Urban & Regional Planning junior Najma Muhammad receives Network for Global Civic Engagement Fellowship
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EmailNajma Muhammad, a junior majoring in urban and regional planning at the MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction, received the Network for Global Civic Engagement Fellowship.
Najma Muhammad, a junior majoring in urban and regional planning at the MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction, received the Network for Global Civic Engagement Fellowship.
The Network for Global Civic Engagement is a university-wide teaching and research collaboration that provides resources and activities to participating Michigan State University colleges and major administrative units with a particular interest in global civic engagement in the U.S. and abroad.
The Network’s focus on global civic engagement provides a practical perspective integrating space, ways of knowing and goals across diasporic, indigenous, migrant and settler communities.
Muhammad is a member of the Bailey Scholars Program, which is how she became aware of the fellowship opportunity.
Muhammad reached out to SPDC Associate Professor Rene Rosenbaum, PhD, about participating in the study abroad program, Community-based Research and Engagement in the Peruvian Andes, to help provide her with some exposure to her area of interest.
This study abroad program provides students with opportunities to directly apply their academic and cultural knowledge, and their language and professional research skills, to community development goals in Huamachuco, Peru.
Students live with host families and contribute to community development by engaging with community organizations in providing needed research and services.
“We talked about her interest and decided to that the fellowship opportunity was a good fit for her because she wanted to train high school kids in urban agriculture,” Rosenbaum said.
Muhammad plans to use the fellowship funding to join the study abroad program this summer from June 23-Aug. 10 and conduct community work in Huamachuco.
“I will engage in research studying ways to engage young people with curriculum on food security, urban agriculture and the benefits of knowing how to grow your own food,” she said.
“I am looking forward to the experiences I will have in Peru, and I am happy to know that I have support in various departments here at MSU.”
Rosenbaum said, “Najma is an extremely committed student. I am glad she reached out to me. I look forward to working with her on this project, which I think will have a great impact on the schools and students of Huamachuco, Peru.”
“It means a lot to me to know that others see my visions of civic engagement as useful and important work,” Najma said.
