By Yara Darwish

When Rula Al-Baghdadi was driving into the Education City campus Sunday morning, she was shocked to find her graduation photograph replaced on its campus lamppost by a photo of another graduating student.

Every year, the graduating seniors of the Education City campuses have their photos displayed on lampposts around campus a few weeks before their graduation in early May. 

The photo belonged to Rula Al-Baghdadi, a graduating senior who majored in biological sciences at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.

Al-Baghdadi said she was upset about this because she has has never heard of a student’s photo being replaced in the past.

“I feel very hurt and shocked by this action. I was very happy to see my photo put up for over a week–an experience that I have shared with family and friends, as well as my fellow classmates. To have my photo abruptly replaced is not something I expected,” said Al-Baghdadi.

When the student whose photo now hangs in Al-Baghdadi’s former place was contacted about the replacement, she said that she didn’t want to comment and asked to remain anonymous.

But at least three students told The Daily Q that they had spoken to her—-and alleged that it was this student’s parents who triggered the position change because they wanted their child’s photo up in a prime location by one of the main buildings on campus. The Daily Q could not reach the parents for a comment. 

Organizers of the convocation photos denied those charges.

Eid Al Sayed, events manager at Qatar Foundation, said that the photo was removed for technical errors and that Al-Baghdadi’s photo will be reprinted.

“All the students to us are important,” said Al Sayed. “We don’t distinguish between any of the students. All graduates are important. [Rula’s photo] was removed for technical errors due to printing. We fight for the students and I will ensure that Rula’s photo is placed somewhere on campus.”

Al-Baghdadi also said that she has referred the matter to the Associate Dean at CMU-Q, Mark Stehlik, who told her he would ensure her photo is placed on campus.

“To be clear, Rula is our student and we’d like her photo up on the light poles. But this is not wholly under our control,” said Stehlik.