There's a problem with MSAs.

The Muslim community at UC Berkeley, the nation's #1 public university, has long struggled with a lack of consistent, readily available, support, whether from alum, faculty, or local religious leadership. When we first started this project to establish a chaplaincy, the anecdotes came flowing in: alumni and students shared story after story about the mature, balanced support that they needed and did not find while attending UC Berkeley. As a result, many struggled and are struggling, with their deen, their academics, their careers, and their community.

This is a serious challenge, and the size of the problem is growing. With recent graduating classes including over 600 Muslim students, our total Muslim student body reaches up to 2,400 individuals annually. These students, often serving as volunteers on MSA boards, find themselves juggling academic responsibilities, job searches, and the extensive demands of supporting a large and diverse community in an increasingly hostile political environment.

Our Muslim student organizations are more active than ever, advocating for student rights in the face of racism, Islamophobia, and various forms of marginalization. The battle against these forces is constant and taxing, requiring a resilience that is both admirable and burdensome for our students. Through it all, students are struggling with their deen and struggling to take care of themselves. That's why Berkeley Muslim Life is raising $300,000 to hire a chaplain to take care of our community.

A Crisis of Well-Being

Source: 2019 UC Berkeley MyExperience Survey

The Need for Spiritual Guidance

In the absence of a spiritual leader, our students are at a disadvantage. Without the necessary knowledge or experience, providing religious and pastoral care to one another as peers and young adults becomes a daunting and at times dubious task. The lack of religious, spiritual, and community leadership has a significant detrimental effect on the well-being and resilience of our Muslim student body.

UC Berkeley is the number one public university in the world, and many of the thousands of Muslim students graduating from this prestigious institution find themselves drained, burnt out, and even distant from their relationship with their Lord and deen.

Navigating Institutional Limitations

As a public university, UC Berkeley operates within strict boundaries regarding religious support, leaving the financial and operational responsibility of maintaining a chaplain upon our community. Recognizing this critical need, Berkeley Muslim Life is committed, in the short-term, to raising $300,000 to bring a dedicated chaplain to our campus.

Join Us in Making a Difference

We have consulted with experienced chaplains and chaplaincy organizations throughout the United States, conducting thorough research to understand the requirements of this vital role. Now, we turn to you—our community, our supporters, our family—for your prayers and your financial contributions. Together, we can make the vision of providing our students with the religious and spiritual guidance they so deeply need a reality.

Your support can help transform the landscape of spiritual care on campus, offering a beacon of hope through a commitment to support Muslim students navigating the complexities of university life. Let's unite in this noble cause and ensure future students have the pastoral care and guidance they need and deserve.

Timeline

BEFORE 2023

A Nucleus of an Idea

Generations of Berkeley Muslim students and alumni, recognizing the need for religious and spiritual leadership to guide the community, developed the idea to establish a chaplaincy to serve the Berkeley community. Over many years, each group built upon the work of their predecessors.

FEBRUARY 2023

Berkeley Muslim Life Incorporated

In early 2023, we formed our inaugural Board of Directors with the goal of getting a non-profit organization up and running, with plans to start fundraising in 2024. We spent the year building the groundwork and creating a network of supporters to spread the word about our efforts.

JANUARY 2024

Berkeley Muslim Life Unveiled

On January 27, 2024, in a room filled with alumni, students, friends, and family, we unveiled Berkeley Muslim Life, a 501c3 organization dedicated to serving our community. In one night, we raised over $80,000 to kickstart our fundraising campaign, with an ambitious goal of reaching $300,000 before the summer.

MAY 2024

Complete First Round of Fundraising

We aim to raise $300,000 to cover the chaplain's salary, benefits, and operational expenses to fund 2-3 years of chaplaincy.

SEPTEMBER 2024

Interview Prospective Chaplains on Campus

As the new semester begins at UC Berkeley, we plan on inviting the top applicants to campus to conduct trial programming and to meet with students, faculty, and staff.

JANUARY 2025

Chaplain's First Day

Pending meeting our fundraising goals and finding a suitable candidate, we hope to welcome our new chaplain into our community.

2025 ONWARDS

Secure Our Future

Once a chaplain is hired, we will focus our efforts on building an endowment to ensure that our community is always taken care of. Our goal is to raise $3,000,000 to permanently fund this chaplaincy position.