The Office of Student Affairs' Student Leadership Program at AUS conducted its Peer Leaders Training on August 17, 2016, to prepare students to take part in the new students and parents Welcome Session held on August 18, 2016. The training was designed to help students throughout the year network with other peer leaders and staff on campus. The main role of the Peer Leaders is to ease the transition of new students from high school to university life by being their role models, guides, mentors and friends. During orientation, each Peer Leader adopted a new student to help them easily adapt to university life. In addition to benefiting freshmen, the program helps the Peer Leaders enhance their leadership and interpersonal skills.

According to Ajith Roy, a junior majoring in finance, "To say that the Peer Leader Program was amazing would be an understatement. The responsibility of guiding individuals is no small one, and I am thankful to the Student Leadership Program at AUS for giving us this opportunity as well as the freedom and support to perform our duties in the manner we saw fit. It was a great experience meeting all the new students and adopting them, knowing that we have the ability to make a difference and act as a pillar of support in their lives."

"It was my first time assisting as a Peer Leader on behalf of the Peer Leaders Program, and I'm so glad I signed up for it," said Kanikaa Khubchandani, another junior majoring in finance. "I have gained indispensable insight about what it takes to organize an event on such a large scale, provide students and parents with all the information they need while also putting them at ease to avoid feeling overwhelmed. I loved how all of us were driven by a single unifying energy and were enthusiastically helping each other out."

"The Peer Leaders Training is an essential part of the Peer Leaders Program as it outlines students' responsibilities and goals and allows them to understand the importance of their duties throughout the whole year. Good luck to all the Peer Leaders!" said Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Dean of Students.