Lekovic Talks to 500+ SoCal Students at MSA UCLA’s College Day

April 17, 2014


Last weekend, MPAC’s Director of Policy and Programming Edina Lekovic had the honor of serving as a keynote speaker at the 18th annual UCLA College Day hosted by the Muslim Students Association, alongside USC Director of Muslim Student Life Ali Mir. Chair by MPAC intern alum Lana Elfarra, the event focuses on promoting positive identity and academic success and is attended by hundreds of LA-area high school students each year.

During her keynote, Lekovic shared her own story about growing up in a cultural Muslim home where she did not learn about Islam's core teachings except for the things she wasn't allowed to do as a Muslim. From there, she attended UCLA as an undergraduate student and underwent a spiritual awakening as a result of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) as well as her experiences as a student journalist and later Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Bruin campus newspaper.

In relation to the event's theme, "iCollege: Hear Where Your Imaan Takes You," Lekovic urged the hundreds of students gathered to follow their passion and explore as many new extracurricular opportunities as possible during college.

"Balance will not find you," she said. "You must find it. Work hard academically and find ways to take part in your campus community to explore your interests. You never know where it will take you."

Fellow keynote speaker Ali Mir stressed the value of diversity and embracing difference as God's will and encouraged the students to put those Quranic teachings into practice as they make their way on college campuses and Muslim student groups. 

 




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