White House Hosts the Interfaith Leadership Institute

On October 22-26th, 2010, the Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) delivered an intensive leadership training hosted by the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The Institute gave 200 student leaders and 100 campus staff allies from across the country the vision, knowledge and skills necessary to improve interfaith cooperation on campus. Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs facilitated some of the training sessions on campus. The Berkley Center also put together an online resource, Interfaith Dialogue on Campus,that tracks existing efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation at colleges and universities around the country.

The Berkley Center is at the heart of a university-wide effort to make Georgetown a global leader in the interdisciplinary study of religion and the advancement of interreligious understanding. Other Georgetown centers and programs engaged in this effort include the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, the Program for Jewish Civilization, the Catholic Studies Program, and the Office of the Vice President for Mission and Ministry.

The student interfaith leaders representing Georgetown University were:

Aamir Hussein, Freshman
Saaliha Khan, Sophomore
Andrew Levine, Senior
Avni Mehta, Senior
Jeffrey Morshed, Senior
Katie Suter, Senior
Justine Underhill, Senior