Student Activities

Introduction The English Club is sponsored by the Faculty of Languages and Translation (FLT), and operated under the guidance of one faculty director and one student leader. The English Club has three primary objectives: English language skills development, community service and supporting higher education.   Recently, the English Club has been extremely active and busy. Due to the sheer volume, scope and variety of worthwhile club events, the English Club news is published in aggregate fashion as follows: Team Up to Clean Up and Green Up Club members conducted a volunteer clean-up day in a public park nestled in the Al-Souda mountains. For several hours the volunteers picked up trash and debris in order to beautify the park. The participants also learned about the benefits of recycling and litter-free environments. Local community members were thrilled with the results, and hope to join the English Club with additional volunteers for future clean-up days. Expanding this program will lead to the beautification of more areas and increased public environmental awareness. School Children Get a Glimpse of University Life One English Club priority is promoting higher education, and it's always helpful to start early. The club, led by director Faisal Alfadhil, recently hosted classes from the Al-Andalus Elementary School and Excellent Education Schools from Abha. Each class toured the university facilities and had the opportunity to speak with university students, faculty members and staff. The grade school students had a lot of fun seeing the university and asking questions.   The purpose of hosting these visits is to show children that universities are safe, supportive and welcoming places. When they reach young adulthood, they may not remember the details of their visit to KKU. But they will likely recall that visiting the university was a positive experience. This will encourage young adults to pursue advanced education once they graduate high school. Electronic Gaming Competition - An Outlet for Stress For several weeks members of the English Club sponsored an electronic gaming competition. The selected game was FIFA 19. More than 60 FLT students competed in the event. After much fierce but friendly competition, FLT student Mohammed Dhafer took first place. The purposes of the event were to give the students a stress relieving break from their rigorous academic obligations, and to promote good sportsmanship. Everyone had a fine time and congratulated Mohammed Dhafer on his hard-won victory. Weekly Coffee Talk at the LEP The English Club established a standing program titled 'Coffee Talk'. Each Wednesday the Club hosts a gathering in the LEP. The purposes of this program are to help students improve their language skills through informal conversations, and short faculty presentations on a variety of language learning topics. These gatherings are also an opportunity for students to socialize and exchange ideas.   Coffee Talk is every Wednesday at noon in the LEP (room A/3/1) at the end of the hall of FLT classrooms. All students are welcome. Refreshments are available. English Club Closing Ceremony for Spring 2019 The English Club has been very busy this Spring. As the semester winds down, the club members took a few moments to look back and reflect upon all of the events and activities conducted during the school year. Therefore, the English Club hosted a year-end review meeting last week.   FLT Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi sponsored the event, with English Club Director Faisal Alfadhil and Student Body English Club President Abdulaziz Dahlan serving as master of ceremonies. In his opening remarks, Dean Al-Melhi commended the English Club members and the club director for all of their hard work. 'Naturally, the English Club helps current FLT students improve their language skills, which is inherently valuable. As highly noteworthy additional benefits, the club serves the community, promotes good citizenship and encourages higher education to young people. We hope to expand the English Club membership to include more of our students and increase community outreach efforts' he said. The Dean further explained that extracurricular activity involvement teaches students to manage their time and broadens their university experience.   The English Club presented a video montage chronicling many of the events that occurred over the last few months. Subsequently, there was an awards ceremony recognizing numerous faculty members who participated in various English Club functions. Current club director Faisal Alfadhil thanked former club director Khalid Al-Qasemi for all of his foundational work with the English Club, and for ensuring a smooth transfer of leadership responsibilities. English Club Answers the Call in Time of Crisis The English Club took on an unplanned community service project in the wake of the New Zealand mosque massacres. Due to this most unfortunate event, there is a shortage of Holy Qurans and other Islamic material in the nation of New Zealand. The English Club has answered the call to help remedy this situation.   The club is working with the Mada Program to collect and transport Holy Qurans, books and related materials to mosques and religious centers on the remote island nation. Electronic Dawah Project (EDPr) Director and former FLT Dean, Dr. Abdullah Abu Eshy, said he knew he could count on KKU and the FLT to help. 'We cannot undo this tragedy, but we will do everything in our power to provide aid and comfort to the families and communities suffering in the aftermath. I am proud of the English Club members for volunteering in this time of need. Their efforts are critical. Our wounded brothers and sisters are far away, but they are not alone' he said. Prof. Abdallah Hady Al-Kahtany, former Dean of Faculty Affairs, explained that the purpose of the volunteer project was to provide books to those who wish to discover and learn about Islam from authentic sources. 'I am happy these young men came out tonight for a noble cause. Our work does not stop here. We will respond to all requests that come our way and play our part in helping to spread the correct message of Islam', said Prof. Al-Kahtany. Conclusion The English Club thanks all of its members for a highly productive year. The club also thanks Dean Al-Melhi, Vice Dean, Dr. Yahya Asiri, and Chairman, Dr. Munassir Alhamami, for their continuing patronage and guidance. The university and the FLT are committed to continuous improvement in academics and ever-expanding social outreach programs. The English Club is an effective means of fulfilling these objectives. The club has an open invitation to students who would like to join and participate in this worthwhile venture. Date: 3/22/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  The English Club recently sponsored a social gathering at the Al-Lasan Campus which was open to all students and faculty members. Student activities director Faisal Alfadhil explained that he planned the gathering to serve a variety of important purposes. First, the event was to strengthen the relationships between students and faculty members. Also, the gathering helped further develop positive relationships among the students, and encourage their participation in future departmental and university-wide activities. Third, the event provided students in the department an opportunity to practice English. 'It is beneficial for language learners to practice the target language in a natural, informal setting' said Director Alfadhil. Finally, the festivities allowed the students time to unwind after the mid-term exam period, and gave them a chance to have some collegial fun.   The evening was busy with many activities. First, there was a series of 5-on-5 football matches. After each match, the prevailing team retained the field to face a new challenger. The football competitions were friendly, but fierce. Every team performed well, and each player exhibited gentlemanly sportsmanship. After a short rest period, everyone prayed en masse.   Next, the Spelling Bee competition commenced to the great excitement of the participants and the audience. Seasoned teacher and word-master Hassan Costello directed the Spelling Bee, assisted by Director Alfadhil keeping score, and English Club President, Abdulaziz Dahlan, monitoring the timer. After several rounds of excellent performance, the first-place finish came down to a ‘sudden death spell-off’ between senior students Fawaz Al-Qahatani and Saud Al-Shahrani. Many of the words used in the competition contained reverse ordered, double vowels which are notoriously difficult to spell even for native English speakers.   After a lively exchange of spelling efforts, Fawaz ultimately prevailed taking first prize with Saud as a most worthy runner up. Vice Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Yahya Asiri, presented the Spelling Bee awards. The top finishers received 100 SAR and 50 SAR Jarir Bookstore gift certificates for first and second place respectively. Many of the students who watched the competition expressed interest in participating in future spelling bees.   After the Spelling Bee, the department hosted an open forum discussion. All students and faculty members were allowed and encouraged to raise issues about the FLT department operations. Everyone was free to discuss issues, problems, suggested improvements and the like. The purpose of the form was to get honest feedback from stakeholders. This is an essential component of the FLT's commitment to continuous improvement. Among the topics discussed was the need for greater informal student-teacher engagement. The consensus was that additional social gatherings would greatly help to advance the goal of reinforcing relationships.   Vice Dean Asiri, Chairman, Dr. Munassir Alhamami, Academic Development Unit Head, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, Academic Guidance and Counseling Unit Head, Dr. Dawood Mahdi, and Dr. Saeed Al-Surf all spoke to the students. While their remarks varied, the theme was the same. The faculty and staff are there to help the students succeed in their academic and subsequent careers. In his address to the students, Vice Dean Asiri eloquently summarized the faculty adjurations in saying:   'Educating the next generation of leaders is a critical duty. Helping all of you become consummate professionals and upstanding citizens is our mission. Our nation’s future depends upon your drive, abilities, and integrity. The college experience involves many challenges, hardships, and frustrations. We encourage you to embrace every difficulty as an essential part of learning and a building block for your ultimate success'.   The faculty expressed optimism about student attitudes towards education and their apparent eagerness to make the most of their time at the university.   After prayer, the attendees enjoyed a delicious meal. The dinner conversation was lively and convivial. The discussions continued well into the evening, and a fine time was had by all. This social gathering is indicative of FLT's commitment to the students and higher education. Date: 3/9/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  On January 29, 2019, the Faculty of Languages & Translation (FLT) held a joint freshman orientation and departmental student awards ceremony. The event was hosted by English Club President, Abdulaziz Dahlan, supervised by Student Activities Director, Faisal Alfadhil, and led by the Dean of the Faculty of Languages & Translation, Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi.   In recognition of the inaugural student activity programs, Dean Al-Melhi conducted a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. The purposes of the ceremony were to celebrate the improvements in student activities and emphasize their importance to the incoming freshmen.   One of the main objectives of the freshman orientation is to help new students make the transition from high school to college life. Dean Al-Melhi welcomed the students and expressed his excitement at seeing so many new faces. He then introduced several members of the faculty and staff, each of whom gave a brief explanation of how they can assist the students. Academic Counselor, Dr. Dawood Mahdi, then gave a short presentation about what the students can expect from their teachers and the administration. He also provided further information on how the faculty and staff can assist the students.   Dean Al-Melhi concluded the freshman orientation by saying 'You are all embarking upon a wonderful journey. Undoubtedly, each of you will have accomplishments and setbacks, joy and frustration. By the time you graduate, you will have learned so much about your major and about life. All of us here in the department hope that, years from now, you will remember your brief time at King Khalid University as one of the most valuable experiences in your life'.   Following the orientation, Dean Al-Melhi, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Dr. Yahya Asiri, Chairman of the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Dr. Munassir Alhamami, and Counselor Mahdi conducted the student awards portion of the program. This semester the FLT recognized the following students for achieving a grade point average at or above 4.75:   Mohammed Al-Buhairi Nasser Asiri Rayan Jabar Faisal Asiri Nasser Al-Shahrani Mohammed Al-Qahtani Fuad Fayad Hamad Ghannam Mohanad Mushabab Ahmed Ahmed Abdullah Nasser Abdulelah Hussein Turki Shamakh Abdulaziz Hussein Fares Shafi Khalid Hamza Ali Mohammed Asim Asiri Khalid Shehri Abdulrahman Ahmed Hussam Asiri Abdulaziz Hassan Mohanad Al-Dosari Ahmed Qadi Abdulelah Saad Mohammed Al-Shabi Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Dhafer Abdulmoshin Mohammed Hazza Salem Awadh Hassan Wael Ahmed Abdulrahman Asiri Musa Mohammed   After the awards ceremony, Registrar at the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Nasser Hawamdeh, conducted a brief presentation concerning a variety of registration policies and procedures. He reviewed the methods by which students can register, change classes, and add/drop courses during the semester. This was important information as it covers frequently asked questions, especially among newer students.   Director Alfadhil then encouraged all of the students to participate in the English Club. The purpose of the extracurricular club is to help students improve their English skills and knowledge in an informal and collegial setting in which the focus is on teaching each other. 'The English Club can be a valuable and enjoyable means of improving your language skills while having fun. I encourage you to join the English Club at your earliest convenience', said Director Alfadhil.   At the end of the program, all of the participants enjoyed the refreshments. Students, both new and experienced, expressed their enthusiasm for their studies in the department. Date: 1/29/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation