AUS awards Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship to four outstanding students

American University of Sharjah (AUS) has awarded the prestigious Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship to four exceptional students for Academic Year 2025–2026 in recognition of their academic excellence, leadership roles within the AUS community and meaningful contributions to AUS and beyond.

This year’s recipients are Bayan Khatib from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Iryn Tony from the School of Business Administration (SBA), Jana Khalifa from the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD), and Muhammad Vidha from the College of Engineering (CEN).

“This scholarship represents one of the highest honors awarded to AUS students,” said Dr. Tod A. Laursen, Chancellor of AUS. “It acknowledges their exceptional academic performance as well as their ability to contribute meaningfully to society beyond their studies. We are incredibly proud of this year’s recipients and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make in their fields and communities as they continue to grow as individuals.”

The Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship is a prestigious and highly competitive award granted annually through a two-stage review process. Each year, the four colleges at AUS invite applications and select one nominee through an internal committee. A university-wide committee then evaluates these nominees and selects the four final recipients. 

Jana Khalifa: Storytelling for social impact

Jana Khalifa, a multimedia design student at CAAD, has built an exceptional academic and creative record at AUS, consistently earning Dean’s and Chancellor’s List honors. Her documentary Life After Life, which explores a professor’s journey through trauma, grief and recovery, stood out as a rare artistic achievement for an undergraduate, earning multiple selections and finalist positions in international film festivals in Greece, Poland, Turkey and the US. Khalifa has also contributed actively to campus life as a peer leader and media assistant for student clubs and will serve as Communications and Media Coordinator for the AUS Student Council for the next academic year. She is passionate about using immersive media and storytelling to amplify untold stories and drive social impact through empathy.

"I’m incredibly honored to receive this prestigious award, and I cannot express enough gratitude to my family, friends and professors for their support. I still remember hearing about this award during my freshman year and thinking how extraordinary you’d have to be to be the one student chosen from your college. Three years later, it feels surreal to be that person. I’ve grown so much through my journey at AUS, and I’m truly grateful for every step of it," said Khalifa.

Bayan Khatib: A scholar and student leader with a passion for science

CAS awardee Bayan Khatib is a biology major with a minor in psychology. She has consistently excelled academically, earning a place on the Dean’s List every semester and the Chancellor’s List for two consecutive years. She is also a peer tutor and student leader, and has held key roles in the AUS Sustainability Club, Neuroscience Society and IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Her passion for research has already led to a co-authored literature review, a research and development internship and participation in regional competitions—including advancement to round two of the competitive Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa 2024 P&G PEAKathon.

“I am honored to be this year’s CAS recipient of the Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship. This scholarship represents three years of effort and is a great support for the remainder of my time at AUS. What I’m most proud of in this journey is my growth as a person, and how I have taken advantage of the opportunities available and proactively sought new ones to develop myself. Looking to the future, I hope to keep up the momentum and never stop growing,” said Khatib.

Muhammad Vidha: Leading with purpose across academics, leadership and community service

This year’s CEN scholarship recipient was Muhammad Vidha, an industrial engineering student who exemplifies academic excellence, leadership and community engagement across every facet of university life. He is on the Chancellor’s List and serves as the Industrial Engineering Representative on the Engineering Dean’s Team. He is also the President of the Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) Honor Society, a peer mentor, team leader and tutor at the Engineering Learning Center. Vidha has received the highly competitive Office of Student Experience Active Student Scholarship and was also the first student from the MENA region to receive the prestigious ALD JoAnne J. Trow Undergraduate Scholarship. He has represented AUS numerous times at international conferences, charity field trips and international cricket tournaments. Earlier this year, he received the Outstanding College of Engineering Student Leadership Award, and had his research accepted for presentation at the IISE Annual Conference and Expo 2025 in Atlanta. Vidha has been described by CEN faculty as a student who stands out for “leading with impact, not comparison.”

"Receiving the Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship is the most significant milestone in my AUS journey, an honor that reflects my commitment to academic excellence, impactful leadership and service. It represents not only the opportunities I have embraced, but also the support of my parents—whose belief in me has been my greatest strength—and the guidance and encouragement of my faculty and the wider AUS community. To my peers, I encourage you to lead with purpose, strive with passion and believe that the sky is not the limit but only the beginning of endless horizons,” shared Vidha.

Iryn Tony: Turning passion into action in sustainability and business

Iryn Sara Tony, a finance major at SBA, is a passionate advocate for sustainability and innovation. She represented AUS at COP28 and is also the president of the university’s Blockchain and FinTech Association. She has won top honors at national and international competitions, including FAB Bank’s Future Business Leaders and the Bybit x DMCC Web3 Hackathon. As the first Sustainability Officer in SBA, a peer leader and an active volunteer, she has consistently found time to give back to the AUS community alongside her demanding studies. She has also represented AUS on global platforms such as NMUN New York, Qatar MUN and an international volunteering project in Ghana. Tony is also a consistent Dean’s and Chancellor’s List honoree. 

“AUS has provided me with the ideal environment to grow, not just academically, but as a leader and changemaker. I owe much of this recognition to my family, friends and faculty mentors who have supported me and shaped me into the person I am today. This award is not just a recognition of past efforts, it is a powerful reminder to continue striving for impact, to keep learning and to give back to the community that helped me grow. My advice to my fellow peers is to stay curious and be open to every opportunity that comes your way,” she said.

To learn more about scholarships and financial grants available at AUS, visit www.aus.edu/scholarship.