Meet Thomas Haene, Class of 2021 IB Diploma Graduate

Thomas joined the BIS Abu Dhabi family in Year 10 and after four fabulous years and an IB Diploma score of 41 points out of a maximum of 45, he heads to McGill University, to study Electrical Engineering. Thomas was delighted with his results, knowing that his high score placed him amongst the top IB graduates worldwide and was a testament to his hard work as well as a stepping stone to his future goals.  

Following in the footsteps of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Thomas’s educational journey now takes him to one of the most prestigious universities in the world, McGill University, to study Electrical Engineering. It is a field of study that he is particularly passionate about as he has always enjoyed understanding how things are built, particularly in the age of technology. He is particularly looking forward to his move to Montreal. “I’m really looking forward to the feeling of familiarity that it will provide, as Montreal is very close to my home in Canada, and it is a city where both French and English are spoken. Being able to speak French comfortably at a conversational level, I’m extremely fortunate to be able to utilise and develop those skills. Montreal is also a truly diverse, multicultural city and this fact alone makes it incredibly beautiful, combining European architecture with traditional Canadian culture.” 

In what ways were studying the IB Diploma helpful in attaining your place at McGill? “The number one skill I learned while taking the IB Diploma was the value of creativity, which was a skill I indirectly learned during the process. I ensured that all my Internal Assessments were unique ideas that intrigued me and as a result, it allowed me to view working on them as less of a chore and made them stand out more. This was extremely valuable for my university applications.”  

Thomas was a valuable member of the school’s Basketball team and was part of the group that won the gold medal at the British schools of Abu Dhabi basketball tournament. He remembers his first day at BIS Abu Dhabi with fondness “A fond memory of mine was my first day at the school, as I was welcomed with open arms. This kindness was a large contributor to my emergence from my shell. The thing I will miss the most about BIS Abu Dhabi is the friends I made along the way. Friends that made a move from across the world a lot less scary than it could have been.” 

Thomas places a lot of value behind the famous and yet still under appreciated quote by Albert Einstein: Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid. “While maybe cliché sounding, this principle taught me that it’s when we find our passions that our true genius becomes clear, and for that reason everyone can be a genius in completely different ways.”    

The skills learned in Electrical Engineering are the skills of future innovators and Thomas is sure to be up there innovating with the best. Congratulations, Thomas!