Posted on April 14th, 2025 in Announcements, Blog, Community Service, Faculty, Students by ecurtis4

Last week, IU Indianapolis Arabic and Islamic Studies Program Director Edward Curtis, the Gail M. and William M. Plater Chair of the Liberal Arts, took home the Chancellor’s Award for Civic Engagement, and then five days later, he received the Asian Student Union’s Faculty Leader of the Year Award. “I knew that the Chancellor’s Award …

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Samia Alajlouni
Posted on March 17th, 2025 in Announcements, Classes, Faculty, Teaching by ecurtis4

Indianapolis, Indiana — The 2024 retirement of Dr. Amira Mashhour, Senior Lecturer Emerita of Arabic, left the Arabic Studies program without a full-time instructor in Arabic language. The program sought to address this challenging situation (1) by making available intermediate and advanced level classes via IU Bloomington’s Summer Arabic Workshop and Study Abroad and (2) …

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Headshots of the six students who have won scholarships
Posted on March 3rd, 2025 in Scholarships, Students by ecurtis4

The first Arabic and Islamic studies minor scholarships have been awarded to a diverse group of students, including a professional cook, a future physician, an art historian, an aspiring elementary education teacher, a social worker, and a Qur’an reciter. Salma Abdelhamid was raised in Egypt. A native speaker of Arabic who enjoys sharing her heritage …

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Eat Tabbouli Earn College Credit
Posted on February 28th, 2025 in Announcements, Classes, Featured, Teaching by ecurtis4

Eating is required in at least one IU Indy Arabic Studies course this fall: Syrian-Lebanese Food and Cooking. But we have other online, one-credit appetizer courses on offer as well, including an Introduction to the Qur’an and a course on Islamophobia, or anti-Muslim bias. A feast for the mind can be had in the debut …

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Posted on February 27th, 2025 in Announcements, Internships, Students by ecurtis4

Congratulations to Sarah Bennett, who has been named 2025 Arabic Studies Program intern. As program assistant, Sarah will spend the spring semester working on behalf of the program with both students and community members. Her focus will be recruiting Arabic and Islamic studies minors. We interviewed Sarah to find out a more about her. Q. …

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Various people dance together in a circle
Posted on February 13th, 2025 in Announcements, Events, Featured, Students by ecurtis4

Alfawares Dabka Troupe from Detroit headlined the community fair at the Indianapolis Global Village held on April 12, 2025, from 12 Noon to 4pm. Hundreds of community members attended, enjoying the poetry of Sajjad Jawad, the food of Al Rayyan Restaurant, the music of the Salaam Band from Bloomington, and an original art exhibit. The …

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Arabesque call for art poster
Posted on February 6th, 2025 in Announcements, Community Service, Events, Featured by ecurtis4

Arabesque: The Art of Storytelling Submission Deadline: March 15, 2025 Exhibition Dates: April 5-April 26, 2025 Opening Reception: April 12, 2025 Venue: Indy’s Global Village Welcome Center About the Exhibition As part of this year’s Arab American Heritage Month celebrations, the Indiana chapter of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in partnership with the Indy’s Global …

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