By Layan Sufyan
Design surrounds everyday life, from advertisements on billboards to the layouts of reports and event banners, yet few people stop to think about the hard work behind them. For Raefa Ghanayem, these visual details are never accidental. Each design carries intention and meaning.
Ghanayem sat at her desk in an office with decorated shelves and printed design samples on the walls. The creative and classy space reflected the structured approach she brings to her work. She wore black formal trousers and a white button-up shirt. She is petite, with short, curly hair and attentive brown eyes. Raefa spoke calmly and paused briefly before answering questions, choosing her words with care. When she explained her thoughts, she used small and precise hand movements.
Ghanayem is a Visual Communication alumna from the American University of Sharjah. Her path into design began without a clear plan. When she first explored the AUS website, Visual Communication caught her attention because it combined photography and media. “My choice was actually very random,” Ghanayem said. “I thought, why not try Visual Communication even though I was not an artistic person.”
Now 33, Ghanayem looks back on her time at AUS as a period that shaped both her confidence and her career. She graduated in spring 2013 with academic distinction after completing her degree in the College of Architecture, Art and Design.
Her early experience in the program challenged her confidence. As a 17-year-old foundation student, she struggled to adjust to studio expectations and long project deadlines. She spent long nights preparing projects, and the pressure felt overwhelming. “Foundation year was hard,” she said. “I was actually considering changing majors because of the workload and stress.”
However, she decided to give herself time before making a final decision. During her second semester, a professor’s teaching approach changed her perspective and encouraged her to continue. “I had a professor who approached design in a very different way, which I liked, so I decided to stay in the major and give myself a second try,” she said.
Her persistence eventually paid off. By the time she graduated, she had earned the highest GPA in her batch within her major. The achievement surprised her, considering how much she doubted herself at the beginning.
“University ended on a really high note,” she said. “It was an interesting surprise by the time I graduated, especially considering that at the start I struggled with my design courses and my grades were a bit low. To end up being the highest in my batch was a great feeling.”
Outside the classroom, Ghanayem immersed herself in campus life. She joined the Palestinian Cultural Club and performed the Dabke dance during Global Day celebrations. She remained part of the dance group throughout her sophomore, junior and senior years. “It really helped me develop another passion of mine, which is dabke dance,” she said.
Studying design changed the way she views her surroundings. Advertisements, banners and printed materials began to feel less like background visuals and more like carefully planned messages. “Visual Communication made me appreciate a lot of the things we see and how much time it actually takes, so it definitely made a huge difference in how I see and understand a lot of things around me,” she said.
After graduation, Ghanayem discovered that professional design required a different mindset. At university, projects felt personal and expressive. In the workplace, design became more practical and goal-oriented. “It’s nothing like what it’s like in the professional world when you have clients,” she said. “You have certain people you need to satisfy and different audiences who need to understand what you are communicating.”
Ghanayem now works at the Arab Youth Center in Abu Dhabi, where she contributes to branding, reports, event materials and digital content. Working in a small team allows her to stay involved in each stage of production. “I kind of handle a lot of things, which is what I enjoy,” she said.
More than a decade after choosing her major randomly, Ghanayem continues to build a career shaped by the lessons she learned at AUS. What once began as uncertainty has become the foundation for work she now approaches with confidence and purpose.
