Meet Thanaaz Hisham, Class of 2021 IB Diploma Graduate

Thanaaz joined the BIS Abu Dhabi family in Year 12 and has now graduated with a fabulous score of 40 out of a possible 45 points in the IB Diploma Programme. This achievement has placed Thanaaz amongst the top of IB Candidates worldwide.  

Thanaaz’s educational journey is now taking her to the UK, where she will study Fashion Communication and Promotion at the University of the Arts London (UAL), Central St. Martins. UAL Central St. Martins is regarded as one of the best art and design schools in the world, with alumni such as Ibrahim Kamara, Alexander McQueen, Simone Rocha and Phoebe Philo. Located in the centre of London, it is a hub for creatives to collaborate and grow in a practical-based environment where they conduct live industry projects, working with brands such as Chloe, Puma and LVMH. Thanaaz is looking forward to her move to London and is eagerly awaiting learning how to navigate and master The London Underground.  

Why has Thanaaz chosen Fashion Communication and Promotion? “With influence from my parents and school life, I have always found various concepts of creativity come organically to me. I have explored areas of photography, cinematography, fashion, theatre, and design and when it came to a point when I had to choose a niche, I wasn’t completely able to let go of all these things I enjoy. Striving to become a little more proficient in these modes, I began a personal project called ‘Nanta,’ a magazine I kickstarted working alongside other creatives, curating, photographing, and shooting concepts of shoots, videos, and articles each month. I would say managing and directing Nanta strung along all my interests so effectively where I could see myself doing something like this in the long term. Henceforth, I saw the course ‘Fashion Communication and Promotion,’ at UAL Central St. Martins as the perfect starting point for me to further my creativity.” said Thanaaz. 

Thanaaz scored full marks in her IB English Language and Literature Higher-Level examination, a real credit to her. “English never came naturally to me; I owe it all to my mother who encouraged me to pick up the Harry Potter series when I was in Year 6 and it opened up a myriad of different readable mediums from novels and blogs to magazines. But I think my ultimate turning point with the way I viewed English was by virtue of the IB Diploma Programme; it explored English in a way that is relevant to our current times, which I found to be very resourceful and productive. I think what makes the IB exceptional is the freedom students are given: I genuinely had so much fun conducting my Internal Assessments as I chose topics that were of particular interest to me, such as language used in music to guide an audience through its use in films, and statistics and observations of different artists in a particular industry as a subplot to an analysis for Mathematics.” said Thanaaz. 

Thanaaz is confident that taking the IB Diploma course supported her in achieving her place at her chosen university.  “Taking Higher Level English and Visual Arts guided me into securing my place at UAL: Central Saint Martins. Both subjects require you to critically analyse and put yourself in a position of conveying a message to an audience – and the course I am taking calls for exactly that. Additionally, I think the Higher-Level Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) course I took, also influenced the way I work.  Much of the work I do stems from the usage of digital devices and ITGS conducts its teaching in a way that is heavily applicable to me. But overall, something that tends to be quite important in such creative fields is to know how to manage your time across multiple projects and the internal assessments and the Creativity Activity and Service (CAS) component of the IB Diploma provided a glimpse of what it is like in the real world and teaches you valuable skills in time management, all things that universities really value.” Said Thanaaz. 

Thanaaz has been a valued member of the BIS Abu Dhabi community, supporting with theatre productions, the Media Crew; attending competitions for the Debate Club; and participating in the UN Global Goals. When asked what she will miss the most, Thanaaz replied: “What makes BIS Abu Dhabi special is undoubtedly the people in it. I am so grateful for the people I met in the school, the students, teachers and support staff. Everyone played a catalytic role in where I am today and where I will be in the future. Although I only spent two years at the school, I can say with certainty that BIS Abu Dhabi is a fantastic place, it holds so many opportunities and I know I will miss walking through the corridors and seeing the friendly faces greeting me every morning. BIS Abu Dhabi has left a remarkable and valuable impression on me where I have gained some of the closest friends in my life and it has given me the confidence to march on ahead past all the obstacles life will have in store for me.” 

Thanaaz hopes to pursue a career supporting the creative direction for a brand or magazine but is aware the university course may well lead her down a different path, so for now, she is remaining open-minded. Thanaaz will be sure to shine at whatever she decides, just like during her time at BIS Abu Dhabi. Congratulations, Thanaaz.