The new cohort of Alfaisal Students was welcomed to the university at the Freshmen Convocation and Orientation Ceremony on Tuesday, the 29th of August. In attendance at the occasion to greet in incoming students were faculty members, the esteemed deans of the respective colleges, our President Dr. Mohammed Alhayaza, VP Advancement and Placement Relations- HRH Dr. Maha bint Mishari al Saud and guest keynote speaker- HRH Princess Haifa bint Muhammad Al Saud, Deputy Minister of Tourism.
Dr. Mohammed Alhayaza took to the stage to deliver a commencement address congratulating the students at the start of their new journey, acquainting them with the foundations and values Alfaisal was built on and providing invaluable insight on the keys to academic success: “ability, effort and attitude”. Dr.Alhayaza encouraged the students to look to the faculty not only as mentors and teachers but also as collaborators in research and the quest for knowledge- “Remember, the quest for knowledge is an investment of time, energy, and resources. Though it defines the academic world, you can draw on the experience of this quest for the rest of your life. Alfaisal is still very young. And so are you. The growth of our university in less than 15 years has been nothing short of spectacular, and I can assure you that Alfaisal will be even more measurably changed when you graduate on our 20th anniversary. More importantly, you will be measurably changed in those same five years.”
The keynote address delivered by HRH Haifa bint Muhammad Al Saud was thoughtful, impactful and connected deeply with the students. She shared the following five tokens of advice with the freshmen students:
- University is a safe environment to experiment and build on your strengths
- Work together and complement each other’s skills
- Don’t be afraid of failing- there is no such thing as failure, only learning
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help and learn from the people around you
