The Case for a Chaplaincy
There's a problem with MSAs.
UC Berkeley’s Muslim community has long struggled with a lack of consistent, readily available, support, whether from alum, faculty, or local religious leadership. When we first started this project to establish a chaplaincy, the anecdotes came flowing in: alumni and students shared story after story about the mature, balanced support that they needed and did not find while attending UC Berkeley. As a result, many struggled and are struggling, with their deen, their academics, their careers, and their community.
This is a serious challenge, and the size of the problem is growing. With recent graduating classes including over 600 Muslim students, our total Muslim student body reaches up to 2,400 individuals annually. These students, often serving as volunteers on MSA boards, find themselves juggling academic responsibilities, job searches, and the extensive demands of supporting a large and diverse community in an increasingly hostile political environment.
Our Muslim student organizations are more active than ever, advocating for student rights in the face of racism, Islamophobia, and various forms of marginalization. The battle against these forces is constant and taxing, requiring a resilience that is both admirable and burdensome for our students. Through it all, students are struggling with their deen and struggling to take care of themselves.
A Crisis of Well-Being
1 in 2
Muslim students face food and housing insecurity
10%
Muslim students reporting homelessness
60%
Muslim students meeting campus criteria for anxiety and depression
The Need for Spiritual Guidance
In the absence of a spiritual leader, our students are at a disadvantage. Without the necessary knowledge or experience, providing religious and pastoral care to one another as peers and young adults becomes a daunting and at times dubious task. The lack of religious, spiritual, and community leadership has a significant detrimental effect on the well-being and resilience of our Muslim student body.
UC Berkeley is the number one public university in the world, and many of the thousands of Muslim students graduating from this prestigious institution find themselves drained, burnt out, and even distant from their relationship with their Lord and deen.
Navigating Institutional Limitations
As a public university, UC Berkeley operates within strict boundaries regarding religious support, leaving the financial and operational responsibility of maintaining a chaplain upon our community. Recognizing this critical need, Berkeley Muslim Life is committed, in the short-term, to raising $300,000 to bring a dedicated chaplain to our campus.
Join Us in Making a Difference
We have consulted with experienced chaplains and chaplaincy organizations throughout the United States, conducting thorough research to understand the requirements of this vital role. Now, we turn to you—our community, our supporters, our family—for your prayers and your financial contributions. Together, we can make the vision of providing our students with the religious and spiritual guidance they so deeply need a reality.
Your support can help transform the landscape of spiritual care on campus, offering a beacon of hope through a commitment to support Muslim students navigating the complexities of university life. Let's unite in this noble cause and ensure future students have the pastoral care and guidance they need and deserve.