University News
Challenges Facing Muslim and Hispanic Students to be Discussed Nov. 30 at WIU-QC
November 27, 2017
MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University-Quad Cities' Department of Counselor Education will offer a presentation, "Challenges Facing Muslim and Latino Students," at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, featuring an imam from a local mosque and a Hispanic woman who has extensive knowledge in working with immigration and individuals seeking asylum.
Featured speakers will be Saad Baig, director of religious affairs at the Islamic Center of the Quad-Cities (ICQC) in Moline, and Alicia Gomez of Rock Island, a WIU-QC alumna.
The event is free and open to the public, and will take place at WIU-QC, 3300 River Drive, Moline, in the Quad Cities Complex, Building C Atrium.
According to Leslie O'Ryan, professor of counselor education, Baig is a current student in the graduate program in counseling at WIU-QC, and Gomez is an alumna of the program, who works as the community outreach director at Arrowhead Ranch, Coal Valley (IL).
O'Ryan noted that the presentation came about as a result of a class project.
"In the Foundations of Counseling Class, one course assignment requires students to complete an advocacy project as a group. This group chose to focus on issues that marginalized students currently face in American society. In the process, they decided to partner with WIU-QC Student Services, as well as the Student Government Association (SGA), to support and enhance cultural understandings for Latino and Muslim students, two minority groups that have felt increased stress and anxiety over the past year."
Other students in the group planning the event include Simone Collins and Mary Naughton, both of Davenport (IA).
For more information, contact O'Ryan at (309) 762-1876 or lw-o-ryan@wiu.edu.
Posted By: Alison McGaughey (AR-McGaughey@wiu.edu)
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