AURAK Unveils New Tahr

The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) hosted an unveiling ceremony where they revealed the new tahr statue located at the front entrance, welcoming visitors to the university campus.

The statue is a representation of the Arabian Tahr, an endangered species of horned mountain goat indigenous to the Al Hajar mountain range, which was chosen as the AURAK mascot last year in a student competition to help raise awareness of the animal’s status.  The statue design was chosen through a competition held this year between four teams, and students constructed it.

The Unveiling Ceremony began with a message from the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Success, Prof. Stephen Wilhite, followed by presentations from Mr. Babakura Muhammad, President of the SGA, explaining the tahr as AURAK’s mascot and Ms. Suha Bassam and Mr. Anas Bassam, explaining their design.

The ceremony concluded with the AURAK President, Prof. Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, revealing the AURAK tahr, “This is an impressive student achievement that instills pride among the AURAK family. It was through student creativity of the original designs, their power in selecting the design that best reflected their university, and their labor that a piece of AURAK history has come to exist, conferring them ownership in their institution.  This personal investment makes AURAK not only a university, but a home where they feel they belong.”

Prof. Stephen was likewise thrilled with the majestic statue, “The Tahr Sculpture is a welcome addition to the university.  Having this representation of the university’s mascot in such a prominent location is an important step in creating a unique identity for AURAK as an institution fashioned on the American model of higher education.  I am especially proud that the sculpture is the result of a competition in which the university’s architecture students participated and that a brother and sister team created.”

The American University of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab of Emirates (UAE) is a government-owned institution of higher education which provides an integrated North American-style education. It is accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in UAE and offers a total of 22 undergraduate and graduate programs across a wide range of disciplines. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) awarded the institution candidacy status in July 2017.