Ahmed Buzeriba did not picture himself as president of the Muslim Student Association at San Diego State University, but the public health senior is going into his second term this semester

“I got involved through social engagement and it was really cool meeting some people who are now my best friends,” Buzeriba said.

The organization was founded in an effort to promote Islam, unite Muslim students on campus and reach out to the non-Muslim community on campus.

Senior sustainability major, Tessa Wiwy joined the MSA during her first year at SDSU as a non-Muslim member, but then converted to Islam.

“I felt a lot of support and I found a community within the MSA,” Wiwy said.

She said her friends in the organization helped her get through her first year on campus

Wiwy said the organization creates a welcoming environment and a good place to feel at home on campus..  

“If you’re a Muslim it’s a really good place to find a community that you fit in with,” she said. you’re a non-Muslim it also is a place where you can find people who are active and learn more about the religion.”

The organization’s goals for this semester are to increase membership, tabling and visibility.

“We want to make sure that Muslim students and non-Muslim students alike know that there is a Muslim student association on campus,” Buzeriba said.

One of the organization’s biggest events is Islam awareness week during the spring semester intended to reach non-Muslims students.

Rodrigo Lopez, a senior biology major, said it is organizations like the MSA that make the diversity factor at SDSU more prominent.

“We have so many clubs from religious to social to political that expand over many topics and even push borders that you never would think are allowed to be crossed,” Lopez said.

Lopez reverted to the Islam religion two years ago.  Although he is not a member of the MSA ,he believes that organizations on campus allow creativity and people to share their thoughts.

“We want the general population at SDSU to know that we are very inclusive,” Buzeriba said.e want people to show up to our events to learn about the struggles and the way that muslims see the world and America,” Buzeriba said.

The current political climate has an effect on the way that Islam is seen and although it is a bigger picture issue, it does have an effect on campus Buzeriba said.

“We are willing to work with every single student organization on this campus to promote a general positive outlook for humanity and this campus,” he said.

The association will host a welcome back night event Sep. 23 at 5 p.m.

MSA is located in the Center for Intercultural Relations room in the Student Union.