Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship awarded to exceptional students at AUS

American University of Sharjah (AUS) has awarded four exceptional students the highly competitive Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship for the Academic Year 2023-2024 to acknowledge their exceptional academic performance and personal achievements.

The recipients are Khaled Esguerra Zaher from the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD), Mohammad Amaan Siddiqui from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Jawwad Imran Sheikh from the College of Engineering (CEN) and Jovita Cherian from the School of Business Administration (SBA).

"We are proud to recognize the exceptional academic performance and personal achievements of these four outstanding students, who have demonstrated leadership skills and a commitment to making a positive difference in their communities. This scholarship is a prestigious award, and we are confident that it will provide these students with the necessary support to continue to excel academically and to become future leaders in their respective fields," said Dr. Susan Mumm, Chancellor of AUS. 

Mohammad Amaan Siddiqui, an international studies student, has been actively involved in various extracurricular activities since his first year of college. He has initiated and served in various roles in organizations such as the Creative Writing Club, AUS Model United Nations,  AUS Model Congress and AUS Law Society. He conducted research on online feminism and presented his findings at a conference in London. He has served in student employment roles and won awards for extracurricular participation and academic excellence. Siddiqui also runs the blog The Vigilant Mind, where he shares his experiences and aspires to create social change.

"I am grateful for the support of my loved ones and mentors who helped me achieve the Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship award. This award has boosted my confidence in pursuing my academic and leadership goals. It is a stepping stone towards many more achievements, and I aim to utilize this motivation to drive my future endeavors in academia and social change," he said.

During his journey at AUS, visual communications student Khaled Esguerra Zaher created a photo essay for SWALIF Collective's book Encapsulated Volume 1: on Khaleejiness in 2021, and was commissioned by Art Jameel for their Youth Takeover 2022 exhibition in Jameel Arts Centre. He is the current activities coordinator of the American Institute of Graphic Arts  Club and the Philippines Cultural Club. He is also the recipient of the Outstanding Student Merit Scholarship and a Chancellor's List Silver Medal winner in 2022.

"I am honored to be the CAAD recipient of the Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship. This wouldn't have been possible without the unwavering support of my family, friends, colleagues and professors. The scholarship will allow me to continue giving back to my community and pursue new heights on academic and personal levels, while also contributing to the development of graphic design in the South West Asia and North Africa region and utilizing visual communications to understand social issues in immigrant communities and identities like mine in the Arab Gulf,” he said.

Finance student Jovita Cherian holds the positions of President of the Entrepreneurship Club and the Student Economics Association. She has also served in various other leadership roles in organizations such as the Indian Cultural Club and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, and as a Peer Advisor. She actively participates in community service, preparing orphan students for the IELTS exam, and distributing Iftar boxes in collaboration with Red Crescent. Additionally, she has received the OSA Active Student Scholarship for three consecutive semesters.

”I am truly honored to receive the Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship. I would like to express my gratitude to AUS for giving me this opportunity, to my professors for their constant support, and to my family for motivating me to push my boundaries. Through winning this scholarship, I hope to encourage students to step outside of their comfort zone and develop themselves,” she said.

Jawwad Imran Sheikh, a mechanical engineering student, has earned a place on the Dean's and Chancellor's Lists and has been honored as the recipient of the OSA Active Student Scholarship for two consecutive semesters. He has been actively involved in numerous extracurricular pursuits, including three prestigious honor societies and multiple internships. He has held various leadership roles, including Student Council Public Relations Officer and Men's Hall Senior Resident Assistant. Sheikh has also participated in volunteer initiatives and is an active member of the Pakistani Cultural Club.

“My advice to the upcoming generations of learners is to seize every opportunity that comes your way with boundless curiosity and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Dare to step outside your comfort zone and approach challenges with passion, for true transformation occurs in those moments of growth,” said Sheikh.

The Sheikh Khalifa Scholarship is awarded through a two-stage competition that involves applications being reviewed by committees within each college/school and by a  university-wide committee comprising members of academic and non-academic units. The scholarship recognizes students who embody the core values of AUS, including intellectual curiosity, ethics and civic responsibility. For more information on scholarships and financial grants, visit www.aus.edu/scholarship.