Assalamu Alaikum,
Dear Muslim students:
Welcome to MSA National's February edition of the E-letter! If you have an MSA success story or would like to share MSA news, we would love to hear from you. The deadline for submissions is the 15th of each month.
Please send all submissions to eletter@msanational.org.
We are also pleased to inform you that the E-letter is now accepting advertisements. To advertise in the E-letter, contact: advertise@msanational.org
Please note: MSA National does not endorse and is not responsible for any of the activities, events and projects listed in the E-letter other than those organized by MSA National itself.
Thank-you,
Your E-letter Team
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| From the President's Desktop |
From the President's Desktop
By Asma Mirza
February 2009
Salams
MSAers! I pray everyone's Spring semester is going well and everyone is getting
ready for midterms & Zonal Conference Season!
Alhamdulilah,
this month your MSA National officers were hard at work on the Zonal
Conferences and regional PATH programs.
Masha'Allah the conference chairs, Zonal Reps, local committees, program
task force and many others have been hard at work organizing every aspect of
the conference. Registration for the
West Zone USA Zonal Conference (www.wzusa.msanational.org)
and the East Zone USA Zonal Conference (www.ezusa.msanational.org) is
online! We've been working hard to make
these conferences as affordable as possible; therefore registration is only $30
for the entire conference. Be sure to
register today as pre-registration is nearly over!
Your task
forces worked together to hold several programs and events. On February 7th MSA National co-sponsored
a conference on Human Rights in Washington,
DC. The Political Action Task Force (PATF) helped
organize the event and coordinate volunteers. The conference brought speakers such as
Congressman Keith Ellison, Former Attorney General Ramsey Clark and many others
to talk about Human Rights both in the US and abroad. It was exciting to see so many enthusiastic
community workers discussing solutions to today's important challenges.
Earlier this
month, the Education Task Force held February's Key Lessons Call "Man's
Covenant with God" presented by Sh. Yasir Qadhi. The next conference call will be on March 18th
on creating strong Muslim families. To
get updates on the next conference call visit http://www.msanational.org/events/conferencecalls/
.
This
weekend COMPASS organized the latest PATH Program, a series of regional
management training conferences funded by MSA National. The North Carolina PATH will include over 70
MSAers from three MSAs and focus on Effective Communications. If you're interested in learning more about
the program please visit www.msacompass.org
or contact your zonal rep.
This coming
month MSA National will continue to organize the upcoming 46th Annual
Continental Conference in Washington,
DC over July 4th weekend.
I am also very much looking forward to
flying to Colorado
for the West Zone USA Conference on March 20th!
As we head into
Zonal Conference season, I pray Allah swt grants us all success on our midterms
(and that everyone registers early for the Zonal Conferences :)!
Wassalams!
Asma Mirza
President
MSA National |
Updates From Your Zonal Reps
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West Zone USA
Salaam WEST ZONE ;)
Working
hard on the WestZone Conference for March 20-22 in Boulder, Colorado.
The CU MSA is excited and hard at work to make this year's conference the best
yet. Registration is now open!! Visit www.wzusa.msanational.org to register today!
Please look out for more details soon insh'Allah. We really
hope you all will be able to make it out :)
Yasmin Elhady
West Zone Representative - USA
MSA National
East Zone USA
As-salam `alaykum East Zone USA,
Its time for the MSA National East Zone USA Conference!
As
we our finalizing our main speakers and scholars who will be attending
this year's conference and setting up the registration, I ask you all
to help get the word out for the conference this year and to invite all
your friends and local MSA's to attend.
The dates again will be April 10-12th so book your travel arrangements
now! If you have any questions please do feel free to email me at
ezrepusa@msanational.org and keep an eye out for the Facebook event
entitled 2009 MSA National East Zone USA Conference http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=46114772085).
Please do keep your eyes and ears open for updates, as they will be
coming soon! I assure you this year's conference will not be one you
will want to miss!
Barak'Allahu feekum,
Tauqeer Zaidi
East Zone Representative - USA
MSA National
email: ezrepusa@msanational.org
website: http://ezusa.msanational.org/
Central Zone USA
Assalamualaikum!
Insha'Allah the semester is going well for everyone!
The Central Zone has a few upcoming exciting projects and initiatives we'd like to offer. MSA National 101, what is MSA National? Interested in learning more about the history of MSA National and the resources they offer? The Central Zone is offering to set up virtual presentations where your MSA members can learn more and ask any questions they may have about MSA National or any of the services they offer. If interested, please e-mail me back so we can coordinate. Keep posted with updates as other projects the Zonal committee is working on will be announced shortly!
Lastly, the COMPASS PATH program will insha'Allah be held in the Central Zone very soon! Keep posted for the date and area; it may be in a community near you!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, I'm only an e-mail away!
Wa Alaikum as Salam
Nura Sediqe
Central Zone Representative - USA
MSA National
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| MSA National Mourns the Loss of Sr. Assiya Hassan
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February 22, 2009
MSA National mourns the loss of Sr. Assiya Hassan, a leader in the Muslim community and co-founder
of Bridges television. To God we belong
and to Him we return (Qur'an 2:156); may Allah have mercy on her and
her family. We are saddened at this most tragic news. Sister
Assiya dedicated her life to spreading a better understanding of Islam
and Muslims to the outside world, and helped found Bridges Television as
the medium to do so. In its mission statement, Bridges states
its goal as "Bridges television aims to foster a greater understanding
among many cultures and diverse populations... We seek to become a unifying
force that can help people understand our diverse world through education
and entertainment". May Allah reward her for her sincere efforts.
Although
violence and domestic violence has become almost too common in our society, we must not become
numb to it. As a community, we must rely
on one another for protection, and listen to a sister who speaks of
violence that may have occurred to her, and take this matter seriously.
Even more so, we must take a preventive approach; through education
and counseling the occurrence of domestic violence can be greatly reduced.
Allah subhana wa tala told
us in the Quran that "Among His signs is this, that He created for you
mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them
and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are
signs for those who reflect" (30:21). We are capable of achieving this
tranquility, and should strive to do so. It is important we educate
our communities at a young age, thus for years MSA National's
conference programs have included sessions about building healthy
marriages. In a few months at the 46th Continential Conference, MSA
National will introduce a series about building peaceful homes and
dealing with divorce. May Allah help us achieve unity and tranquility,
and continue to strengthen the Ummah through blessed marriages filled
with love and mutual respect.
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MSA National Zonal Conferencea!
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A Call to Change
Ambassadors in a New Era
In
a year where "Change" dominated the news and politics, we realize that
change starts with ourselves. What are the elements of personal
change? As ambassadors of Islam on campus, at work, and in our
everyday life how can we change ourselves so we best represent Islam?
Join dynamic speakers other Muslims from around your zone in
exploring these topics and more!
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MSA National does not endorse and is not responsible for any of the activities, events and projects listed in the E-letter other than those organized by MSA National itself. The following activities, events and projects are not organized by MSA National:
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| Jobs, Internships and Scholarships! |
Several organizations are offering jobs and internships to students. Please contact the following organizations directly for additional questions and application procedures:
ALIM Director
The
American Learning Institute for Muslims (ALIM) is currently seeking qualified
candidates for the position of Executive Director.
The
Executive Director has overall responsibility for financial and operational
management of the organization and is responsible for implementing and
monitoring the strategic priorities for the organization.
The focus of the new
Executive Director of ALIM will be to execute programs and events, as well as
to manage volunteers and other resources. The individual must be a self-starter
and a strong manager with a proven track record in event management, volunteer
supervision, budgeting, and financial management. Excellent written and oral
communication skills along with creativity and networking skills are required.
Comfort with technology is also essential.
There may
be an opportunity to work remotely; some travel will be required. Full US work
authorization is required.
http://www.alimprog
ram.com/careers/ careers.shtml
To apply, send a resume or CV to careers@alimprogram .com. For more information,
contact Diba Rab at 240-994-0843
IMAN
Database/Research Assistant
IMAN is community organization that works for social justice, delivers a
range of direct services, and cultivates the arts in urban communities.
The Database/Research Assistant is responsible for maintaining consistent and accurate data for all IMAN key constituents
including donors, prospective donors, funders, event attendees, volunteers,
community activists, and board members. The incumbent also has
responsibility for identifying, researching, and tracking potential grant
sources for IMAN's direct services, organizing, and arts and culture
programming. The Database/Research Assistant will work closely with IMAN
staff to collect constituent data and
provide research data for their program areas. Please send resume and cover letter to jobs@imancentral.org
Volunteer Abroad in Kashmir!
If you are
looking to gain some experience related to development and/or poverty
alleviation or are genuinely interested in community building, applying for an
internship with KashmirCorps may provide you with solid experience to put on
your resume and build your vision for a potential career in public/health
policy, international relations, law, city planning, microfinance, and
sustainable development. This year's program offers several more opportunities
for interns in fields related to healthcare, education, and economic
development. KashmirCorps is seeking mature individuals with a strong passion
for public service and research to utilize their skills and knowledge to assist
partner NGOs with specific projects. Applications are available at http://www.kashmircorps.org/apply.php.
Deadline is Friday, March 6th, 2009.
Work for Justice
Spend the summer exploring the connection of faith and social justice while participating in the worker justice movement through the Interfaith Worker Justice Summer Internship. Participants will be placed at interfaith worker justice committees or workers' centers for eight weeks of hands-on service, community organizing, and social justice advocacy. The program begins June 8 in New Orleans for a week of training and orientation in conjunction with the IWJ National Conference, after which interns will depart to their placement sites. Participants will reconvene August 11-14 in Chicago for reflection and exploring next steps. For more information and applications visit www.iwj.org (look under the "Programs" tab) or contact Meg at mkoach@iwj.org / (773)728-8400 ext. 38. The application deadline is March 15.
Graduate Students for Justice
The Islamic Internship for Worker Justice
is a paid internship for graduate students combining education, action, and
reflection. Through hands-on experiences, interns will help educate and
mobilize the religious community to stand with workers on workplace issues.
Participants will be placed at labor unions around the country for eight weeks
to support campaigns involving low wage workers. The program begins June 8 in New Orleans where Muslim
graduate students will join seminary and rabbinical students for a week of
training and orientation in conjunction with Interfaith Worker Justice's
National Conference, after which interns will depart to their placement sites.
The internship concludes August 11-14 in Chicago
with four days of debriefing and reflection. For more information and
applications visit www.iwj.org
(look under the "Programs" tab) or contact Rev. April McGlothin-Eller at aeller@iwj.org / (773)
728-8400 ext 21. The application deadline is March 15.
Islamic Scholarship Fund
ISF's
goal is to encourage Muslim students to pursue a college or post-graduate
degrees in humanities, social sciences, liberal arts and law through awarding
annual scholarships of $1000-$10,000 to deserving students. Application
deadline is May 15, 2009.
Eligibility:
Scholarships
are awarded to Muslim students who have been accepted to top-ranked four-year
colleges and universities for undergraduate and post-graduate studies in the
aforementioned areas of study. The applicant must meet the following minimum
eligibility requirements:
1. Muslim
2. Citizen
or permanent resident of U.S.
3. Minimum
of 3.4 grade point average
4. Junior
standing or above
5. Active
member of his or her community
For more information www.islamicscholarshipfund.org , email snikooei@islamicscholarshipfund.org
or call at 650-995-6782.
Bridging Gaps? Intern for MPAC!
Are
you, or someone you know, interested in working for the Muslim American
community, bridging the gap between Muslims Americans and decision makers,
understanding how policy gets shaped, and gaining experience in the non-profit
sector? MPAC Fall interns in Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA work for the
American Muslim community, understand how policy gets shaped, and gain
experience in the non-profit sector. Apply today and you'll gain hands-on
education, experience and skills in media, community, and government relations.
You won't just be filing, you'll get to use your creativity and initiative to
enhance or even create effective projects that help fulfill our mission. They
are looking for team players who are self-motivated and enjoy working hard.
Interns conduct daily briefings on local and national politics and media, write
reports and analyses, interact with government officials, attend press conferences
and organize events. Applications for MPAC's Summer 2009 Internship Program in Washington, DC, New York City, NY and Los Angeles, CA
are now available at www.mpac.org/internships. For more
information, contact Communications Coordinator Zabie Mansoory at zabie@mpac.org.
Study Islam Overseas....For Free!
Are you
interested in learning more about Islam? Have you been searching
for a golden opportunity to do so? Well, I'd like to inform you of the
following...
The Qatar
Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS) is offering full-scholarships for the
following programs:
1. Master
of Arts in Islamic Studies with a specialization in Contemporary Fiqh
2. Master
of Arts in Islamic Studies with a specialization in Religions and Contemporary
thought
3. Master
of Arts in Public Policy in Islam
4. Master
of Science in Islamic Finance
5. Diploma
in Islamic Finance
6. Diploma
in Islamic Studies
Scholarships include tuition, housing etc..
Deadline is March 31, 2009. Visit: http://www.qfis.edu.qa
for more information.
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Student Opportunities |
Matter
and Beyond Essay Contest
The Fountain and Ebru TV
have teamed up to offer college students an exciting opportunity to express
their philosophical thoughts and win up to $2,000 in the Matter and Beyond
Essay Contest. The winners will receive a cash prize and their essays will be published in the Fountain Magazine. Graduate
and undergraduate students are invited to ponder and write about a topic that
falls at the intersection of science and spirituality in the category of social
sciences, religious studies, philosophy, or art and culture. The mission of the
contest is to elicit writing talents towards a better understanding of human
nature and the universe in an effort to appreciate the grace and wisdom of God. The length of the essay must be between 1500
and 2500 words.
The deadline for submission is May 30, 2009. Essays must be
submitted online on the essay contest page at The Fountain magazine website www.fountainmagazine.com/essaycontest
Contest winners will be announced on June 30, 2009.
Midwest Muslim Melee!
The Islamic League of the Midwest is hosting its first annual tournament. The
tournament will be held in Missouri
and will consist of competitive events interspersed with seminars, workshops, and team
building activities. High school students and college students in their first
two years are eligible to compete. See http://islamicleague.wordpress.com
for more information.
Al-Azhar
Awaits
Ever
wanted to study Arabic overseas, but never knew how? This July, join the Intensive Arabic Immersion and
Qur'an Program in cooperation with Al-Azhar
University. Enroll at
Beginniner, Intermediate, and Avanced levels. For more information, visit the
Al-Amen website at http://www.alameen4arabic.org/. Applications
are due March 9!
Get Published!
A new literary journal, Adabiyate- American, is being created with a focus on
Muslim American Authors. Adabiyate- American will feature poems,
mini-plays, short stories, essays, letters, and reviews from today's
emerging Muslim American Authors and will be published quarterly
with 80-100 pages. Each bound edition will be a wonderful addition to any
library. Adabiyate- American will seek to build bridges while
revealing a very real American experienceof the fastest growing minority in our realm as only
literature can do. They are currently seeking submissions for the debut issue.
For submission guidelines
and to subscribe please visit www.adabiyate-american.synthasite.com
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The Muslim Students Association National, headquartered near Washington
D.C., has been serving Muslim students on colleges and university campuses across the United States
and Canada since 1963. There are over 250 MSA chapters on university and college campuses throughout the
United States and Canada.
Sincerely,Your MSA National Board of Directors: Ex-officio: Mohamed Sheibani President: Asma Mirza Vice President USA: Randa Kuziez
Treasurer: Danish Adil
Your MSA National Zonal Representatives: East Zone Canada Rep: Kareem Mirza
East Zone US Rep: Tauqeer Zaidi Central Zone US Rep: Nura Sediqe West Zone Canada Rep: Samir Hassan
West Zone US Rep: Yasmin Elhady
Your MSA National Task Force Chairs: Community Service: Yasmin Hussein
COMPASS: Idris El-Bakri Dawah/Interfaith: Nasreen Badat
Media and Communication: Zainab Khan Information Technology: Meraj Ahmed Political Action: Asma Rehman
Programs: Atifa Chiragh
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Spotlight on MSA:
MSA
National recognizes Emory
University's MSA for
helping organize the 2009 Emory Art Gala. The exhibition features works of
renowned artists from around the world who use elements of Islam as a source of
inspiration in their work. To see samples of the artwork, visit the official
site here. Keep up the great work Emory MSA!
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