Saudi students from around the United States are descending on the U.S. capital for a graduation ceremony and career fair organized by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission (SACM) on May 26-27.
SACM, in coordination with the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education, will host the SACM Career Fair and Graduation Ceremony this weekend at the Gaylord National Resort in Washington, D.C. Thousands of students are expected at the event.
The Career Fair and Graduation Ceremony will take place under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Khalid Al-Angari, Minister of Higher Education, and H.E. Mr. Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi Ambassador to the United States. The Graduation Ceremony will celebrate the 5th Class of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program.
Saudi Students in the United States
The event is the second official Saudi career fair ever in the United States. Over 60 organizations and 200 recruiters are registered to attend the event at the modern, sprawling Gaylord National Hotel complex on the Potomac River near Washington.
The King Abdullah Scholarship Program offers to compensate Saudi students for their education and living expenses abroad in order to educate the future leaders of the Kingdom. Academic disciplines and scholarships are selected based on the needs of government ministries, national corporations and the private sector, according to the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education.
Among the key sponsors of the event are Samba, Saudi Aramco, Mobily, Saudia, and other leading Saudi companies – both Saudi and non-Saudi – looking to tap into the scholarship program’s newly graduated.
The United States has the most number of Saudi students studying abroad, according to the event, with over 67,000 Saudis. The total is expected to reach 80,000 by this summer.
