AUC Holds First Virtual Open Day with 800 Prospective Students

Around 800 prospective students attended AUC's first virtual Open Day last Saturday, and more than 20 faculty members engaged with the students. 

Prospective students from a diverse set of high school backgrounds explored the 40 majors and 55 minors offered at the University. Each school had a Zoom booth and was represented by a faculty member who answered questions about the different courses, tracks and programs found at the school. The Student Service Center also had a booth to answer any additional questions about programs and admissions

The business in marketing major was the most popular major, with 153 prospective students indicating their interest in it, followed by business and entrepreneurship, computer science and graphic design. 

Most of those who attended have an American high school diploma, followed by thanawiya amma and British diplomas. 

The School of Sciences and Engineering had the greatest number of participants with 1,915, followed by the School of Business, and Student Service Center.

Faculty Reflections 

The School of Business held six breakout rooms, where chairs, faculty and staff held parallel sessions with potential students and parents. The students were able to move between each breakout room to explore the different areas of accounting, business and entrepreneurship, economics, finance, management of information and communication technology, and marketing.

"I believe that the virtual Open Day was a great success and was really the result of effective collaboration among the different schools, offices across campus, and departments within the School of Business," said Ahmed Abdel-Meguid, associate dean for undergraduate studies and administration and associate professor of accounting. "I think this model should continue even post COVID-19, given its outreach and flexibility."

Faculty from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences met with hundreds of potential students and parents from Egypt and other countries who are interested in the school's 10 departments and 63 different programs.

"HUSS prides itself in developing critical, independent and creative thinkers who are ready to embrace, and make a positive impact in, the changing world," said Jillian Campana, professor of theatre and associate dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. "Our guests at Open Day understood that studying the humanities teaches the skills that today’s employers want, leaving graduates ready to embrace numerous career options in multiple fields."

Shahjahan Bhuiyan, associate professor of public administration and associate dean for undergraduate studies and administration at the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, said that although this was a new experience, the event went smoothly and participants seemed to have learned a lot.

"It was a well-coordinated event among the participating schools, the Office of Marketing Communication and Public Affairs, the Office of Enrollment and other relevant administrative units. I am very grateful to my colleagues at GAPP for their support, active engagement and hard work to make the event a great success," Bhuiyan said.  

For the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Firas Al-Atraqchi, professor of practice, said the event went on "without a hitch." 

"The students, who I assume were all high school seniors, were very enthusiastic and asked a lot of engaging questions," Al-Atraqchi said.

The Academy of Liberal Arts had almost 100 participants, and the team was able to explain to students the nature of liberal arts studies.

"Open Day was an excellent event," said Matthew Hendershot, associate dean of undergraduate studies and the ALA. "The ALA team had a great time interacting with students who were inquiring about the nature of Core Curriculum, what the liberal arts are about, and just the process of starting their studies at AUC. I hope to see some of those who visited the ALA booth as future students at AUC."