AURAK Rocks Out with AFCENT

The United States Consulate in the United Arab Emirates sponsored an event for the enjoyment of faculty, staff, students, and the entire Ras Al Khaimah community, a performance of the United States Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) Band at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK).

AURAK students, faculty, staff, and the Ras Al Khaimah community all met out on the University green to blow off pre-finals stress, dancing the afternoon away to the musical talents of the AFCENT band. The band travels the world representing American culture through their musical talents, covering American songs from various genres including pop, rock, country, jazz, and even traditional American Christmas songs. Students, faculty, and the Ras Al Khaimah community, joined together on the stage and created dancing lines, showing off their best dance moves to share in one last AURAK celebration before finals and before going home for Winter Break.

Christine Dal Bello, Public Affairs Officer of the United States Consulate said, “It was a distinct pleasure for the U.S. Consulate General to work with the AFCENT Band and be able to bring American music to AURAK.  We are so grateful for the amazing hospitality and incredibly warm welcome that the band received. Witnessing the enthusiasm of the students at the concert, as well as the academic prowess of the AURAK engineering students when I visited the Solar Decathlon, was very inspiring and I am thankful to AURAK leadership, faculty, staff, and students.”

AURAK President, Professor. Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, was appreciative of the US Consulate’s generosity in arranging the concert for the students, faculty, and staff. He looks forward to many future collaborations.

AURAK is a nonprofit, government-owned institution of higher education which provides the local, regional and international communities with a North American-style education integrated with Arabic customs and traditions. AURAK is licensed by the Ministry of Education in the United Arab Emirates and has been accredited in the United States of America by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) since December 2018. AURAK offers a total of 22 accredited undergraduate and graduate programs across a wide range of disciplines.