Cohort 16 Arrivals

The KGSP is thrilled to welcome the students of Cohort 16, who arrived in the United States in late August through September to begin their accelerated impact journeys as students in the KGSP. 48 students of the incoming Cohort are starting their first year with the KGSP at prestigious universities across the country, and 37 students are enrolled in the KGSP’s Foundation Year (FY) program, a preparatory program that equips students with the tools to lay solid foundations for their undergraduate careers. FY students are attending classes at North Carolina State University and the University of Pennsylvania.

 

Foundation Year students at North Carolina State University

KGSP Advisors greeted students at various airports and spent the days following arrivals assisting students with adjusting to their respective university communities. Advisors provided students with instructions on navigating campus communities and resources and adapting to living in the US, and assisted them with moving into their new apartments and obtaining essential living items. “The Advisors’ pleasant approachability and my fellow peers’ openness to talk and share lessons [has helped] me adapt to Philadelphia [well],” Merza Al Karam, an FY student attending the University of Pennsylvania, said.

Yazeed Albeladi, an FY student at North Carolina State University (NCSU), said he looks most forward to making memories with fellow KGSP students on campus, while getting to know his community and making local connections. “This is a program of vast opportunities, and I’m excited to make the most of them,” Yazeed added. For Hadwa Alruhaili, an FY student at the University of Pennsylvania, although settling in has been an exciting but challenging experience, she looks forward to diving into her physics courses and exploring possible research opportunities.

 

North Carolina State University FY students go karting.

To further foster opportunities for community building, Advisors hosted fun activities where the newest Cohort got to know and bond with their peers. KGSP Undergraduate Advisor Leah Jeedas treated freshmen at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to a group meal at a Mexican restaurant following their arrival orientations. In North Carolina, FY Advisor Huzaifa Potia took NCSU students on a laser tag and go-carting excursion. Huzaifa also engaged in a friendly arm-wrestling match with Humaid Alhuthaili, a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who is also ranked third overall in Asia for arm wrestling across all age groups.

Humaid Alhuthaili (left), freshman at MIT and arm-wrestling champion, defeated KGSP Advisor Huzaifa Potia (right) in an arm-wrestling match in less than 5 seconds.

 

Cohort 16 students are joining an impressive student community as they being their journey with the KGSP exploring their academic interests and goals in STEM fields. The KGSP looks forward to supporting these new students through their development and furthering their efforts to contribute to KAUST and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative. The Program is excited to witness their growth as they become changemakers and leaders in the advancement of the Kingdom and the world.