Muslim Life
Davidson offers a variety of opportunities for Muslim students to find community, engage in religious practice, and explore their faith and tradition.
As a premier liberal arts college with a strong honor code, Davidson is an ideal context for students seeking a rigorous education in a values-based residential setting where religious faith and practice are honored.
Our Muslim alumni have attended some of the most prestigious graduate schools in the country and have gone on to careers in banking, business, law and medicine, among others.
College Chaplain Julia Watkins, an ordained Presbyterian clergyman, is very supportive of the Muslim community on campus. We invite prospective or current students to contact the Chaplains' Office to tell us about yourself, and Chaplain Watkins will gladly discuss in detail any of your questions.
Administrators, faculty, and alumni are committed to nurturing the experience of each Muslim student so that Davidson feels like a home away from home.
Prayer Rooms & Wudu Facilities
Two prayer rooms with adjacent wudu facilities are conveniently located on campus. One room, called the Oasis, is in the Chaplains' Office suite of the Alvarez College Union. The other is in the Spencer-Weinstein Center for Community and Justice. Both areas are available for daily individual prayers (with prayer rugs provided). Muslim students also gather as a group in the Oasis for student-led Jumah prayers.
Muslim Student Association
Our Muslim students identify with many branches of Islam, including the Ismaili, Shi'a, Sufi, and Sunni traditions. While our Muslim student population is small and diverse, the Muslim Student Association seeks to build community in a variety of ways. In addition to coordinating on-campus Jumah prayers on Fridays, the group celebrates Muslim holidays, organizes events such as dinners and lectures, and promotes peace and cooperation with all other religious groups on campus.
Halal Meals
Fresh halal meal options are regularly available to students in Vail Commons (our dining hall) and in the Davis Café in the Alvarez College Union. The on-campus Commons Market also carries halal-certified frozen meals, and the wider Charlotte area has a variety of halal markets, delis, and restaurants.
Academics
Various academic departments offer classes exploring the role of Islamic thinkers and leaders in history, politics, and philosophy. A variety of courses specifically about Islam are offered in the Religion Department, including Introduction to Islam, Islamic Ethics, and Islam in the Modern Age. Students interested in learning Arabic may take courses in our Arab Studies program, as well as study abroad with Davidson-approved programs in Arabic-speaking countries.