UA MENA Graduate Student Organization
MENA History
The Middle East North Africa Graduate Student Organization (MENA) began more than a decade ago with the help of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Arizona. It has a long history of activity within and outside the Department of Near Eastern Studies and is devoted to raising awareness about the Middle East and North Africa, both regarding the current political situations as well as their historical antecedents. The organization started a conference in April 2001, dedicated to providing valuable feedback to graduate students from professors to improve their papers both in context and delivery. The Southwest Graduate Conference in Middle Eastern Studies is now in its eighth year and has since expanded to include graduate students from multiple universities within and outside the United States. MENA continues to participate in on-campus events including the Worldcat Fair, which allows graduate students to interact and answer questions about the region. In the past, MENA volunteers participated in street fairs and used henna to draw traditional Middle Eastern tattoos as well as cooked couscous and other Middle Eastern food. The ultimate goal of this organization is to encourage interaction among graduate students and the University of Arizona community.
