Members of the Arab American Pharmacist Association at Wayne State University.

DETROIT – Arab American alumni and community leaders gathered at Wayne State University on Wednesday, November 18, to honor the empowerment of its diverse student body.

Wayne State’s president, M. Roy Wilson; Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News and other community and Arab American leaders and business people were among the alumni and students who gathered at the Tierney Alumni House for the first meeting with current students.

During his opening remarks, Wilson said one of the university’s goals is to “educate a diverse student body to thrive.” This mission is one of the key reasons many Arab American students attend the university.

Malak Abbas, president of the campus’ Arab American Pharmacists Association, said being ethnically diverse helped her stand out when she was granted a full ride scholarship to the university.

“Being accepted at Wayne State is very important because you don’t see discrimination,” said Abbas. “You kinda feel at home; you feel safe and you feel like they push you to thrive and to be successful; and they give you the resources to do that.”

Rana Dabaja, the student organization’s president-elect, said organizations like theirs and the Arab Student Union receive major support from the university. She added that being active in the groups sheds light on Arab Americans’ success and potential in the professional world, something important in today’s xenophobic and Islamophobic climate.

Dabaja said the environment on campus is friendly to all nationalities and that collaborating with other student groups is effortless.

“We don’t feel like there’s a demarcation line between us that says ‘you’re Arab, we’re American,'” she said.

Ahmad Sabbah, the university’s Arab Student Union president and a business student, said being among professional Arab community members who are also alumni gives him the opportunity to showcase his group’s community development efforts and connect with others who can help make a greater impact.

During his remarks, Wilson said that although Wayne State is one of the most diverse campuses in the area, “we have to continue to be intentional about it; we have to continue to make sure that our students are heard from diverse backgrounds and we have to make sure everybody is included at Wayne State.”

Anthony Eid, once a campus resident advisor and current student senate member, said he had “the most opportunity to get involved because of the diverse aspects of this campus.”

As a residential advisor, Eid said many of the students he encountered had few relationships with Arabs and he strived to add teach them about the culture when possible.

Wilson told The Arab American News that the event took place because the university receives a lot of support from Arab American alumni.

“We have a very rich history with the Arab American community. They’re very important and we don’t take that for granted,” Wilson said.