Abu Dhabi scholars visit NY

Correction appended

Yesterday, NYU President John Sexton bade farewell to visiting Abu Dhabi scholars as they concluded their 10-day trip to New York and Washington D.C.

Seventeen students made the trip to the U.S. as part of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholars Program, which recognizes exceptional students from several universities in the United Arab Emirates.

Sexton, who teaches a bi-weekly Sunday class on religion and government in Abu Dhabi, led the trip and taught his seminar to the scholars on the Washington Square campus.

"It's always great to share NYU and New York City with students that I love," Sexton said. "And to share [the scholars] with NYU students."

Aside from touring NYU and sitting in on classes, the scholars visited the American Museum of Natural History, the Empire State Building and went to see "The Phantom of the Opera." The scholars also traveled to Washington D.C. this past week to tour the White House and sit in on a Supreme Court argument regarding the Sixth Amendment.

While in D.C., the group dined with Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy and met congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-Colo.).

For many scholars, the trip was their first time in the United States. However, this marked Saba Najeeb Sadiq's fourth visit to the country. Sadiq, a senior at the United Arab Emirates University concentrating in finance, addressed Sexton as President John, and said: "We have a special connection with him."

"He's amazing. He's the best professor," Sadiq said. "The most inspiring we've had in a long time."

Sexton greeted the scholars after they arrived at the Washington Square Hotel, where they stayed during their time in New York, and met with them periodically throughout the week.

"We've actually seen him a lot of times. If he was near where we were, he stopped by," Sadiq said. "We got to see his dog, very cute dog."

For Sexton, bringing the students to New York is the culmination of time spent creating NYU Abu Dhabi — the university's new satellite campus in the Middle East that administrators hope will eventually grow to house more than 5,000 undergraduate students.

"I'm very, very proud of these young men and women," Sexton said.

Sexton also teaches a similar seminar to NYU students, though those students do not travel to Washington and sit in on a Supreme Court argument.

Sara Gates is managing editor — print.

In the Jan. 26 issue, WSN inaccurately reported that President John Sexton’s fall freshman seminar on the Supreme Court did not visit the Supreme Court. WSN regrets this error.