ASUW Commission Spotlight – Middle Eastern Student Commission

ASUW Middle Eastern Student Commission
ASUW MESC Website

On November 17, 2017, ASUW’s Middle Eastern Student Commission held their first annual Professional Development Night. Students and professionals of Middle Eastern and Muslim origin gathered in Kane Hall to learn about opportunities in various fields. Numerous UW Alumni returned to campus to share their stories with those attending the event, thus creating a networking opportunity for students.

The planning for this event began in Summer 2017, with the intention of highlighting experienced individuals in the Seattle area. By reaching out to alumni, Middle Eastern Student Commission Director, Mennah El-Gammal, felt that UW students would then envision themselves in the global workforce. “It’s hard for them to have a positive image of themselves, and a lack of representation can affect what they imagine to be possible. Essentially, who is heard and seen, and who is not defines the status quo, and with that in mind our team developed and executed on this event,” says El-Gammal. The lack of representation of professionals with Middle Eastern and Muslim origin has been expressed by many minority students in their community.

The night was a success, with a hundred students attending the event. El-Gammal hopes that this can transform into an annual occasion so that students can continue their academic pursuit with the confirmation that their efforts will not go unnoticed in the future.