July 14, 2011

One of MPAC’s top initiatives and programs is the investment in Muslim American youth through several programs including our internship program. Given the opportunity to choose between concentrations in government and policy, media and communications or Hollywood relations and community outreach, interns learn of MPAC’s crucial role in the political arena, media outlets and the community.

This summer, 11 undergraduate and graduate students from five states and diverse backgrounds joined the MPAC offices in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles to participate in this summer’s program.

The four interns based in the Los Angeles office are Communication interns Nika Najafova of West Texas A&M University and Zaki Khan of La Canada High School, Hollywood Bureau and Government Relations intern Aisha Elmasri of Chapman University and Government Relations and Civic Outreach intern Malek Al-Maryati of California State University Northridge.

With educational backgrounds in political science, international studies and marine biology, Khan said the interns “hope that the experience provided by the internship this summer will cement their future in government, politics and civic service.”  

The DC office has a full house this year with seven interns. The five Government and Policy interns based out of DC are Shammas Malik of Ohio State University; Amir Kader of Emory University; Fatimah Salhan of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Amal Dalmar of the University of California, San Diego; and Adham Sahloul of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Also in DC, is Media and Communications Intern, Shiza Pasha of Georgia Tech University; and the Community Outreach Intern, Omnia Joehar of the University of Maryland.

The MPAC staff feels blessed to have these intern with such diverse background and varied interests in the office to inject a youth perspective into the DC and LA office. It is through these interns that we are ultimately provided a glimpse into a hopeful future for the Muslim American community. 

--Nika Najafova
Communications Intern
nika@mpac.org