The Markaz: Resource Center at Stanford

05/15/2025

Thank you to all the donors you have made a gift to the Markaz during the Stanford Day of Giving! There is still four hours left. Alumni and friends waiting to make a gift, donate now and help us unlock additional challenge funds:

The Markaz Resource Center supports a vibrant community of students who identify with or are interested in Muslim experiences both on campus and around the world. We are home to diverse experiences and ideas that matter, while also providing resources to engage, educate, and empower all students. Ou...

10/06/2022

Stanford Muslim/Markaz Alumni Community: Join the Markaz Resource Center as we begin commemorating our 10-year anniversary at Reunion Homecoming! This special event will showcase the Markaz's development and accomplishments, as well our vision for the future. Come hear from current students and professionals, network with other Muslim alumni, and explore opportunities for involvement. Hosted in the Huang Engineering Center on Friday, October 21. Reception will be from 5:30-9PM; Dinner and Speaking Program from 7-8PM. See you there!

Featuring key note speaker, Dr. Farouk Dey, founding Vice Provost for Integrative Learning and Life Design at Johns Hopkins University.

RSVP requested: https://lnkd.in/d-28gX9a

08/17/2020

NEW BOOK ALERT: Markaz Directors Abiya Ahmed and Cassie Garcia are proud to share the release of "Islamophobia in Higher Education: Combating Discrimination and Creating Understanding" edited by co-directors Shafiqa Ahmadi and Darnell Cole.

This timely book address institutionalized Islamophobia on college campuses, as well as issues of intersectionality, law and policy affecting Muslim students. Abiya and Cassie contributed the final chapter, "A Home Away from Home," which uplifts the work of the Markaz and provides a guide for other university and higher education administrators looking to support Muslim student communities.

Learn more and order the book here: https://bit.ly/IslamophobiaHigherEducation

07/30/2020

The Markaz sends a warm Eid Mubarak to all those in our community observing Eid al-Adha! We wish you prosperity, joy, and peace always, but especially now, in these times of uncertainty. May you and your loved ones be safe and well.

06/15/2020

We are thrilled to announce that this year's awardee for the VPGE Academic Achievement Award for the Markaz is Michael Mohsen, PhD in Chemistry.

Michael's research is on new substrates for DNA polymerases, the enzymes responsible for replicating the genomes of all organisms. Using chemical strategies, his research expanded the functionality of DNA polymerase enzymes with the development of two novel classes of chimeric dinucleotides: ATP-releasing nucleotides (ARNs) and dicaptides.

While completing his research, Michael has been an active and beloved member of the Markaz community. He served as our Graduate Student Educator from 2018 - 2020, developing and leading critical trainings on Islamophobia. Through this work, Michael has brought needed visibility to the experiences of Muslims students on campus and shared a comprehensive toolkit for university staff to create a more equitable and responsive campus environment. These workshops were featured in The Daily and Provost Drell was once a participant!

In addition to his work on staff, Michael has led a weekly prayer group, Du'a Kumayl, for the Stanford MSU for the past two years at the Markaz. This group has provided a welcoming space for students to explore their spirituality and it has become an important community touchstone.

Michael, we are so thankful for the generosity, care and love you've shown to this community during your time at Stanford. We congratulate you on finishing your degree and look forward to seeing where you'll go next. May the future hold many blessings!

05/29/2020

content warning: anti-Black violence, police brutality

In light of this week’s murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, and the blatant racism against Chrisitan Cooper, we are outraged and concerned at the continued public assault on Black communities. The Markaz stands in solidarity to fight against systemic racism, white supremacy, police brutality, and particularly anti-Black culture that endangers Black lives and penalizes them for simply existing.

Please find our full statement of solidarity and list of community resources here: https://mailchi.mp/728d2fe404c5/justiceforgeorge2020

Illustration of George Floyd adorned in flowers by .creates

04/14/2020

Join us online this quarter at https://www.digitalmarkaz.org!

Digital Markaz is a new virtual space for our community to meet, create and share during this remote spring quarter. Consisting of everything from weekly AfterZoom Chai, collaborative community art projects, and online office hours with staff, Digital Markaz offers many avenues for us to connect.

We at the Markaz believe that just because our community is physically distant, we don’t have to be socially distant. The Digital Markaz is a space for us to connect, share, and create, consisting of everything from one-on-one meetings with staff to our weekly Afternoon Chai over Zoom. Let’s ove...

03/17/2020

Greetings dear community,

We write today to share news that the Markaz’s physical space in the Nitery is closing temporarily. This decision was made in alignment with current university action to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our Stanford community. (https://healthalerts.stanford.edu/)
Although our physical space will not be open, our commitment to our beloved Markaz community remains strong. Please know that we are here for you in this time of confusion and transition, and that we will navigate this challenge together just as bravely and resiliently as we have navigated challenges in the past.

Professional staff have begun to work remotely and we welcome students to connect with us over Zoom. Email Cassie Garcia ([email protected]) or Heidi Elneil ([email protected]) to schedule a meeting. We are currently available between 9 AM – 5 PM PST, however, depending on your needs, meetings can be schedule outside of our normal business hours.

We also wanted to share this comprehensive list of resources for members of the Stanford community who may need support through the course of COVID-19. This includes undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and staff.
(https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13nhPQ9uC9qwHnkCkezP3MI-xRkGTqsfbqDp3hwgFt9c/edit?usp=sharing)

In the coming weeks, Markaz staff will be working to support community members, both near and far, and developing innovative ways to keep us connected. We welcome any ideas, comments, or feedback you may have. Please share your thoughts through this form. (https://tinyurl.com/snmg9k8)

We will continue to update you via our newsletter. Please sign up here if you have not already done so: https://tinyurl.com/voha3fq

With love and support,
Markaz Staff

Create a new survey on your own or with others at the same time. Choose from a variety of survey types and analyze results in Google Forms. Free from Google.

11/08/2019

10/18/2019

Apply to the 2019-2020 Markaz Frosh Intern Program! Help build and support a vibrant community of students who identify with, or are interested in the diverse cultures and experiences of the Muslim world! https://forms.gle/rVQWmdBTeXjgBgxXA
Applications are due Sunday, October 27th, 11:59PM.

10/07/2019

Students, do you want to be a better ally to the Muslim community on campus?Learn more about student experiences and how Islamophobia can manifest in higher education at the Markaz's Standing in Solidarity workshop this Friday, October 11. RSVP here: https://forms.gle/ozVpQBYJyubEJ8618