A Campus Full of Life

While the interruption of remote learning for the past three semesters affected everyone, by the grace of God, the Zaytuna community transformed this difficulty into an opportunity. The College spent these months working on assessing and renovating existing facilities while acquiring new housing. As a result, new and returning students, staff, and faculty benefit from an enhanced and upgraded campus—and the campus, through their presence, is made complete. “The return of students on campus is like the land becoming fertile again after experiencing a drought,” said Imam Dawood Yasin, director of student life. “What they’re giving you is an opportunity to share in their excitement at being back.”

Students and faculty alike found success in the distance-learning environment, but it was never a real substitute for the classroom. As President Hamza Yusuf noted in his welcome message, “We’re grateful for the opportunity to resume the irreplaceable experience of in-person collaborative learning.” Imam Dawood gave an example of the dynamism that occurs in a situated community of learning: “Students will come out of a classroom debating and discussing a topic as they walk to their dorm,” he says. “The learning flows out of the classroom, through the campus into the dorm room, into the dining hall, then back to the dorms, and finally circles back to the classroom.”

Imam Zaid Shakir, professor emeritus, observed, “You have the companionship of people, young people, who are concerned about their religion. That’s so valuable. You might have seventy to eighty students at Zaytuna, but everyone is in a cohort. Everyone is moving together. You have more of that on a campus where you’re living together, where you’re growing together, where you’re sharing each other’s challenges. You can’t put a price on it.” This is a welcome contrast to the pixelated experience of remote learning, and the College is blessed to have the fullness of life back on campus.

d

Just arrived!

Student orientation Moving into the dorms

Astronomy class with Dr. Youssef Ismail