Nada Zohdy is an alumna of James Madison College and the College of Arts and Letters, where she earned her bachelor’s degrees in international relations and Arabic with a specialization in Muslim Studies. She earned a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School in 2015 and a postgraduate diploma in Islam and psychology from Cambridge Muslim College in 2026. Zohdy is the global network lead for the Obama Foundation, where she leads efforts to connect nearly 2,000 alumni fellows in more than 160 countries.
I came to Michigan State University in the fall of 2006 as one of many Muslim Americans who came of age in the wake of 9/11 and felt a deep calling toward public service. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to add the Muslim Studies specialization to my coursework — I was already organizing diverse students across campus through the Muslim Students Association and through Peace over Prejudice, a coalition I co-led in response to hate group activity at MSU. So, it was a real gift to then be able to link the bridge-building efforts I was part of on a micro level with the urgent need for macro-level pluralism and bridge-building work to counter hate in all its forms at the national and international diplomatic levels.
I recall taking Professor Mohammed Ayoob’s Islam in World Politics class as a formative moment in my journey at MSU and James Madison College (and then doing some research and writing projects with Professor Ayoob afterward). The course was academically rigorous and stimulating as well as highly relevant to current events. I also remember that Ayoob had personal relationships with most of the authors of books he assigned — showing me his prominence in the field.
The course gave us the ability to put daily headlines related to the war on terror in the broader context of sociopolitical developments throughout the 20th century. And I think it might have been my first exposure to the world of public policy, which piqued my curiosity about how to apply historical, cultural and sociopolitical academic analyses to the world of governing and diplomacy.
Initially, I thought I might follow in the footsteps of Ayoob as a public academic, but I ended up launching my career in the nonprofit policy sector in Washington, D.C., helping build a young policy and international development organization focused on supporting local democracy advocates and improving foreign policy between the U.S. and the Arab world — before, during and after the Arab Spring.
I'm very grateful for Ayoob's mentorship, which encouraged me to find my voice in this field and was instrumental in my next steps (including winning a Truman Scholarship in 2009, which subsequently opened many doors).
Coincidentally, Ayoob's class was also the only one I took at MSU with my now-husban. We also organized in the Muslim Students Association together, and I fondly remember how being classmates there also helped foster our friendship.
Another definite highlight was being able to publish a formal event summary of one of the conferences in the American Journal of Islam and Society — my first published academic article.
The Muslim Studies Program was instrumental in setting me up for my first job, which also coincided with the Arab Spring, and launched my policy and nonprofit career. After earning my master’s degree, I spent several years growing an international and domestic network of civic engagement advocates while leading the Open Gov Hub.
In 2022, I launched the Obama Leadership Network at the Obama Foundation and continue to lead the network today. I also recently completed a postgraduate diploma in Islam and psychology through Cambridge Muslim College, and it has inspired me to take a more holistic approach to self-development in my global leadership coaching, facilitation and network-building work.
I still remember reading classical texts from historical Muslim scholars like Al Farabi with professors like Waseem El-Rayes, and I was able to deepen my study of similar ancient wisdom texts from the Muslim world through my recent postgraduate diploma program to adapt them for universal healing, justice and truth-seeking in our disorienting modern times.
All this to say: I think the Muslim Studies Program at MSU has been far ahead of its time for many years and, as one of its earliest alumnae, I can attest firsthand to how much the program and its inspired teachers are helping shape the next generations of leaders. By equipping students with historical understanding and tools for sociopolitical analysis, it empowers them to navigate contemporary debates, public policy and current events — ultimately fostering a more informed and pluralistic world.
Learn more about two decades of the Muslim Studies Program at MSU.
