress code, health and wellness, parking and traffic policy, to name a few). Al Boainain then introduced ABP’s Student Association and listed the different events and activities Student Services will be sponsoring this semester. She wrapped up with a list of the 11 available clubs students can join explaining that, “many colleges look to see that students are involved outside the classroom, because this shows that the student is well-rounded.” She added that, “it is good to spend time participating in activities that you enjoy,” because “it provides you an opportunity to meet people with similar interests and passions, and expands your leadership skills.”
This semester, ABP students will be able to join any of the following clubs: Social Service & Volunteering Club, Model United Nation Club, Photography Club, Robotics Club, Newsletter Club, Introduction to Programming Using Python Club, Creative Writing Club, Football Club and/or Basketball Club (for boys), Moviemaking Club, and Book Club.
Assistant Director of Academic Affairs, Dr Mark Newmark, then gave a presentation that explained how students are placed in the different course-levels and outlined the proper procedure to address an academic question or concern. He went on to explain cross registration, which is “the process of taking a class at one of the six HBKU (Hamad bin Khalifa) partner universities in Education City,” adding that only some ABP students are eligible to take these classes. Most importantly, Dr Newmark summed up the keys to academic and university success in five main points: managing time, organizing materials, getting help, acting honestly, and staying motivated. The ABP currently has 47 students enrolled in 52 cross registration courses.
Brief presentations were also made by Admissions and Records Coordinator, Hassan Zeidan, who talked about the ABP grading system and absence policy; the ABP College Placement Counselor, Dr Marcie Linsey, who explained her role and talked briefly about how ABP will help the students with their college applications; ABP Librarian, S C Kumaresan, who introduced the library, its facilities and resources and its activities; and finally, the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) Coordinator, Asmaa Al Qaysi, who highlighted the many resources available to students in the LRC such as standardized test resources (for IELTS, SAT and ACT), English language support and tutoring in all the subjects offered in the ABP (English, math, sci ence and computer skills). Students were also given a tour of the building.
The Peninsula
