The first cohort of graduates of the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) held their first official gathering on campus and elected the board of their newly established alumni association, which is of the very first alumni associations to be founded in Iraq. The event was attended by senior university officials, headed by President Bradley Cook who awarded medallions to the homecoming graduates.
President Cook expressed his great pleasure at welcoming the alumni to their “Alma Mater,” explaining that the latter is a Latin term meaning “nourishing mother,” customarily used by English speakers to denote the educational institution, especially the university, from which they graduated. “Think of your Alma Mater as your home,” he said, encouraging the young crowd to think of graduation as “just the beginning,” as AUIB is committed not only to its motto of “Lifelong Learning,” manifest in the importance it assigns to its Continuing Education programs, but also to its continued role of serving as a bridge between its students, graduates and undergraduates alike, and leading institutions in various industries and sectors.
The seasoned academic leader spoke on the challenges posed by the shifting grounds of today’s employment landscape, assuring the alumni in attendance that Artificial Intelligence “will never be able to replace people” in the roles that require interpersonal relationships, empathy, critical thinking, and group work, calling the latter “our superpower as a species!” President Cook concluded his address by saying, “You’re prepared as long as you continue to learn” and develop professionally.
Director of Career Services at AUIB, Mr. Hussam Steitieh, saw that “It was vital to launch the Alumni Association immediately after the Graduation Ceremony of 2025. Our alumni are an integral part of the AUIB family, and bringing them back to their second home strengthens their ties with their alma mater. I am also excited to witness the election of the Alumni Board members and the establishment of the Alumni Association’s first international chapters in the U.S., U.K., and UAE. This is only the beginning— more initiatives are coming soon.”
Despite that many of AUIB’s first graduates have traveled abroad to pursue their graduate studies or commence their professional careers, 70% of graduates attended the Alumni Association’s inaugural meeting that elected the association’s board which, in turn, elected its first President, Mr. Mohammed Mustafa Imran Hayder. “I am honored to serve as the first president of the AUIB Alumni Association. Our mission is to support graduates with career opportunities, personal growth, and representation that elevates their stand and value for generations to come,” said Mr. Mohammed.