Stevens Program Student Testimonials
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 I had the privilege of traveling to Amman to report on a story about Jordan’s limited water resources. I met with many Jordanian citizens struggling with the little water they had, and I met with top government officials who were working hard to allocate what was available. I plan to publish it for a wide audience, as I believe Jordan’s water crisis paints a larger story about the Middle East and how we address the tension in the region.Sawsan Morrar, Stevens Scholar, ’18 |
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 I don’t know when in my life I would have been able to experience talking twice a week with students from Morocco about contemporary issues in Islam and gender in Islam. Hearing their perspectives was eye opening and gave me a glimpse into the culture and perspectives many have in Morocco.Alexandra Jacobson, Stevens Global Ambassador, ’17 |
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 One of the most valuable things I learned was the chance to discuss openly and freely the topic of gender, something I was not offered before taking the class.Ali Abourida, Al Akhawayn University ’18. |
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 Hearing another perspective from American students, who do not live in the conditions in which we live, was great in terms of exploring our thoughts and sharing our feelings about how we understand Islam and gender. Wissam Hiti, Al Akhawayn University ’16 |
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This course pushed me to realize the impact of the status quo–how we take for granted what is widely known as “true,” and often forget that others operate under a different “normal.” I think that this course came at a particularly important time in the context of America’s changing political landscape. At such a large school like Cal, it is so valuable to have intimate academic experiences that foster not only academic development, but also personal growth. Annie Pill, Stevens Global Ambassador, ’17 
Having the ability to study Arabic in an Arabic-speaking country was invaluable. Studying the language is one thing, but being familiar with the culture and history is so important to one’s fluency. There were little interactions that made my time there special, like getting to know my local vegetable grocer and having the falafel shop near my apartment come to know my order by heart. Little interactions like these improved my Arabic tremendously.
I really enjoyed having discussions with the students in Morocco about marginalization and minority rights. Through those collaborations and discussions, I was really able to think about myself and why I hold positions. I think this is particularly important in the United States with the current climate, and globally. Video Testimonial
Center for Middle Eastern Studies
University of California, Berkeley
340 Stephens Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-2314
510.642.8208
cmes@berkeley.edu
