CAAD honors 28 outstanding students and faculty at 2025 awards ceremony

The College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) celebrated the achievements of its graduating class and faculty during the annual CAAD Awards Ceremony, held on May 31, the opening day of the highly anticipated Six Degrees exhibition.

This year’s ceremony recognized 27 individuals across 28 awards for their exceptional academic performance, creative accomplishments, leadership and service to the university community. The awards highlighted the achievements of exceptional CAAD students and faculty over the past academic year and those who demonstrated sustained excellence and impact throughout the full course of their degree programs.

“The CAAD Awards are a celebration of the talent, commitment and spirit that define our students and faculty,” said Dr. Varkki Pallathucheril, Dean of CAAD at AUS. “These awards serve as an important moment to recognize not only our students’ individual achievements, but also the creative energy and academic excellence that make CAAD a truly exceptional place to learn, teach and grow.”

The Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence, the college’s highest academic honor, was presented to Penar Waleed Qanbar (architecture), Nada Ashraf Abdelgawad (interior design), Amal Alaa Alshoura (multimedia design), Engy Amr Asar (visual communication), Rawan Munther Halloom (design management), and Master of Urban Planning graduates Ahmed M. I. Alfarra, Nada Zuhair Abdulameer and Hassan Ahmed Alzarooni.

The American Institute of Architects  Medal for Academic Excellence is awarded to the top graduating students from schools accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board of the United States. This year’s medal from the Bachelor of Architecture program at AUS was presented to Penar Waleed Qanbar.

The Motivation, Attitude and Dedication (MAD) Award, which celebrates student perseverance and passion, was awarded to Salma Hani Ali (architecture), Yazan Maged Alnagar (interior design), Jana Ahmed Khalifa (multimedia design), Engy Amr Asar (visual communication), Aleezay Atif (design management) and Noora Jassem Aljasmi (Master of Urban Planning).

The Dean’s Service Award was presented to Tamara Ayad Khalaf, Omar Ashraf Darwish and Nujud Mohammed Alhussain for their outstanding leadership, citizenship and contribution to the university's mission.

Student involvement in professional associations was also recognized through Certificates of Appreciation. These were awarded to Ajay Sunil and Afreen Saheed for their involvement in the American Institute of Architecture Students; Noorzada Moheeb Darwish and Maha Hassan Arafat for their roles in the American Institute of Graphic Arts; Nada Abdelgawad and Assya Mustapha Madoune for their work as part of the Interior Design Student Association; and Larissa Mohamad Ali Arkadan and Aisha Housam Ibrahimbasha for their work as part of the Design Management Association.

In addition to the student honors, Best Faculty Awards—as voted by CAAD students—were presented to Naz Naddaf (art and design), Marcus Farr (architecture) and Patrick Rhodes (foundations), recognizing their outstanding teaching, mentorship and lasting impact on student development.

For more information on the College of Architecture, Art and Design, visit www.aus.edu/caad.