American University of Sharjah (AUS) honored the achievements of 281 of its most illustrious students at the Annual Honors Convocation held last evening, Wednesday, October 26, in the Main Auditorium on campus.

All the students honored at the special ceremony were on the Chancellor's List. To qualify for this list, a student must have been named on both the Fall 2010 Dean's List and the Spring 2011 Dean's List and have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above.

Addressing the gathering, AUS Chancellor Dr. Peter Heath congratulated the students on their achievements. He said that the occasion marked a great day of pride not just for the students but also for their families as well as for the university. "Tonight your names will be inscribed onto the lists of those who have achieved sufficient academic achievement and scholarly distinction to deserve special recognition," said Chancellor Heath. "This signifies that each of the students here, each in their own ways, has demonstrated the required intellectual ability and the personal qualities of hard work, perseverance, and accomplishment to attain a special mark of recognition."

"Whatever course of study we pursue, each of us-students, faculty members, or administrators- must remember that we represent a link in the long and illustrious tradition of devotion to the ideals of scholarship," he added. "In recognizing your academic accomplishments tonight, we therefore celebrate the ideals, aspirations and goals that shape our lives as members of the AUS community. For this pursuit and for your hard work and your success, we honor your achievements and those of your fellow students here tonight. I commend you for your excellence in academics and wish you continued success," said Dr. Heath.

The breakdown of the students honored is as follows:

• College of Architecture, Art and Design: 32
• College of Arts and Sciences: 30
• School of Business and Management: 95
• College of Engineering: 124

Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, Provost, also addressed the students and congratulated them on their success. "Since time immemorial, universities such as ours have made it a tradition to pause occasionally to celebrate the things that make them special. We pause tonight in our annual round of activities to celebrate some very special individuals and to congratulate them on their accomplishments. Tonight, we honor the achievements of our most distinguished students," said Dr. Hochstettler.

He said that the convocation was celebrating the achievements of 281 outstanding students. "To say that we are tremendously proud of them is an understatement," he said. "Each of these young people has met the intellectual challenges of the course of study that we have laid before them and has succeeded in full measure in meeting those extraordinary challenges. They have earned the right for their name to be placed on the Chancellor's List, which is the highest academic attainment that a matriculated student at AUS can achieve."

The evening also saw the Sheikh Khalifa Scholarships being awarded to four exceptional students. The scholarship is awarded to juniors and seniors and recognizes academic excellence, leadership potential, service to community, demonstrated talent in the field of study and participation in extracurricular and university activities. Awarded through an annual competition conducted within each college/school, it is granted for up to four consecutive semesters or until graduation requirements are complete.

Sawsan Al Bahar from the College of Architecture, Art and Design; Joud Alkorani from the College of Arts and Sciences; Loai Khalayli from the College of Engineering; and Muhammad Raza from the School of Business and Management were declared the recipients of this prestigious scholarship awards for the academic year 2011-2012.

The event was also attended by Salem Al Qaseer, Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs; Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs; vice provosts, deans and other senior university officials; faculty members; students and their family members; as well as members of the media.