Muslims Scholarship Fund Project

“The Future Lies Within Our Hands”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, August 19, 2007 Project Banquet in Dallas, Texas

 

Click here to listen to an online streaming of the speech of Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes to Texas Muslims.   Download the mp3 file here   "Assert your rights and don't allow for your community to be disrespected...It is incumbent on all of us as mainstream voices to make sure that the mainstream voice which is the majority voice is the one that is heard." Karen Hughes said in response to a question asking what she would tell an average grassroots muslim who feels like there's no respect for Islam now, their identity is under assault and they feel under siege.

 

 

Keynote Speaker: Undersecretary Karen P. Hughes,

Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

Appointed by President Bush to help ensure that public diplomacy (engaging, informing, and influencing key international audiences) is practiced in harmony with public affairs (outreach to Americans) and traditional diplomacy to advance U.S. interests and security and to provide the moral basis for U.S. leadership in the world.  Undersecretary Hughes has served as lead spokesperson on diplomacy, public affairs, the Global War on Terror and promoting American values to the Muslim World. AND Numerous V.I.P. Elected and Appointed Officials

 

            

 

Problem: There exists a negative perception of Muslims in America and a shortage of Muslims in public-influencing fields to correct it.

 

Facts: According to Pew Forum studies, negative perceptions of Islam and Muslims are on the rise:

• July 2003: 34% of Americans had an unfavorable view of Islam; July 2005: 36% of Americans had an unfavorable view of Islam ---> 110 million Americans.
• 2003: 24% of Americans viewed American Muslims unfavorably and in 2005, 26% viewed American Muslims unfavorably ---> 75 million Americans.
• According to a 2004 Project MAPS study, 57% of Muslims believe the attitude of Americans toward Muslims since 9/11 has been unfavorable.

According to a 2002 Cornell University study:

• 7 Million American Muslim community, currently growing at 6% annually, is expected to double by 2014.
• 39.8% of American Muslims = between 18-29 yrs. old
• 67% of adult Muslims are under 40 years old while 67% of Americans are over the age of 40.
• 50.4% of American Muslims work in Engineering, Medicine, IT or as students.
• Less than 2.5% of American Muslims work in public opinion influencing careers such as Journalist, Editor, or Lawyer.

Solution: Following in the footsteps of other minority groups in America, the Texas Muslims Scholarship Fund (TMSF) awards scholarships to well-qualified students studying in fields where Muslims are under-represented.

• Recently, President Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest honor to the leader of the United Negro College Fund (NAACP). 
• The League of United Latin American Citizens, the nation’s largest Hispanic group, established a scholarship fund for Hispanic youth (LULAC).
• The Jewish community has numerous youth leadership development programs designed to help advance their community public relations image like the Anti-Defamation League’s Glass Leadership Institute (ADL).

--->Through a quiet campaign, we raised $12,000 to award for the 2007-2008 academic year.

 

--->Scholarship recipients are required to volunteer their skills and resources back into the community after graduation.

 

---->For the 2007-2008 academic year the Muslims Scholarship Fund Project gave out $12,000 in Scholarships to students studying Law, Journalism, and Social Work.

 

The American Muslim community has invested billions of dollars on capitol projects like mosques and schools, yet only scattered programs exist to invest in Human Resources Leadership Development. Help us bridge this gap by investing in the Muslims Scholarship Fund project!

 

To learn more about the Texas Muslims Scholarship Fund, please email your questions to: TMSF@freeandjust.org.