Northwestern University Muslim Alumni (NUMA)

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Established in 2010, Northwestern University Muslim Alumni (NUMA) is committed to reuniting alumni and reconnecting them with Northwestern and its current Muslim community through a variety of opportunities including networking, leadership and public service events.

Furthermore, NUMA is committed to working as an advocate and advisor for Northwestern’s graduate and undergraduate Muslim students, offering a unified voice that reflects our members’ views.

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As a freshman at Northwestern in September of 2005, Aamna Anwer (WCAS ’09) walked into the lounge of Allison Hall not knowing what to expect, but excited to meet other Muslims on campus. The annual Ice Cream Social, the first general body meeting of the Muslim-cultural Students Association (McSA), found her sitting in a giant circle of new faces, each one introducing his or herself to the group by the “name, city/state, major” trademark of New Student Week (now Wildcat Welcome). Six years later, Anwer was back at her alma mater for an Ice Cream Social with many of the same attendees–but this time, they gathered as alumni at Northwestern’s 2011 Homecoming Weekend.

The Social took place on Friday, October 21 in the Multicultural Center and was arranged by Northwestern University Muslim Alumni (NUMA). “For many of us, the Ice Cream Social was our first memorable experience at Northwestern,” said Anwer. “NUMA is recreating that same sense of community that we felt as undergrads.” Alumni from a wide range of class years were in attendance, several of them with their spouses and children. McSA co-sponsored the event and welcomed many Northwestern undergraduates to come meet and network with alumni.

On Saturday, October 22, Anwer attended NUMA’s second event of the weekend, a “Zabiha Tailgate” before the Homecoming game against Penn State. (Zabiha is a designation for meat prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary laws.) Over hot dogs and grilled chicken, alumni caught up with their former classmates, took pictures against the backdrop of the fall colors around campus, and got ready to cheer on the Wildcats. NUMA President Zaki Anarwala (SESP ’99) says the both the Ice Cream Social and the Tailgate will be an annual tradition that he hopes will reunite more NUMA members every year. The club is looking forward to upcoming events throughout the rest of the year as well.

Established in 2010, NUMA is the newest club of the Northwestern Alumni Association. It was formed to reunite Muslim alumni and reconnect them with Northwestern and its current Muslim community through a variety of opportunities including networking, leadership, and public service events.