AUS student diversity highlighted at 2017 Club Fair

The multicultural diversity and extracurricular activitiesfor which American University of Sharjah (AUS) is renowned are being celebratedat today's AUS Fall 2017 Club Fair, held at the university's Student Centertoday. The opening of the two-day event has drawn a large number of studentsfrom all across the campus and has been attended by AUS Chancellor Dr. BjörnKjerfve, along with other senior university officials.

TheClub Fair is held every semester, introducing students, especially freshmen, tothe university's diverse ethnic and interest-oriented clubs. The event providesstudents with an opportunity to pride in the cultural heritage of the manynationalities represented on campus. Known internationally for its diversity,AUS has students from more than 90 nationalities currently enrolled.

Organizedby the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), the Club Fair also allows students topursue their personal interests outside the classroom, as well as buildleadership skills. This semester 29 ethnic clubs, 33 interest-oriented clubs,seven OSA associations and the Student Council are participating in the event.This year marks the debut of the Canadian Cultural Club and the PhilippineCultural Club.

Appreciatingthe students' enthusiasm and hard work in helping organize a successful event,Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Dean of Students, said:

"Thecolorful and lively atmosphere that you see in the Student Center today is aresult of our students' creativity and their enthusiasm to promote theirinterests. The Club Fair is a pioneer event, attended and supported by alarge majority of our student population as it serves as a platform for them toshare their interests, socialize with friends and network with their peers. Aspart of the OSA's efforts to promote sustainable events, this semester's ClubFair encourages students to focus on the efficient use of resources. I amdelighted to say we attained that goal by keeping costs to a minimum withoutcompromising on the quality of our events in any way. I encourage our studentsto visit the Club Fair, register with their favorite clubs, and take advantageof the extracurricular opportunities offered by the university."

BaraaEl Gamal, a senior student chemical engineering major and the President of thePalestinian Cultural Club said:

"TheClub Fair provides us with an opportunity to showcase our different culturesand interests to the AUS community. We are excited to introduce the clubs tonew students as we believe that such extracurricular activities are vital toenjoying and benefitting from a full university experience, especially here atAUS!"

TheClub Fair will continue until tomorrow, September 19, 2017.