10/2/25

Students in Dr. Alan Roe’s Advanced Global Studies: Middle East class have been learning about the history, culture, and religions that shape the region. To deepen that work, they visited the Islamic Center of Northern Virginia during Friday prayer. Nearly 150 worshippers gathered, giving students the chance to witness the prayer progression firsthand before meeting with Ismael Laher, the center’s public outreach coordinator. “Being able to experience how others worship brought me great joy,” said Burnam Dubose ’26. “This flex block helped me connect dots in the classroom and made me feel immersed in my learning.” Laher then spoke with the class about the intentionality of the Muslim faith, the five pillars of Islam, concepts of the afterlife, and core values of the tradition. He also addressed common misconceptions, giving students a deeper and more personal perspective on what they had been studying.