After around four years since its launch, the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) celebrated the graduation of its first cohort of students in an extraordinary commencement ceremony that brought together the graduates, their families, members of AUIB faculty and staff, government officials, diplomats, military officers, prominent social figures and business leaders.
In the open air, before the majestic “Al-Faw Palace” which shimmered in a myriad light, the academic procession marched towards the stage, headed by the most senior of faculty members, followed by the graduating students, then by the college deans and faculty, and finally by AUIB President, accompanied by the university’s “Founding Father.”
The “Founding Father” of AUIB, Mr. Saadi Waheeb Saihood, saw in the occasion “a culmination of a dream long awaited; a dream not solely of mine personally or my family, but a national project that I had believed in and sought to achieve, because it represents a fundamental building block in the shaping of this country’s future… I do not wish to speak of the challenges in the founding of this university, nor do I want to elaborate on the significance of adopting American curricula and the English language, for this is a moment of joy, worthy only of joy. And everything I feel is embodied by your luminous faces and the tears of pride in the eyes of your parents, and our pride in you.” He went on to say that graduation does not mean the end of the relationship between the graduates and their university, “but a beginning of a new chapter,” announcing the establishment of a forum for AUIB Alumni, “an ever-present platform for your ideas and aspirations, and a continuum of your path, for you are an indivisible part of this dream, and AUIB will never be an institution that forgets its own.” Mr. Saihood also announced the completion of a bronze statue of Dr. Mulnix, sculpted by the renowned Iraqi artist, Mr. Nidaa’ Kadhim. The statue “will grace the university campus soon, to commemorate (the Founding President’s) efforts and firmly establish the culture of loyalty in our lives.”
“It’s an exciting time for the students, but often a bittersweet time for their parents as they watch their children become young adults and prepare to start their careers. As a parent myself, I know it is hard to watch your children enter a new stage in life, but I am confident that the faculty and staff at AUIB have fully prepared the graduates gathered here today and that they are now ready to move ahead to the challenges that await them,” remarked AUIB’s Founding President, Dr. Michael Mulnix, proudly announcing that “all of our graduates found good jobs before they graduated, working for notable companies whose names you recognize. Congratulations to all of you on your entry into the workforce, right out of your university studies!”
Dr. Mulnix seized the occasion to announce his transition from AUIB’s Presidency into his new role as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and President Emeritus of the university, where he will continue to build on the progress made and guide the institution in its next phase of development. He welcomed to campus AUIB’s new President, Dr. Bradley Cook, who himself had just transitioned from his role as the President of the American University of Bahrain. Dr. Mulnix commended his successor, a scholar who “has a sterling reputation and an expansive CV,” and acknowledged the excellent efforts on part of the staff of the President’s Office. He also acknowledged his wife, Dr. Esther Mulnix, “a scholar, author, professor of psychology, former Dean, Vice President and University President,” announcing her naming as Professor Emerita of AUIB, in recognition of her special contributions to the university.
“Today is a day of pride, joy, and promise… As I prepare to take on the role of AUIB’s next President, I do so with humility and hope. I understand the weight of this responsibility, and God willing, I will serve with integrity, energy, and unwavering commitment,” said Dr. Bradley Cook in his first address at the university. He expressed his affection towards “this region”, where he spent much of his life “studying its history, walking its streets, and learning from its people… Iraq is the land of civilizations; a great country, by virtue of its people, history, and reams,” he added, affirming his belief in “a future of peace, prosperity, and renewal—because I believe in you.”