Our Story

Story

Our unit was established from the advocacy efforts of the ME/SA Studies program as well as Middle Eastern and South Asian students, staff, and faculty following the increased discrimination of these communities after 2001. The result was the creation of the Middle Eastern and South Asian Student Affairs Officer position who would provide holistic support to students as they navigated through college. As the needs of the community were identified, it became clear that the position would benefit from additional resources to support the growing MENASA undergraduate community at UC Davis. 

Today the position exists under Student Affairs, and works closely with the ME/SA Studies program despite being separate units. Our office under Student Affairs is known as Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian (MENASA) Student Resources to reflect the shared experiences of the community throughout the region.

We welcome folks that identify with or have ties to the diaspora, community or the region including countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, as pictured below. 

menasa map

Mission 

The Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian (MENASA) Student Resources is a unit which falls under the Community Resource and Retention Centers umbrella. These centers provide resources, programs, and opportunities to students to help them develop personally and professionally.

Our mission is to provide holistic support to MENASA students at UC Davis. We approach the work through education, advocacy, and an intersectional lens.

Holistic Support 

  1. Advocacy + Cultural Identity
  2. Academic Support + Student Wellness 
  3. Community Building + Sense of Belonging

Our programs aim to touch on each of these holistic support themes. We also recognize that our students hold various identities which shape their experience on campus and how they interact with resources. We hope to facilitate accessing these resources while providing understanding in order to help students transition from high school into college successfully. Check out our events tab to stay updated!