Alumni Weekend Pilot Project, October 2019

Video-recorded session with Goffredo Puccetti, Assistant Professor of Practice of Visual Arts, recorded on October 9, 2019, and interviewed by Brad Bauer, Librarian for Archives and Special Collections at NYUAD Library. Conducted as part of the NYUAD Memory Project. Recordings and transcripts are preserved in the NYUAD University Archives.

Goffredo talks about his professional and personal journey which led him to NYU Abu Dhabi. He showcases the new NYUAD Bulletin which has been redesigned to reflect the growth of the university, as well as to incorporate the arabic script of 'NYU Abu Dhabi', a project he worked on with his students. He also mentions his role as a Faculty Fellow in Residence, which allowed himself, alongside his wife, to cultivate new traditions like tiramisu and taboo nights with the students. The switch from design practice to academia has been an interesting one, but Goffredo has realised the impact of teaching on students' lives, as well as settled into his design role on campus, thinking about things such as designing for accessibility on campus.

Video-recorded session with Dana Downey, recorded on Thursday October 10th 2019 and facilitated by Lauren Kata, Assistant Academic Librarian in Archives and Special Collections at NYUAD Library. Conducted as part of The Memory Project. Recordings and transcripts are preserved in the NYUAD University Archives.

Dana Downey reflects on her journey working for the Career Development Center (CDC) at NYUAD in 2014 as the university was preparing for its first graduating class, until now, working at the Saadiyat campus. She describes her initial attraction to the region and the university, and the benefits of its diverse population to her life and the lives of her family. Dana recounts the realities of the low staff-student ratio which meant that there was a lot of contact between staff and students which was both advantageous and disadvantageous. She also touches on the trials in creating some of the CDC's first student campaigns which relied heavily on student feedback and engagement.

Video-recorded session with Wayne Young, Director of Wellness at NYUAD, recorded on Wednesday, October 9th, 2019, and facilitated by Brad Bauer, Librarian for Archives and Special Collections at NYUAD Library. Conducted as part of The Memory Project. Recordings and transcripts are preserved in the NYUAD University Archives.

In this interview, Wayne Young reflects on the process and stories behind the designing of the Athletics and Wellness program at NYUAD. He talks about the challenges, such as the climate of Abu Dhabi and the lack of facilities in the earlier years of NYUAD, and about creative solutions like renting facilities at Al Muna Academy and the Armed Forces Officers Club. He shares stories about his experience of navigating the new cultural environment, traveling with students for sports events (e.g. Dead2Red relay race in Jordan), and designing and introducing the NYUAD mascot -- Faiza The Falcon.

Leah (Reynolds) Ritter, Emily (Eagan) Nivia, and Manuel Nivia, NYU Abu Dhabi Class of 2014 alumni, recorded on Thursday, October 10, 2019 and facilitated by Lauren Kata, Assistant Librarian for Archives and Special Collections at NYUAD Library. Conducted as part of the Memory Project. Recordings and transcripts are preserved in the NYUAD University Archives.

In this session, Leah, Emily and Manuel each reflect on the early days of being a student at NYU Abu Dhabi, for example, arriving and settling into Sama Tower, why they each chose NYUAD, traditions they remember such as the 24 hour film race and Rain Day. They reflect on living in Abu Dhabi, studying abroad within the country and internationally, and enjoyable aspects of student life in Sama Tower and the Downtown Campus. They mention the challenges of adjustment to a new cultural context, as well as the pressure of a rigorous academic program.

Video-recorded session with Abishek Mehra, Class of 2014 alumnus, recorded on October 10th 2019 and facilitated by Brad Bauer, Librarian for Archives and Special Collections at NYUAD Library. Conducted as part of the NYUAD Memory Project. Recordings and transcripts are preserved in the NYUAD University Archives.

Abishek talks about his experience at NYU Abu Dhabi from Candidate Weekend through life in downtown Abu Dhabi, New York study away and life after graduation. For Abishek, NYU Abu Dhabi was a new academic experience with its liberal arts education, a system with which Mehra was not familiar. He reminisces on his challenges in freshman year transitioning from an Indian system to an American system, and how he was able to overcome those challenges through close access to teaching assistants, professors and deans. He also discusses his time in New York which was completely different to Abu Dhabi in terms of academic culture, city culture and level of independence. Abishek is adamant that NYU Abu Dhabi's greatest lesson is that you can do anything you set your mind to.

Video-recorded Memory Project session with Janos Kun, Class of 2014 alumnus recorded on Thursday, October 10, 2019, and facilitated by Lauren Kata, Assistant Librarian for Archives and Special Collections at NYUAD Library. Conducted as part of The Memory Project. Recordings and transcripts are preserved in the NYUAD University Archives.

In this interview, Janos Kun reflects on his first memories of arriving in the UAE, his Marhaba week and his engagement with Abu Dhabi downtown, specifically about his favorite cafes and restaurants. He also discusses the role that NYUAD Athletics Department played in his personal growth by making sports a meaningful part of his self-care routine for many years. Janos Kun shares his impressions of the most memorable courses he took at NYU Abu Dhabi, such as Foundations of Science, Numerical Methods, Gardens of Eden, and Food in the Global City. He concludes by talking about his post-graduation experiences with his fellow schoolmates and the reunions they had all over the world.

Video-recorded NYU Abu Dhabi Memory Project session with Hazel Raja, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of the Career Development Center at NYU Abu Dhabi, and Jay Raja, Assistant Director of Fitness and Wellness Department, recorded on Thursday, October 10, 2019, and facilitated by Brad Bauer, Librarian for Archives and Special Collections at NYUAD Library. Conducted as part of the NYU Abu Dhabi Memory Project. Recordings and transcripts are preserved in the NYUAD University Archives.

n this interview, Hazel and Jay Raja describe their first impressions of the NYUAD Downtown Campus, particularly the "trailer-like" outside and the impressive inside of the campus. They also recall a large number of construction sites around DTC. They share their initial amazement with life in Abu Dhabi (e.g. big apartment, pre-filled fridge), and the subsequent phase of homesickness and disappointment, which did not last long. Jay shares his story of starting a career in fitness at NYUAD, and Hazel describes her first days of working at the Career Center as daunting, but exciting at the same time. They describe the evolution of their respective departments over time. Hazel and Jay talk about their special places off-campus, such as Foodlands for shawarma, a park opposite to the Grand Mosque for sunset-watching, and Mushrif Park for walks with their daughter. In addition, they contrast their lives at DTC and the Saadiyat Campus and name their favorite campus community events including Cultural Nights, Pakistani Mock Wedding, and Community Cricket Match.