Leen Dweik, 2022 dental graduate, wrote:
“Five years were enough to refine my personality and develop many aspects of it to become who I am today. I was one of the very fortunate students, as my study years at the Faculty of Dentistry at Al-Quds University were filled with people who facilitated my hardships and were supportive during difficult times. My professors were friends and parents who instilled in us something beautiful that we will never forget and left a fascinating impression on us that overshadowed all obstacles.

I joined the Palestinian Association of Dental Students (PADS) as a member at first, and today I hold the position of president. Over the years, we have worked diligently to accomplish the most beneficial activities that serve our faculty students, including conferences, lectures, medical days, community and awareness activities. The association was our outlet amidst academic pressures and significantly helped us build a social network, both within the university and with companies and unions outside. The coronavirus pandemic did not stop us or diminish our determination; we continued our activities and achieved first place in most international competitions and campaigns. We now represent Palestine in many conferences and student exchange programs.

I supervised the establishment of a virtual exchange program between Palestine, Tunisia, and Iraq during the pandemic, the first of its kind in the entire Arab world. As for the International Association of Dental Students (IADS), I joined as a member of the volunteer committee and later became a member of the training committee. Our association won first place globally in the 2020 Green Dentistry competition and first place in the World Oral Health Day competition, which we celebrate annually at the university.

I also joined the Dental Research Club (DRC) for dental students and have held the position of club secretary since 2019. We participated in many workshops that enhance our research spirit and gain new scientific skills under the supervision and support of the university’s scientific research dean.

In my research participation, my colleague Raghd Fanoun and I won first place in the 2021 REFORM competition among 20 scientific policy papers from ten Palestinian universities. Our paper was titled “The Mental Health of Women in Palestinian Camps.” This year, I also participated in the twenty-seventh university council meeting as a representative of university students, titled “Mechanisms for Ensuring the Quality of University Education.”

Today, I graduate from Al-Quds University as the top of my class in the Faculty of Dentistry, which I joined five years ago with a 97% average. My advice to my fellow students is never to neglect their free time and balance well between extracurricular activities and academic requirements.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, my beloved university,
Thank you, Faculty of Dentistry and its dean,
Thank you to the teaching staff, the dean of student affairs, and the Al-Quds University family in general..”