By RUDO ELLEN KAZEMBE’20
FEATURES EDITOR
The Muslim Students Association of Lake Forest College has existed for several years. According to the President Nouha Ezouhri ’19, the purposes of this inclusive cultural club are to raise more awareness about the Islamic faith to the student body, to bring the Muslim community together on campus, and to do more outreach work “especially in today’s time and age [whereby]various things are being said about Muslims in the media and by politicians.” “Growing up Muslim, I always wanted to strengthen my bond with my faith as well as pursuing all of my other activities,” Social Chair Maham Mansoor ’18 said. “Finding a balance was something I struggled with,” hence the reason why she loves “the sense of community” in MSA.
The executive board members of the club—Ezouhri, Mansoor ’18, Ibtihaj Khan ’20, Mustafa Rahman ’18, and Mariyam Khalil ’20, raise awareness about the Islamic faith by hosting various events throughout the semester. MSA kick-started last fall semester by hosting the Eid party on September 1. As reported by Ezouhri, it is a “popular religious celebration that is celebrated by Muslims across the world.” A devoted member of the organization, Siraj Ul Munir ’21, highlighted that the “best part, [of such events ]is getting to know new people and interacting with them time and again.” At a different event MSA hosted, some students got the opportunity to try out Middle Eastern falafel food. They also had a huge Thanksgiving dinner, which students from diverse backgrounds and cultures attended.
During this semester, MSA is planning on hosting a collaborative event with Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and College of Lake Country in the hope of bringing an opportunity for young Muslims to connect and to learn more about their faith. “Having MSA in our lives is a constant reminder of our faith and we really lean on it when daily stresses hit us, like any of our other college classmates,” Mansoor said. “Our sisterhood and brotherhood is close-knit because of this and it has helped us to build friendships that will last a lifetime.”
The club will host an Islamic awareness week this month. One of the events that Ezouhri is particularly excited about is Hijab Awareness Day. During this event, MSA will be giving out free hijabs to the student body and they will also explain the significance of the hijab in the Islamic faith.
The executive board members of MSA do not facilitate regular sessions, however they meet with the organization members once every two weeks for an event. Anyone who is interested in receiving more information about MSA should search for the “Lake Forest College MSA” page on Facebook.
Rudo Ellen Kazembe can be reached at kazembere@mx.lakeforest.edu
