MENASA Resource Center to host Fall Welcome Mixer Oct. 6
The event will bring students and staff together for activities and a chance to explore the center
By ZAYNAB MOHIUDDEEN — campus@theaggie.org
A new school year can make a large campus feel unfamiliar — especially for incoming students. For that reason, UC Davis’ Middle Eastern, North African and South Asian (MENASA) Resource Center is inviting students to start finding familiar faces at its annual Fall Welcome Mixer on Oct. 6.
The event will run from 4 to 6 p.m. at the center’s space on the second floor of the Student Community Center. Incoming and returning students can meet staff, student leaders and peers over refreshments and participate in activities designed to help facilitate connections with other attendees. The mixer is open to all undergraduate students, and there will also be a chance to win raffle prizes.
Affaf Waseem, director of the MENASA Resource Center, shared via email that the center is well aware that finding a place to connect can be difficult for students who are new to campus and those returning for another year.
“Students may experience a range of challenges like homesickness; it can be hard to meet new people or be overwhelmed by how big our campus is and all that it has to offer,” Waseem said.
Beyond the mixer, the MENASA Resource Center helps students find campus resources, explore leadership opportunities and build community through its programs. It is one of UC Davis’ Community Resource and Retention Centers, a network that works to support students throughout their time at the university.
The center is also a place students can return to throughout the school year. Zainab Wasim, a second-year psychology major, has attended three MENASA events and frequently used the center as a study space.
“I like the vibe of the room and [it’s] a pretty productive place to study at,” Wasim said. “The reflection room is also very useful for Muslim students to pray in.”
Wasim said that last school year she attended an open house kulfi social, a mug painting event and an event on wedding traditions across MENASA communities. She described the gatherings as opportunities to spend time with friends and meet other students.
“[Every] event I attended was really fun,” Wasim said. “The events the center holds are a great way to meet new people, hang out with friends while doing fun activities as well.”
Aside from hosting event programming, the MENASA Resource Center staff also meet with students and direct them to resources based on their needs. Students can also meet with the center’s Community Advising Network counselor for an initial mental health consultation or connect with its program coordinator to get involved.
Waseem said that the center gives students from different backgrounds a place to talk about their experiences and learn from one another.
“We hope that our space can be a third space where students can explore topics that may not often come up in the community, or folks are able to learn about the MENASA communities as they accompany their friends to our events,” Waseem said. “[Having] this dedicated space brings more visibility to the work we do and makes it easier to build connections when you see folks every day.”
Attendees can RSVP in advance of the event on the center’s website, at menasa.ucdavis.edu. Those who cannot attend the mixer are invited to visit the center’s Fall Open House on Oct. 14 from 2 to 4 p.m., or come by during its normal open hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
Written by: Zaynab Mohiuddeen — campus@theaggie.org