The winning photograph, “Al Beit Al Oud”, by Hazza Ali Bani Malek.
Hazza Ali Bani Malek
Hazza Ali Bani Malek, a Year 3 HD/BAS Engineering student, recently won first prize in the 5th annual Habib Award for Media Innovation in the category of photography.
The award, established by the Al Reda family, is in memory of the late Habib Mohammed Habib Al Reda and recognizes media creativity.
The competition was open to all postsecondary institutes in the UAE and is intended to encourage and sponsor creative students in Communication and Media studies in the various universities and colleges of the United Arab Emirates.
The RAK Colleges participation this year was fantastic. RAK students made close to 75 submissions in the following categories: graphic design, short film, and photography.
Although an Engineering student, Hazza’s selection and first place prize is an indication of the growing interest in media studies by RAK students, both men and women.
Hazza’s winning photo, “Al Beit Al Oud”, is of a 200-year-old family-owned building that once was the administrative seat for British officials during the time when the UAE was known as the “Trucial States”.
Hazza confessed that he entered the competition without any expectations of winning. “When I was invited to attend the awards ceremony, I had no idea of the outcome. I was both surprised and pleased at winning first place for my photo,” he said.
Hazza is a great example of a busy, and academically successful, student, who still finds time for activities and competitions outside of college life.
In the summer of 2010, he was the first young Emirati selected for a summer internship program in the United States with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), sponsored by the Arab Youth Venture Foundation and the Mubadala Development. In addition, Hazza has recently been selected as one of the HCT finalists for the Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Scholars Program.
RAK Colleges Director, Dr. Robert Moulton, recently met Hazza and congratulated him on his accomplishments. “With these recent achievements, it is evident that you have a bright future ahead of you. Your family should be proud of you, and we wish you well in all your future endeavors,” Dr. Moulton said.
