It was founded by three very visionary thinkers. He teaches fuel time at uc berkley. And is well known to the community as is dave chucker. They began in hayward and moved to berkley several years ago and decided it was time that the United States of america there needed to be a Muslim Liberal Arts College, so students could have a choice of islamic environment, if they wished, although there are or lovely and worthy institutions that they can study. But it officers another option. And we are a school that has a program, and under bachelor program. They study the western tradition and the islamic tradition. And students are taking philosophy, ethics, micks, english and history and the traditional islamic subjects, islamic thought and how it developed through the ages. There are a lot of christian colleges around. And its like that, only the focus is on islam. Not only, though. We study we study from the western tradition as well. And that is very much a thought of our degree program. And our students resemble study comparing theology. And they get a broad understanding where it fits through the world and history. Do you have to be muslim to be attend . No, absolutely not. Although currently all of our students happen to be muslim. But were open to students from any faith tradition or no faith tradition. Super. Well come back and well be joined by more about the college. Stay with us. Well be right back. , welcome back Colleen Hughes is our guest. This is a Muslim Liberal Arts College in berkley. You are the dean of student life and experiencal learning. Tell us about your title. Is it a long title. And i think the work is good with the title. I think it is important that we acknowledge students that come in with many ideas, perceptions, thoughts, challenges, the first time away from home and moms cooking so really important the vision of the cofounders to bring in order to create student life to address these types of challenges that we find. We are educating our students inside and outside the close classroom. You have to get out into the world and i think that is where my work really is focused on. The learning side is that just that. We have a 50 hour minimum requirement of volunteers service, that every student must complete. It has and education component that is writing, oral reflection on their work. I seen. And we have to work in the underserved community. So it puts the students, at times, in positions that they may not have found themselves . Underserved community, what do you mean . Resources. We dont just want our students to have a place have a lot of resources but dont want to do the work, for example. How did you come to this, to this position . Prior to this, i was a chaplain of another college and coordinator of the learning there. And youre saying that he was a high man. Recently from where . Nantucket island, massachusetts. I was born and raced there. I converted to islam. I feel that in times in this position, i get to bring a lot of my own personal Life Experiences and the ability to travel through europe and the middle east and some places and done some interesting things and also understanding where the students are and the challenges that theyre facing and contemporary issues and the tradition myself studied in syria traditionally for five years. How long in the bay area . Coming on one year. Really . Impressions . Do you like it here . Im really glad to be here. My wife is from the bay and grew up here. And i spent four years teaching at the college, teaching arabic during our summer intensive programs. So really enjoy the outdoors and that is something that i incorporated into my work and my office. I think that one of the things in our tradition is that the tradition really speaks to nature, it reflects on the creation and the mountains and the rivers and reflect on the aspects of thing that are readily in front of us. And it takes the students out of the berkley and out of its beauty and get them outside. And we do camping trips and hikes. We bring to points of ethics that they studied, fill call questions and questions about meaning and purpose. Good for you. Colleen, tell us something about yourself. Im from connecticut. So were both east coasters, transplanted about a year ago to the west coast. And im loving it out here. What is not to love about the bay area after all of that snow and ice and hot and humid weather in the summer out there. But i was raised as a Roman Catholic and decided to enter islam in my adulthood after a lot of academic study and found a lot of similarities between catholicism and islam. This prepared me for the work that im doing now. What is it that islam that drew you both there . But as people, you each made a decision to come into the islamic faith. Can you share a little bit about what attracted you there. I dont know. I get asked this question quite often for muslims or nonmuslims too. I think it was through life you see certain things and then you begin to make connections. But i think one of the things that i have kind of put my finger on now the idea, the simplicity of the crede. Theres god and creation and that is your direct relation. That is beautiful. Colleen, in a minute or so that we have left, share something about your story what attracted you. I think primarily for me it was that the diversity of the way diversity is treated in islam, were all equal and the message of equality and social justice, which is also in christianty. But it is very front and center nowadays in islam as it has always been. So i love that sense of community and Diverse Community when you go to the mosque, you see the whole world. Diversity in the bay area, one of the beautiful things in people and religion. When we come back, a real live student is going to join us. Announcer every day across america, excess food is gathered by a network of good people at local food banks, giving hope to millions of children who struggle with hunger. Theyve earned their wings. And you can, too. Together we can solve child hunger. Support feeding america and your local food bank at feedingamerica. Org. And now were looking at students life at and were joined by a live student. Tell us about why you chose your school and what you look forward to when you go back. I came here right out of high school. We have a diverse student body. People have gone through an undergrad, a masters, even in the working force and coming back and studying. So i was one of the true students. I was dedicated and i had a scholarship to play. I was dedicated and soccer was my passion. Then i had a transformation of heart and i found religion in my life. And the more i studied my religion, the more i found that so i was looking for a place to study and options were limited in america. And i looked into it. And i looked at the curriculum and what it had to offer. He was sold right away. So it was the only school i applied to and praise be to god, i was accepted. After that, it is all history. Ive been there for three years now. Its been the most life transforming experience that ive had and i owe it to the community. Theyve gotten to me there and the teachers and all the time theyve given me. Its a blessed experience. A started out on the east coast of virginia and now on the west coast and its been a great experience. And im looking forward to my last year here. If all of your students like this it bodes well for your future. Yes. I would like to Say Something and personalize this a little bit. I spoke about the camping trip with about 30 students out to livermore. For a lot of them it was their first time camping. And we pray the predawn prayer and it is presided by a predawn prayer. He shared something with next and theres a part of the prayer, prayer is better than sleep. Its mentioned twice and the call to prayer. And he was looking at all of it and venus was hanging low in the sky that night. And could you share some of that . That camping trip was one of the most best experiences. They bring a lot tradition to our lives. And are we getting our food from and cloths. And is it ethically in line with what our morals and beliefs stand for. And his question that he brought up, that camping trip was an interconnectiveness of what were learning in the classroom but also with Mother Nature and out in the woods seeing gods creation. And that was amazing for me. To be up at that time of dawn and seeing people slowly getting up for prayer and seeing us start with the creation and hearing the birds to children is a great experience and that is unique. Theres a big emphasis on the intern of the class. What you learn if one class is not something that you just learn and pass on. That class will build on that class and the next class will build on that class so were connecting with other classes and the simplicity. Theres a Common Thread of unity that you can see in the classes. And would you think that because they have such and age difference and people from all over the United States, but the people in the classroom, and the chemistry that goes on the inside and the outside is something unique. Do you still play soccer . Know, i do. Unfortunately, not as much as i would like to but i do enjoy going off and play in some tournaments in area. My parents are from afghanistan. But theres a big afghan population in the area. And they have soccer tournaments every couple months or so. But i train and keep in shape. You never lose something that you love like that. We will not go into discussion of the world cup right now. Why did you take this position . What attractd you to it . I think this is a historical effort. I think this is a historical effort. And the implications of this are just beyond the United States of america. To be fair, were seeing a lot of turmoil as we deem the muslim world and i think our college, with what is happening helps to bring back the balance of our tradition. And it is something that i just felt, that i wanted to be a part of. I have a longstanding relationship with the cofounders. And i believe in the vision. I believe this idea of our tradition, coupled with the western tradition and being able to look at the two of those and understand islam in the post modern context is something that is important and critical for the time were in right now. And income berkley, you have interactions with the interfaith community. And that is important to point out. That one of the wonderful things is that people with different faiths are interacting in doing that. And youre senior year, what is after that . Coming in as a freshman, i was concerned what i would do when i leave, people are questioning how are you going to make money . What kind of a job will you have . So i was concerned at first. And the more i got to learn, the more i became content as long as im going on this path of selfdiscovery and find out what my heart wants, ill find what he need to do. So that is what they have give convenient given me. The more i learn about myself, the more i figure what my role in the world. The Mission Statement sums it up. It aims to educate and prepare morally committed professional intellectual and spiritual leaders that are grounded in islamic style tradition and ideas shaping modern society. There we have it. Thank you. Check it out. Well be back in a minute. In the small town of elmira, new york, a boy was born into an allamerican family. The odds of him opening his own Clothing Store at the age of 18 . 1 in 138,000. Excited to be a part of pop culture, he packed for the big city. The odds of finding someone to invest in his vision . 1 in 4. 5 million. The odds of him achieving his dream in the fashion industry . 1 in 23 million. The odds of having a child diagnosed with autism . 1 in 68. I am tommy hilfiger, and my family is affected by autism. Learn more at autismspeaks. Org signs. Early diagnosis can make a lifetime of difference. Wants to share a few thoughts about summertime in the bay area and why it is a good idea to get involved with a congregation. We start with my tenyearold grandson tedly. His team won the championship and playing over the hill where it was warm and they made it to the championship game and he played the crosstown rivals and he saw that the oakland nuts got skunked in three innings. And watching tenyearolds play baseball is a tremendous thing because this year they can hit the ball and catch the ball and throw the ball more often than none. And they learned about i and we. We are all in there to support one another. So you see growth among ten yearolds playing baseball similarly to this in the bay area. I urging you to get out and do something in the we category. You can go to a baseball game, if you can afford it i think the san jose giants are just as interesting and the ticket prices are better. And you can go to buster and grove. And they have music from pixar and a singalong from greece. There are a lot of things to do. There are museums and plays. And you can get involved in that and get reconnected to some beautiful language that will sharpen you up. But i urging you to remember to go out also and attend a Worship Service or a program of some kind. Weve all got something we can do. We can go to a temple, a mosque or church. You can drop in for the Worship Service and call them up during the week, i dont know much about your area, can i come and attend . Can you help me . I bet theyll have somebody meet you at the door and welcome you into the warm hospitality. Spiritual diverse is part of life. And you can see how other people are inspired and encouraged and uplifted. So why not make what i call going to church part of your summer. Thank you. This is mosaic. Well see you again next week. , we begin this morning with your pitch for show ideas. Go to cbs5. Com and comment to our page. We would like to begin with the San Francisco jewish film festival. It is a yearround Media Arts Organization and pride in the diversity in the jewish people. This is the largest and largest film fest have in the entire world. Trust me on that one. This is the executive director of the