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�鶹��ý INITIATIVE TO BUILD AWARENESS AND SUPPORT

FOR JERSEY CITY’S NEWEST COMMUNITY MEMBERS

�鶹��ý City, N.J. (February 18, 2017) – New �鶹��ý City University (�鶹��ý) will present “�鶹��ý Students Supporting Refugees: Open Arms, Open Hearts, Open Doors” on Friday, February 24, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m., on the �鶹��ý Main Campus at 2039 Kennedy Boulevard in �鶹��ý City. The event will take place in Multipurpose Room B of the Michael B. Gilligan Student Union Building. All are welcome.

Attendees should RSVP at .

The evening represents the culmination of many months of work to develop a Refugee Center at �鶹��ý. The effort was spearheaded by the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and supported by MSA Faculty Advisor and Assistant Professor of Biology Meriem Bendaoud, and Professor of English Audrey Fisch.

Dinner for the evening will be provided by GERA, Global Emergency Response and Assistance. This organization, along with Church World Services (CWS) and International Rescue Committee (IRC), provides key support to refugees arriving in the �鶹��ý City area.

However, resources are extremely limited, and “�鶹��ý Students Supporting Refugees: Open Arms, Open Hearts, Open Doors” will be the first of many initiatives intended to bring together refugees, support organizations, and the �鶹��ý community in order to build awareness and support for �鶹��ý City’s newest community members. Eventually, the Resource Center at �鶹��ý will serve as a hub, mobilizing the strengths of the faculty, staff, and students at �鶹��ý to provide information, mentorship, and resources to refugees in our area.

Speakers on February 24 will include �鶹��ý President Sue Henderson; Dinesh Suryawanshi on behalf of U.S. Senator Cory Booker; Esther Ongeri on behalf of U.S. Senator Robert Menendez; �鶹��ý faculty member and Syrian Rescue Scholar Hassan Aljabbouli; �鶹��ý student and Syrian refugee Zaki Minas; and Public Relations Representative from GERA, Jessica Abdelnabbi.

Any questions about this event can be directed to Dr. Meriem Bendaoud, mbendaoud@njcu.edu, Faculty Advisor, Muslim Student Association, or MSA President Rania Noubani, rnoubani@njcu.edu.

The MSA gratefully acknowledges institutional support provided by President Sue Henderson; Provost and Senior Vice President Daniel Julius; Assistant Vice President for Global Initiatives Tamara Cunningham; and Dean of Students Lyn Hamlin.

The MSA event on February 24 is co-sponsored by a wide range of Student Government groups: Chemistry Club, Biology Club, Psychology Society, Gothic Stage, Dreamers, and the Biological Honors Society. Additional institutional support has been provided by Chair of Counseling Yumiko Ogawa and Associate Professor of Nursing Joyce Wright.