Students, staff, faculty and community members filled the Red Theater on the evening of Thursday May 2 to celebrate Alfred Bloom, the inaugural Vice Chancellor of New York University Abu Dhabi. Bloom will step down as Vice Chancellor this year, with Mariet Westermann set to be his successor. Speakers included Andrew Hamilton, President of NYU, and John Sexton, who served as President of NYU during the formation of NYU Abu Dhabi, as well as senior administrators and faculty.

In addition, Student Government President Tami Gjorgjieva and Vice President Chris Wheeler took the stage to share sentiments on behalf of the NYUAD student body. The evening included performances by Eugene Cho, Class of 2019, on the piano performing Chopin’s Waltz in E Flat Major and the NYUAD vocal ensemble who sang Laudamus Te, by Antonio Vivaldi. Each speaker described Bloom’s impact on the university and their professional lives thanking him for his eleven years of leadership. Bloom was characterized as a compassionate leader with a love of languages. Peggi Bloom, Al’s wife, was also thanked for the impact she has had on NYUAD. Bloom was presented with a flag signed by students in 76 languages and a stamp in arabic calligraphy with the quote “Together we will make educational history.”

This past Wednesday, students from the Muslim Students Association, the UAE Majlis, and the Cultural Engagement Program collaborated to help students learn about the holy month of Ramadan. Students spoke about food, habits, and customs.

The holy month of Ramadan is set to begin Sunday evening. The Campus East Dining Hall will be open for suhoor between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m. The Convenience store will have altered hours, being open from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday through Thursday, and from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Friday. In the UAE, it is against the law for any adult to eat, drink, or smoke in public during the daylight hours of the holy month of Ramadan.

The week began with a student led dance performance choreographed by Kevin Ke, Class of 2020. Titled Vitae, the 30 minute piece explored the mind of an aspiring artist, including beginnings, endings and chaos.

Another performance entitled Dancer Casa, occurred on Monday and Tuesday Apr. 29 and 30 for audiences in the Red Theater. Rooted in the Street Dance genre, this performance is supposed to reflect the vibrant city and personality of Casablanca. The performance was choreographed by Kader Attou and Mourad Merzouki and was a collaboration between the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center and the Institut Francais in the UAE.

Lastly, Attitude dance club, held their semesterly dance recital Saturday evening in the Black Box, featuring performances from NYUAD students in their various dance classes ranging from Broadway Jazz to Bollywood to Ballet as well as performances from Fantasia Ballet and Cranleigh.