JEDDAH, 18 May 2004 — Effat College will be holding its first graduation ceremony this weekend. Twenty-eight graduates representing the classes of both 2003 and 2004 will celebrate their success on May 19 and 20 at the college’s campus in a ceremony shared with family and friends.
The college has invited a number of companies in the areas the students major in to show them the level of professionalism Saudi women are capable of reaching in different fields.
“Effat College graduates come from seven countries — although the majority are from Saudi Arabia — and are graduating from the departments of Kindergarten Studies, English Language and Translation and Computer Science,” said Dr. Asma Siddiqi, senior assistant to the dean for student affairs. “While many of them are looking forward to pursuing higher degrees abroad, more than fifty percent of our graduates are gainfully employed, and a few others are volunteering at various respectable organizations,” she said.
An exhibition accompanying the graduation ceremony will highlight the accomplishments of the students. “I feel proud to have graduated from Effat College, especially since my class was the first,” said Anis. “The college didn’t just provide training, it also developed and strengthened my self-confidence,” she added.
Effat College works with several international colleges with curriculums that are close to its own. The institutes Effat College is currently working with are among the most respected girls’ colleges in the US and include Wilson College, Mount Holyoke College and Smith College.
The association means the level of education of Effat graduates holds up well in international comparison. “Our agreements with these international institutes include exchanging faculty members, administrative staff, curriculums, and many other levels of communication,” said Dr. Haifa Jamal Alail, the dean.
“We look forward to signing many other similar agreements with local, regional and international academic institutions... to develop female academic education in our country,” she said.
Effat College also plans to add more majors in the near future to cover most of the country’s needs. Currently, the college offers BSc degrees in computer science, information technology, kindergarten, psychology, and English and translation.
