Engaging Muslim Students on Our Campuses

Free Conference Call sponsored by ACPA's Commissions for Global Dimensions of Student Development

Date: Wednesday 2 November 2011 - 11:30 am -1:00pm (EST - please make adjustments if you are in a different time zone.) Please register by 29 October 2011. Conference dial-in number: (712) 432-0900 Participant access code: 136500

Cost: Normal long distance charges will apply. (Callers will be charged for long-distance service on their phone bill.).

Abstract: This webinar, hosted by student affairs staff in Education City (Doha, Qatar), is for professionals wishing to better understand the Muslim student experience. We will focus on important factors that help create Muslim student identity, challenges Muslim students face on college campuses, ways to meet their needs, and strategies to engage them on campus.

Panel Participants:

Raya Alirani: Raya is the Registrar at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, and has been working at the college since 2004. She worked in other varied academic and student services positions since 1991 including teaching. She has a BSc in Computer Science and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Education, Leadership and Administration.

Mohammed Alkuwari: Mohammad Alkuwari has worked for the Qatar Foundation for four years, and currently works as the Housing and Residence Life Coordinator at Qatar Foundation. He received his Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Kansas and B.S in Education from Qatar University.

Kevin D’Arco: Kevin is currently in his second year as the Student Development Coordinator for the Office of Student Activities at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, and also served as a graduate intern in the Dean’s office at the American University of Kuwait. Kevin earned a Master’s of Science in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from Texas A&M University.

Jill Duffy: Jill is starting her fourth year of working in Education City, and currently holds the position of Student Development Coordinator for the Office of International Education at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. She has a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Denver and a bachelor’s degree from Drake University.

Lesley Gray: An anthropologist by training, Lesley has been living and working in Doha, Qatar since 2008. She has held a variety of positions in Student Affairs at VCUQatar, and is currently the Health & Wellness/International Program Coordinator there. Prior to Qatar, she worked in the healthcare field in the United Arab Emirates.

Melissa Martinez: Melissa has an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from The Ohio State University and his worked in student and academic affairs for nine years. She is currently an academic adviser at Northwestern University in Qatar and has been in this role since December of 2010.

Donney Moroney: Donney is currently the Director of Student Affairs & Academic Advising at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar. She has been working in the field of Student Affairs for the past 13 years, as a multicultural student program coordinator, pre-college coordinator, an academic advisor, and a student counselor. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, and her Master of Arts in Counseling with an emphasis on College Student Personnel from Eastern Michigan University.

Jeff Sulik: Hailing from Cleveland “The Rock-N-Roll Capital of the world” Jeff has 18 years of experience in higher education working in residence life at four universities in the US and is currently the Assistant Director for Student Affairs at Texas A&M University at Qatar. He’s been in this position for 3.5 years, enjoying the experience of working in a globalized educational environment.

Jessica Young: Jessica is in her second year working in Qatar as a Residence Hall Director. Previously, she completed her Master’s degree in Student Affairs Administration at Michigan State University. Her professional interests lie in intercultural communication and the learning that takes place outside the classroom in international environments such as Education City.

Education City is the campus of Qatar Foundation’s higher education initiative and is home to over 2,000 predominately Muslim university students from around the world. See http://www.myeducationcity.com or http://www.qf.org.qa for more information.