Undergraduate

Undergraduate Profiles

DISC Undergraduate Students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and locations, united by their interest in Islam and its culture

 

TINA CARTER

Hometown: New York, NY

Year: 2010

Major: Political Science and AMES (Arabic Language and Literature)

Tina participated in the 2008 DukeEngage Cairo program and studied abroad in Amman, Jordan Fall of 2008. During her Duke career, she has completed two independent studies on the politics of democratization in Morocco and Jordan, respectively. She is now the editor of DISC's Barack Beat on the Middle East and founder of nascent publication "Juhood: The Journal of Middle Eastern and North African Affairs."

 

EDITH CHEN

Hometown: Westford, MA

Year: 2010

Major: Public Policy Studies

Minor: Arabic

Edith  has taken the Muslim Studies Focus, SIT Jordan, and is studying Modern Standard Arabic.  After graduation she plans to either to go to Law School or to work in international development, or at the UN.

 

YASMINA CHERGUI

The first Friends of Bruce Lawrence Scholarship was awarded in 2007 to Yasmina Chergui.

 

 

 

 

 

JONATHAN CROSS

Hometown: Springfield, VA

Year: 2010

Major: Religion

Minor: Arabic

Johnathan participated in the 2007 Muslim Cultures Focus program, and DukeEngage Cairo 2008.  He has also been active in the Interfaith Dialogue Project. After Graduation he intends to pursue graduate work in Islamic Studies.  Visit his photolog here.

LUCY JIN

Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut

Year: 2010

Majors: Political Science, International Comparative Studies

Lucy has taken the Muslim Studies Focus, studied abroad in Turkey, and participated in the 2008 DukeEngage program in Istambul. She is currently undertaking an independent research study on political Islam in Turkey.  After graduation she hopes to study International Law.

 

ELLA LIPIN

Year: 2010

 

YUQIAN LIU

Year: 2011

 

STEPHEN SCHMULENSON

Year: 2010

 

ANDREW SIMON

Hometown: Guilford, Connecticut

Year: 2010

Majors: AMES, International Comparative Studies

Andrew took part in the 2008 pilot DukeEngage Program to Yemen, where he worked with the Deomcracy School, a leading NGO, and helped to organize a soccer tournament.  After being awarded a Boren Scholarship by the National Security Education Program, he returned to Yemen to continue his work, and will return again this summer.  After graduation, he plans to pursue graduate studies in Arabic or Middle Eastern Studies, with the eventual goal of becoming a translator.

 

PROGRAM ALUMNI: DAVID GRAHAM

Hometown: Akron, Ohio
Year: 2009
Major: History

Minor: Asian and Middle Eastern Studies with Arabic language focus
David Participated in the 2007 Muslim Cultures Focus, and held an internship with The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.  He was inaugural editor of DISC's Barack Beat on the Middle East blog. Now graduated, he plans further Arabic study, with possible work as a foreign correspondent in the Muslim world, and perhaps even an advanced degree in Islamic Studies

Islamic Studies Curriculum at Duke

UNDERGRADUATE ISLAMIC STUDIES CERTIFICATE

An Islamic Studies certificate can open doors for students in fields where there is a critical shortage of people with knowledge of Islamic languages, Islam, and Muslim cultures.

  • global health
  • energy, global warming and environmental studies
  • international business
  • new technology and media
  • diplomacy and foreign service

If you have questions about the certificate, contact the DISC Program Coordinator.

DISC DUKE ENGAGE PROGRAMS FEATURE:

• Student placements in NGOs and local service organizations

• Cultural activities, site visits, and meetings with local officials and leaders that deepen understanding of the factors that shape cultural life and civic engagement in the host countries

• Intensive Arabic instruction and practice

• Sustained reflection, analysis, and documentation of experiences in group discussions and blogs

Visit our DukeEngage page to learn more..

STUDY ABROAD:

At DISC, we believe that the knowledge gained by cross-cultural experiences such as living and studying abroad are an essential part of the educational process. DISC strongly encourages all Islamic Studies students to spend time in a majority-Muslim country. See our Study Abroad page, where you can read more about the many study abroad options available.