Interfaith Harmony Student Fellowship

 

We are so excited to announce our Interfaith Harmony Student Fellowship, the first-ever, youth-led, national effort to build Hindu-Muslim dialogue at a time of extreme polarization between our communities.

The goal of our project is to build relationships and support collaborations between Hindu and Muslim student groups on five college campuses across the United States during the 2023-24 academic year. The participants consist of one Hindu student and one Muslim student from each of these five campuses, for a cohort of 10 students in total.

During the summer, fellows will get to know each other and attend Interfaith America’s Interfaith Leadership Summit, the largest gathering in the United States for students and educators passionate about interfaith leadership.

Once the students go back to campus, each pair of fellows will brainstorm and execute a campus project during the 2023-24 academic year that intentionally brings together their Hindu and Muslim campus communities. Each pair of fellows will receive a $5,000 program grant to jointly implement this project.

Special Thanks

We’d like to thank the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation for sponsoring this initiative and IAMC for partnering with us on this important interfaith project. And lastly, thank you to Mandala Arts and GreenFaith for supporting our fellows during their time in Chicago!

Our Program Coordinators

Nancy Fowlkes, Campus Organizing Coordinator, Hindus for Human Rights

Husnaa Vhora, Advocacy Associate, Indian American Muslim Council

 

Meet the Fellows

 

Abhipri Chowdhury,

Fordham University

Hi! I am a rising junior at Fordham University pursuing my bachelor's in International Studies. When I'm not immersed in my studies, you'll find me exploring different cultures through travel, indulging in their cuisines, and embracing unique adventures. I am excited to participate in this project because it is a chance to inspire others to embrace diversity and create new inclusive communities, hopefully encouraging them to find their own appreciation of different cultures.

Ashwin Marathe,

Columbia University

I’m a rising junior at Columbia studying political science and history. I found the goal of the project—cultivating Hindu-Muslim unity—to be timely and vital to a healthy college campus. I’m excited to learn from my peers and help program events at Columbia!

Meeran Khan,

College of William & Mary

I am a junior at William and Mary and am majoring in Public Policy and minoring in Data Science. I joined the fellowship as I saw the need for religious unity amongst the diaspora through my experiences as an Indian Muslim. I am passionate about the current political climate in India and how it has affected my community, and I wish to aid in the mission of bringing harmony in the near future.

Shreya Aher,

Drew University

Having been passionate about international relations, I consider this as an opportunity to not only push my country (India) more towards human rights but also to tie it up with religious point of views, further embracing the religious diversity of India.

Aminah Ahmed,

University of Illinois, Chicago

I am a rising sophomore at the University of Illinois Guaranteed Professional Program of Law where I am a representative in the University of Illinois Student Government, The Honors College Advisory Board, and The Pre Law Association. I am dedicated to the freedom of political prisoners and aspire to work in the field of International Law. I am also a hafidha/ have completed memorization of the Holy Quran and have been published in multiple outlets for my activism and advocacy including the Chicago Tribune.

 
 

Malak Elghamrawi,

Fordham University

I’m Malak from Egypt, and I’m an incoming Junior at Fordham University :) Inter-religious conflict is something I’ve witnessed growing up almost everywhere I’ve lived. I’m excited to take part of the Interfaith America Youth Summit to explore what it means to implement Interfaith harmony, and the impact that this wave will have on my immediate vicinity, as well as internationally.

Muhammad Gulzar,

Columbia University

I’m an international student from Pakistan studying at Columbia University. I strongly believe that we must strive to see the human in everyone. I feel it’s necessary that both Muslim and Hindu communities whether they are in the Indian Subcontinent, all around the world, must come together in a productive manner. They must unite and protect each other’s rights, respect each other traditions, and stand together for the future of our coming generations. I want to bring such communities closer for a peaceful, and more importantly, a loving world.

Manvi Nair,

College of William & Mary

I am a senior at William and Mary studying Public Policy and Data Science. I am an advocate for interfaith harmony and decided to join this fellowship because I saw a need for constructive communal discourse among young people in the South Asian diaspora.

Ramisha Tuba,

Drew University

My name is Ramisha Tuba and I'm participating in this program because as a South Asian Muslim, I know how important it is to bridge the gap between the Hindu and Muslim faiths to create unity. Moreover, I believe building interfaith relationships allows us to engage and understand each other more deeply.

Manasvi Thumu,

University of Illinois, Chicago

I'm a rising junior attending the University of Illinois, Chicago. I'm a Biology major and Law and Social Context Minor, passionate about healthcare and its intersection with social justice and advocacy. Outside of academics, I'm a part of student government, I've been working on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee as well as the Mental Health Commission working to ensure students feel welcome on campus. I volunteer at the hospital, and work as a lab assistant at UIC's college of medicine in muscle and heart protein function research.

 

Our Coordinators

Husnaa Vhora,

Advocacy Associate, Indian American Muslim Council

Husnaa Vhora is the Advocacy Associate for Indian American Muslim Council. She has been involved in social justice causes from a young age, including being a volunteer for IAMC. As a hijabi, Indian-American Muslim woman, Husnaa takes pride in being a representative for Muslim voices. Husnaa hopes to one day pursue independent journalism to cover the stories of minority communities, and communities that are under attack.

Nancy Fowlkes,

Fellowship Coordinator, Hindus for Human Rights

Nancy Fowlkes is the Campus Fellowship Coordinator for Hindus for Human Rights.
She is currently studying to earn her master’s degree in American studies from Columbia
University at the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race.
Nancy’s focus is on deconstructing common narratives through an understanding of history in
order to open up new possibilities for the future. Through her involvement and leadership with
organizations such as the Spittoon Literary Collective and the American Students Association at
Tsinghua University, she has worked to connect people from different cultures and communities
through their passions, highlighting the shared humanity in all of us