The architectural brilliance of students of Effat University was showcased in its second annual exhibition titled “Memariat 2010” Sunday. Under the patronage of Princess Lulwa Al-Faisal, vice president of the Board of Trustees of Effat University, the expo was opened by Dr. Haifa Reda Jamalallail, Dean of Effat University. “Our motive is to create a platform to showcase the talents of our architecture students and to encourage them to generate creative ideas for the development of architectural projects,” said Jamalallail, adding that the university, especially its Faculty of Architecture is proud to host such an event showcasing the work of female students. “Each year this exhibition is held as part of our annual activities. We consider it to be a remarkable achievement for the Department of Architecture; it is a milestone in the history of Effat University,” she added. According to Jamalallail, the exhibition is of benefit not only to the students, but also to the public in general. “The expo highlights the work of students at different levels, giving a chance to professionals in the construction sector and the public to interact with our students, estimate their potential, and encourage and appreciate their architectural concepts and ideas,” she said. The event was attended by a large number of businessmen, engineers and faculty members, all of whom were seen congratulating the students and advising them on various aspects of their work. One of the attendees, Eng. Loai Al-Hakeem, said, “it is a great pleasure to be here and support the students. This is just the beginning of their road to success”. At a later ceremony, students who graduated in 2009 and the top achievers of 2009-10 were honored. Mai Mosali, one of the achievers, said: “I was part of the first graduation batch comprising only seven students. Our department didn't even have a building, but later things improved and the department coordinated with several international universities and the number of students rose to 162.” Mosali and her friends are optimistic about finding good job opportunities once out of college. “While I was studying, three architecture companies offered me jobs. I worked in Jeddah, Germany and Egypt, but now I intend to pursue a Master's degree abroad,” she said.
