FELLOWS ALLIANCE 2008-2009

 

Fellow Sportlight

Rachel Berkowitz

2008–09 Fellow at Wesleyan University

Rachel Berkowitz is a senior at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT where she studies Psychology. Rachel first became interested in interfaith work on a spring break trip to Istanbul and Jerusalem during college. Upon returning to Wesleyan, Rachel began to play a leading role with the Interfaith Justice League, an interfaith student organization. Rachel is also very involved with the Jewish community at Wesleyan.  During her junior year, she was the Co-coordinator of the Adult Bar/Bat-Mitzvah Project, an adult Jewish education program that culminates in Bar and Bat Mitzvahs for participants. Rachel spent her 2007 summer doing HIV/AIDS education outreach in Tanzania. 

Campus Impact
Rachel’s impact has been manifold. She facilitated a massive interfaith service project on campus and successfully led an effort to develop an interfaith student housing and activity center. Further, she has built strong ties among student leaders of diverse religious groups and cultivated relationships with University leaders, faith communities, and partner organizations in the larger Middletown community.

Last year at Wesleyan, IFYC Fellow Nadeem Modan began a Fast-a-thon during Ramadan to promote interfaith solidarity and understanding on campus. The Fast-a-thon brought nearly 100 religiously diverse students together to forego lunch for a day of Ramadan and give what they would have spent on meals to a common charity. Rachel was inspired by Nadeem’s work and focused on expanding it.

This year, Rachel organized a much larger Fast-a-thon that engaged both students and the broader Middletown community. A quarter of the campus (800 students!) fasted for a day of Ramadan together, raising over $11,300 for their local food pantry. Through Rachel’s outreach, numerous local organizations also participated in the Fast-a-thon including Rotary Club, Kiwanis, and several faith communities. Rachel’s efforts embody IFYC’s approach to interfaith cooperation: young leaders bringing diverse faith communities together to serve others, thereby fostering respect and understanding.

Last fall, Rachel proposed and lobbied for the development of an interfaith student housing facility at Wesleyan. There are currently a handful of religion-specific residence halls, but they mostly operate in isolation from one another. After many conversations and persistent outreach on behalf of Rachel, the University agreed to develop an interfaith residential hall, which will open its doors in fall 2010. The interfaith residence hall will serve as a hub of interfaith activity; will include a space that all religious groups can use for meetings and worship, which doesn’t currently exist; and represents a new institutional and long-term commitment to interfaith cooperation at Wesleyan.

In addition to these accomplishments, Rachel facilitated a two-day student interfaith leadership retreat, co-coordinated a campus-wide vigil to reflect on violence in the Middle East, is planning an interfaith service trip abroad with the Office of Religious Life, and hopes to organize a week-long interfaith festival in Middletown this spring.

 

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Fellows' Bios

Ana Ashby

College/University: St. Olaf College

Class: 2010

Faith tradition: Christian (Catholic)

 

Ana Ashby is a junior at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.  Ana is studying vocal music and is developing her own degree in Social Justice through Inter-Religious Dialogue.  She currently serves as Peer Leadership Consultant of the Student Leadership committee, and is also involved in Model United Nations.  This year, Ana will be working in the Center for Experiential Learning and a member of the Civics House, an honor house which aims to involve the St. Olaf community in important issues, including the 2008 presidential election.  During the summer of 2008, Ana will be a Catholic Social Teaching intern at Interfaith Worker Justice.  During high school, Ana was a student leader in her local Catholic church in East Lansing, Michigan. She says, “A person’s beliefs and value system lead them to action.  If we support the values of others, we will help them to take positive action to benefit all humankind.”

 

Angie Chan

College/University: Miami University Ohio

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Not applicable

 

Angie Chan is a senior majoring in Linguistics and minoring in Chinese and Spanish at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and is originally from Burlington, Kentucky.  Angie is the current Co-President of Interfaith Circle, an interfaith organization which sponsors a Day of Interfaith Youth Service and an annual “Stop the Hate!” rally.  Angie has also been involved in the theater community, a tutor for local children, and a Scholar Leader Program, a residential program which builds community engagement through social and educational events.  Angie notices that when talking about prejudices, “faith is often ignored, In part because it can be considered a personal topic.  By ignoring this intangible yet important aspect, misunderstandings and stereotypes can occur.”

 

Anne Marie Roderick

College/University: Earlham College

Class: 2011

Faith tradition: Christian (American Baptist)

 

Anne Marie Roderick is a sophomore at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana.  Anne Marie is originally from New York City, and is majoring in Religion and minoring in History and African American Studies.  Between high school and college, Anne Marie took a year off and worked on Hurricane Katrina relief projects in New Orleans and visited an Ashram in India.  She has been involved with initiatives to ensure responsible investment and purchasing at Earlham, and is an active member of the Earlham Christian Fellowship.  Ann Marie defines interfaith work as the “rejection of both strict secularism and religious extremism – a firm belief that people from all religious backgrounds are capable of and deserve to live together in a just and compassionate society.”

 

Brad Seligmann

College/University: Xavier University

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Not applicable

 

Brad Seligmann is a senior majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and the Public and pursuing minors in Peace Studies and Theology.  Brad is currently attending Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.  At Xavier, Brad founded the Xavier Interfaith Organization.  As a part of a selective Xavier summer service internship program, Brad worked at a local Holocaust museum, even getting the chance to meet with Holocaust survivors.  He also did regular community service with the others in his program at community organizations all over Cincinnati.  Brad has also taken an active role as a youth leader for the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati.  In summer 2008, he studied abroad in London and Rome.  Brad sees interfaith collaboration as “a healing force in the world.”

 

Collin Johnson

College/University: Northwestern University

Class: 2010

Faith tradition: Christian

 

Collin Johnson, originally from Minford, Ohio, is a junior majoring in Social Policy and minoring in Political Science at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.  Collin is a past president of the Interfaith Living Unit and the current president of the Residence Hall Association.  Collin has been active in a number of other faith and social justice student groups on campus, including the NU Council of Religions, University Christian Ministry, and the Northwestern Community Development Corps.  Collin is passionate about issues of rural poverty, and has spent time volunteering in Guatemala.  For him, service and his faith are inexorably linked:  “I feel that service is sort of like a giant worship service.”

 

Claire Solomon

College/University: Skidmore College

Class: 2010

Faith tradition: Jewish

 

Claire Solomon is a junior majoring in American Studies and minoring in English at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York.  Originally from Evanston, Illinois, Claire moved to Merion, Pennsylvania, and became involved with the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia during high school through their Walking the Walk: Values in Action program.  At Skidmore, Claire is the Vice President for Academic Affairs in the Student Government Association and also serves as the Religion Committee Co-Chair of Skidmore Hillel.  In the summer of 2006, Claire traveled to Ukraine to promote tolerance and human rights in the former Soviet Union.  Claire enjoys doing interfaith work because it “allows me to seek and be sought.”

 

Divya Srinath

College/University: Washington University in St. Louis

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Hindu

 

Divya Srinath is studying Biology and French at Washington University in St. Louis.  Originally from Powell, Ohio, Divya has been involved with Campus YMCA where she was the Co-Program Leader for the Alternative Spring Break trip to New Orleans.  Divya is also the treasurer for the Hindu Student Association, and has used her experience as a classical South Indian vocalist to produce a solo CD of devotional chants and songs.  Divya is spending the summer of 2008 first in France looking at the interface between literature, medicine and culture, and then in Bangalore, India teaching English.  She has also spent time doing Hurricane Katrina relief work in New Orleans in 2006 and 2007.  As a Fellow in the St. Louis area, Divya will be working with Faith Beyond Walls to implement service projects.  “I feel that service is one of the best ways for different religious groups to interact in a positive, constructive manner, and I am very excited for the opportunity to organize such events.”

 

Erum Ibrahim

College/University: DePaul University

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Muslim

 

Erum Ibrahim is a senior at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.  Erum is double-majoring in International Studies, with a concentration in Islamic and Middle East Studies, and Political Science.  Erum is also involved in DePaul Society for International Affairs – Model United Nations and will be serving as the organization’s president.  During her junior year, Erum was the interfaith representative for DePaul’s MSA, United Muslims Moving Ahead.  Originally from Chicago, Erum was an intern at the Interfaith Youth Core in spring 2008 and has also been involved with local community organizations, including the Inner-City Muslim Action Network.  Working on the Interfaith Council at DePaul has allowed her to “learn from students of other faiths, reconcile differences, establish meaningful relationships, and develop communication skills.”

 

Isma Aslam

College/University: Vassar College

Class: 2011

Faith tradition: Muslim

 

Isma Aslam is a sophomore at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.  Isma is majoring in English and minoring in Arabic Language and Religion.  She grew up in Bronx, New York amid great ethnic and religious diversity and volunteered time during high school teaching Qur’an in Arabic to children.  At Vassar, Isma is active in the Vassar Islamic Society and the Inter-Religious Council.   Isma also acts as a Big Sister to a group of girls in the community.  Isma is spending the summer of 2008 teaching both English and Qur’an in Pakistan.  Emphasizing the importance of telling and listening to stories, Isma writes, “I’m not implying that we should ignore our differences, but ask questions.”

 

Karin Firoza

College/University: Wellesley College

Class: 2010

Faith tradition: Muslim

 

Karin Firoza is a junior majoring in Economics and Religion at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and is from Flushing, New York.   Karin co-founded Chumz Coro, a Youth Peer Mentoring Program Organization in New York, and also has experience as a tutor at Score! Educational Center and completed a research internship with Social Accountability International.  Karin has additionally been actively involved on her campus, where she has served as a Chairperson on her Muslim Student Association, is a resident of the Multi Faith Living and Learning Corridor, and was a representative for the Campus-wide Diversity Initiative.  During the summer of 2008, Karin spent her summer interning at Unity Productions Foundation based in Washington, DC.  Karin believes that interfaith work is the “most proactive method to approaching the root of the world’s most current problems.”

 

Mallie Dazelle

College/University: Birmingham Southern College

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Jewish

 

Mallie Dazelle is a senior at Birmingham Sothern College, Alabama, studying Political Science, Leadership Studies, and Psychology.  Mallie has been involved on campus as a President and founding member of the Jewish Student Union, and the Religious Life Fellows Program, and is active in her Birmingham, Alabama community.  Mallie also currently serves as the History Chair of her sorority, and has organized events like a charity volleyball tournament, which has raised over $15,000 for breast cancer awareness and prevention.  By serving as an example for others to create “Light, not Heat” at her college and helping develop the Religious Life interfaith organization, Mallie hopes she can “educate and motivate students of diverse backgrounds to come together for the betterment of their community.” 

 

Michael Garber

College/University: George Washington University

Class: 2011

Faith tradition: Jewish

 

Michael Garber, from Sharon, Massachusetts, is a sophomore at George Washington University in Washington, DC pursuing a degree in International Affairs.  During high school, Mike was a participant in Interfaith Action’s Youth Leadership Program and was a participant in Seeds of Peace.  He was also a recipient of the first place scholarship from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Jewish War Veterans.  Now at George Washington, Mike is on the executive boards of the College Democrats and the Jewish Student Association, and sits on the Board of Directors for Interfaith Action.  He founded and helps lead the Interfaith Community Service Fellowship through dialogue facilitation and event planning.   What inspires Mike to continue doing interfaith work is when “newfound friends [are] excited to see each other again.  It’s amazing how even the smallest introduction can completely change people’s perspectives of one another.”

 

Mike Garrett

College/University: University of Florida

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Not applicable

 

Mike Garrett is a senior studying Religion at the University of Florida.  Mike is originally from West Palm Beach and has been active in his new community of Gainesville, Florida, working full time at a community organization called O2B Kids which provides childcare, education, and family enrichment to children and families.  Mike is also active on campus, as a committee chairperson of the Florida Cicerones, the group of student ambassadors for the University of Florida.  Mike looks forward to using his position as a Fellow to connect the major religious organizations on campus and in the Gainesville community.  Mike believes that we need to “create and sustain efforts to understand each other and our differing religious traditions, backgrounds, and beliefs.”

 

Moustafa Moustafa

College/University: University of Michigan

Class: 2010

Faith tradition: Muslim

 

Moustafa Moustafa is a junior at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.  Originally from Grand Rapids, Moustafa is in the Honors Program studying Medieval Iberia and Biopsychology.  Moustafa moved to the United States from Egypt when he was eight, and became involved with an interfaith organization, Children of Abraham, during high school.  Based on that experience, Moustafa has been organizing members of different religious communities on the University of Michigan’s campus to receive and send medical supplies to communities all over the world.  He has already received hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of donations.  Moustafa is also on the executive board of the Muslim Student Association and enjoys fishing and cooking in his free time.  He is inspired by his own faith and the religious pluralism that flourished in Medieval Spain and aspires to learn from the “models throughout history where religions, secularism included, not only tolerate each other, but work together.”

 

Ola Mohamed

College/University: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Muslim

 

Ola Mohamed is an International Studies and Political Sciences senior at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.  Ola believes in the bonds of cooperation and understanding that result from interfaith work, serving as “foundations of a greater peace.”  This concept has guided Ola’s work in a variety of campus and community organizations and events.  Ola is the current president of the Muslim Students Association, volunteers with a Project Downtown, a homeless shelter, and writes for the Muslim American Public Affairs Council publication, Iqraa.  Ola experienced the power of interfaith relationship-building through service-learning during an Alternative Spring Break trip to Philadelphia with the UNC Newman Center and looks forward to continuing that work on her campus this year as a Fellow.

 

Prerna Abbi

College/University: Syracuse University

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Hindu

 

Prerna Abbi is originally from Hicksville, New York and is now a senior studying International Relations and Political Science at Syracuse University.  Prerna has been active with the Residence Hall Association at Syracuse as the Director of Educational Programming and as a member of the Diversity and Educational committees.  Additionally, Prerna is involved with Habitat for Humanity as the Co-Fundraising Chair, by managing the fundraising efforts to raise over $60,000.  She is also a member of the community service fraternity on campus.  Outside of Syracuse, Prerna has served as a counselor for 7 – 14 year olds at Hindu Heritage Summer Camp.  Prerna sees interfaith work as the “root of a deep social change.”

 

Rachel Berkowitz

College/University: Wesleyan University

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Jewish

 

Rachel Berkowitz is a senior studying Psychology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.  Rachel became interested in interfaith during a spring break trip to Istanbul and Jerusalem and has since become involved with the Interfaith Justice League at Wesleyan.  On campus, Rachel has also been very involved with the Jewish community.  During her junior year, Rachel was the Co-Coordinator of the Adult Bar/Bat-Mitzvah Project, an adult Jewish education program which culminates in Bar and Bat Mitzvahs for the participants.  Rachel spent the summer of 2007 doing HIV/AIDS education in Tanzania.  Rachel is personally inspired by the interfaith relationships she has formed, and loves talking about “how our relationships to each other and our relationships to our own faiths change and grow.”

 

Rebecca Oyen

College/University: Amherst College

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Jewish

 

Rebecca Oyen is a senior majoring in Women’s and Gender studies and Anthropology at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts.  Originally from Orlando, Florida, Rebecca is the current president of the Multifaith Council and a past president of Amherst’s Hillel.  During her junior year, Rebecca studied abroad in the Netherlands and connected deeply with her Muslim home-stay family during a short trip to Turkey.  Combining her involvement in the Amherst Center for Community Engagement and her work with the Multifaith Council, Rebecca plans to bring students together for service and dialogue.  Rebecca hopes that “this will prompt a deeper mutual understanding between people of faith at Amherst and help to build up the Multifaith Council as a large, diverse community whose members speak openly and meaningfully with each other.”

 

Remz Pokorny

College/University: Brandeis University

Class: 2009

Faith tradition: Baha’i

 

Remz Pokorny is a senior at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.  Remz is majoring in Politics and Middle East Studies with a minor in Economics and originally hails from Amherst, New Hampshire.  He has been active in the Baha’i community at Brandeis, serving as one of the officers for the Brandeis Baha’i Association.  Extreme global poverty is one social that Remz is passionate about, and so he sits on the executive board for a campus organization called Positive Foundations.  This group raises money and awareness around the UN Millennium Development Goals.  Remz understands interfaith relationship-building as having the “intention to help each other become better in our own lives and in service to our faith communities and the community at large.”