The Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) and the Carleton Muslim Student Association (MSA) have joined forces to host an upcoming panel discussion called Trailblazing with Knowledge.
The event hopes to provide a space for Muslim undergraduate and graduate students to learn more about the possible options for their future.
Helia Doutaghi, GSA’s vice-president (external), said the event is a place for Muslim students, faculty and alumni to connect with each other, and build a stronger community.
“As a Muslim graduate student who is also privileged to represent graduate students on campus, I find it necessary that we facilitate these discussions,” she said.
Ahmed Elkhaznear, president of the MSA, hopes the event will give students a chance to ask questions and communicate with other Muslim professionals, and give younger Muslim students the chance to hear from inspiring role models to look up to.
“We are hoping to provide a networking opportunity, a chance for people to learn more about continuing studies and different career options,” he said.
The event will host a variety of speakers, including Sheema Khan, a published author, activist and Carleton alumnus.
Elkhaznear said it is important to have an equal representation of Muslim women and men panelists, and to “cast as wide a net as possible of different experiences, fields of study and careers.”
Mariam Elsawy, a third-year health sciences student who is planning to attend the event, said Muslim youth on campus need to have older students to look upto.
“As one of the minority groups here in Canada, Muslim youth constantly feel like they need to see and hear stories of other Muslim achievers,” she said. “ It helps us feel like we have role models we can look up to and that all our hard work will end up paying off very well.”
Doutaghi said that events like these are long overdue for students at the graduate level.
“We are very excited to be working with MSA for better representation of Muslim students on campus,” she said.
Sereen Aboukarr, a fourth-year student who is attending the event, said she wasn’t aware the event was being hosted by the MSA, but hopes to hear firsthand from graduate students about their experience in their programs.
“I didn’t even notice that it was hosted by the MSA at first,” she said. “I was more excited about the chance to hear about different programs, but maybe a Muslim student will be able to frame it in a way that resonates with me as well.”
The panel discussion will take place at the Senate room in Robertson Hall on Nov. 23.
Photo by Tim Austen
