Higher Achievers rewarded for their efforts at Convocation 2020
On July 18, 2020, Habib University conducted its third convocation, which was incidentally also the first convocation held online as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. As is customary students with superlative performances were rewarded for their achievements.
Every year, four students, two from the Dhanani School of Science and Engineering – Computer Science and Electrical Engineering – and two from the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) – Communication Studies and Design and Social Development and Policy are awarded the Dean’s Medal for achieving the highest GPA in their respective programs.
Osama Yousuf received the Dean’s Medal for Computer Science. An exceptionally focused student with an outstanding academic performance, Osama has a keen interest in scientific research. He attended a summer session at Stanford University and went to Texas A&M University to conduct research under renowned faculty on how to make traffic signals more effective in the state of Texas. He also represented Pakistan at Harvard University’s Harvard College Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) Conference. Despite being extremely focused on his academics, Osama lent a helping hand as a peer-tutor and was an active member of various clubs.
In Electrical Engineering, there was a tie for the Dean’s Medal, a rare but warranted occurrence due to the outstanding academic performance of both of the eventual winners. The recipients were Muhammad Haris, a diligent student with a passion for teaching. Haris loved working as a Teaching Assistant for various courses, while his research work and publications made him stand out in his batch. The second recipient was Syed Sameer Nadeem. Not only was Sameer an exceptional student, but also was involved in a number of on-campus activities. He was a table-tennis enthusiast, diligent teaching assistant, member of various clubs and an ambitious researcher who has a passion for coming up with novel inventions. He was also selected to go to Stanford University as part of the Summer Learn Abroad Program.
In the AHSS, Asaad Mahmood won the Dean’s Medal for Communications Studies and Design for his dedication and interest in his major, which saw him receive a CGPA of 3.90. Asaad was a commendable debater who was involved in various competitions as well as his balance between work-life and student life was extraordinary which helped him acquire this award.
Shallum Oscar David was the winner of the Dean’s Medal for Social Development & Policy for his curiosity in exploring and mastering his major. An intellectual researcher, his focus was to bring the hidden social issues of Pakistan into the limelight. He was an audacious debater and senator.
Shallum’s exploits did not stop there and he was also awarded the prestigious President’s Medal for having the highest CGPA – 3.94 – in the entire Class of 2020. As per tradition, Shallum was also declared the valedictorian for the Class of 2020, and delivered the valedictory address during the Convocation. Of all the awards given out, the most coveted one for any Habib student is the Chancellor’s Yohsin Medal, the winner of which is not decided purely on academic achievement. The Yohsin Medal represents the embodiment of Yohsin values of Service, Excellence, Passion, Respect and Beauty.
The Chancellor, Rafiq M. Habib, announced the winner as Muhammad Ismail Khursheed who had begun his Habib University journey four years ago as a YOHSIN Scholarship holder and ended it by being the bearer of Chancellor’s Yohsin Medal. He was an amalgam of an academically sound Computer Science major, a helpful tutor who selflessly supported his community friends and a socializer who would enthusiastically participate in various student-led clubs and events. He represented Habib University domestically on platforms like Nest I/O, AIESEC, Karachi Citizen’s Lab-NIC, Youth and globally by attending summer sessions at Stanford University and University of Sussex, UK.
