The camel named Gobi was from Hanover County, but the scene Tuesday outside the Student Commons was distinctly Arabic as Virginia Commonwealth University celebrated its campus in Qatar.

Sitting on pillows inside a tent on the plaza, students sampled hummus, couscous and baklava, and chatted with officials of the Qatar Embassy. They lined up to have their hands decorated with henna tattoos or their names written in Arabic calligraphy.

"This created a buzz on campus, and the camel just drew them in," Adele McCLure, president of the Student Government Association, said as students posed for pictures with Gobi in a portable enclosure nearby.

McClure and Amanda Schutt, a graduate student with Green Unity for VCU, visited the School of the Arts campus in Qatar in October and decided to try to re-create what they had experienced for students back home.

"Their culture is incredibly hospitable," Schutt said. "When they came here, we wanted to reciprocate in a uniquely Richmond way. … They're our extended international family."

VCU-Qatar was established in 1998 in Education City on the edge of Doha through a partnership with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. VCU has full academic control over the branch campus, but all construction, maintenance and operational costs are paid by the foundation.

With about 230 students and 50 faculty members, the campus offers a master's in design studies and bachelor's degrees in fashion, graphic and interior design, as well as painting and printmaking.

Each fall VCU students visit the Mideast campus, with Qatar students coming here during their spring break. Twelve students and two alumni are visiting VCU this week, including Meyyan Al-Said, an interior-design student on her first trip to the United States.

Education City has a large international presence, she said, but she was impressed with VCU's campus.

"I like how big and diverse it is," she said.

Oct

Nov

Dec