A new center aiming to support students, faculty and staff with South and Southwest Asian and North African heritage plans to open in the Erb Memorial Union next fall if approved on June 15 by the EMU Board of Directors. 

Currently, there is a space in Agate Hall housing the Middle East and North African minor program, but Muslim Student Association Co-President Mohammed Shakibnia said an EMU location would be centrally located and more accessible.

“The SSWANA center (would be) more encompassing… and much more student oriented. This is a place students can come (to) if they’ve had a long day of classes and want a home base on campus and if they have ties to the community they are able to come there and hang out with students from a similar background,” Shakibnia said.

Despite North Africa and South Asia’s geographical distances, Shakibna says there are a lot of cultural, historical and religious similarities between the regions, and students with SSWANA heritage might benefit from sharing their experiences as immigrants.

“A lot of us (are) second generation immigrants here …  (and) share the same experience of how we were raised — prioritizing academics and prioritizing our family — and we can share that and bond over those things in a similar environment,” Shakibnia said.

Two main goals of the center are supporting research focused on the SSWANA region and working to break down stereotypes.

“One of the things that we want to do is uplift the work (that) students and faculty are doing academically, like research-related to the SSWANA region. Being able to … share that with a wider campus community is really important to create mentorships and learn about what is going on in SSWANA,” Shakibnia said.

According to Shakibnia, members of MSA, UO Arab Student Union and South Asian Cultural Alliance met with EMU Director Eric Alexander, Vice President of Student Life Angela Chong and University President John Karl Scholz a handful of times this year. 

Members from these cultural clubs submitted their application for an SSWANA EMU space early this spring, along with other student organizations vying for a space in the building. 

The process of allocating the EMU space is part of a spring 2025 pilot program that creates a more systematic review of EMU applicants and occupants. The EMU director will make the final decision on who gets the space by June 15. 

The funding of the center is still up in the air, but Shakibnia and his fellow organizers are researching and discussing all of their options. 

Shakibnia said it would be difficult to operate the center without a long-term director paid by the university, and it’s unclear whether those funds are available.

“The big thing for us is finding long-term leadership to staff the center and sustain it and it is really important for the university to commit resources to that otherwise it will just be a project that falters out,” Shakibnia said.

The future leaders of the center, including Shakibnia and SACA Treasurer Rayna Patel, have already requested money from the Associated Students of the University of Oregon for the center’s development. 

“We went to ASUO for funding and support and now we are navigating how to keep that funding and keep it going for many years,” Patel said.

ASUO’s newly elected President Prissila Moreno encouraged UO to commit resources to the center.

“It is so important for UO to invest in things that support students right now. If they don’t want to speak out … and become a target, they should invest,” Moreno said.

If UO does not provide as much support as Moreno and the center hopes, Moreno said ASUO will fill the funding gap. 

“I’m interested in UO investing long-term, but (the ASUO) executive (branch) will step up and use surplus funds if needed,” Moreno said.

ASUO also plans on creating a memorandum of understanding, aiming to continue SSWANA center funding through future ASUO administrations.

Sophia Burghout is a member of the Arab Student Union who is also helping apply for the center. If the space is approved, she is most looking forward to relaxing in a place of community.

“Sometimes it’s nice to have a space where everyone is not always asking you questions but instead you can just rest and take a deep breath,” Burghout said. “Belonging is where you feel safe and where you feel at home and I feel the SSWANA center can create that belonging.”

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