Chaplain Sanaa Nadim
Chaplain Sanaa Nadim, or Sister Sanaa, as her constituents know her, serves as the Muslim Chaplain for Stony Brook University’s Interfaith Center.
She graduated at the top of her class from Baruch College and became one of the first female foreign exchange traders on Park Avenue. She worked in the private sector for several years until she moved herself and her family to Long Island, where at Stony Brook University she became the first female Chaplain of any Muslim Student Association in the country. Chaplain Nadim built a name for Muslims across Long Island and de-fogged the confusion behind the faith’s beliefs and became the Muslim representative for many new stations such as CNN, ABC and BBC.
Her career debuted when Newsday of Long Island published a 6-page cover spread of her accomplishments, involvements and the paramount social changes she initiated for Muslims across the country. Shortly after, she became a host on the very popular public television show, WLIW’s Face to Face Faith to Faith, which focused on religious dialogue and issues of multiculturalism. Chaplain Nadim gained even larger attention from the media when she was nominated three times for a position in the United Nations as well as one of the founding board members of the Long Island Multi-faith forum. She has been honored by guests ranging from the King of Morocco and Governor Pataki.
Her works are celebrated and well respected. She co-authored the book, Women for Women of Afghanistan, which only added to her vast achievements. Chaplain Nadim currently sits on the advisory board for public television and represents herself and the Muslim community to Congress on Capitol Hill in D.C annually. Her works have re-shaped the image of Islam and paved a way for the Muslim youth of tomorrow.
Chaplain Nadim absolutely loves her job at Stony Brook University, particularly because of the phenomenally warm atmosphere amongst her colleagues and the understanding of the importance of a community. She built the Stony Brook Muslim Student Association and works tirelessly for its constructive growth, which was reflected by an American interfaith survey that noted Stony Brook University as having the largest Muslim Student Association in the nation.
Chaplain Nadim has dedicated her life to the public service, refusing prestigious job offerings ranging from Morgan Stanley to educational institutions such as Columbia and Harvard University. Her current agenda involves working with different religious and cultural organizations as well as private and public institutions to continue building bridges among different faith groups to positively enhance the image of Islam through unity and understanding. Recently, Chaplain Nadim met with Pope Benedict XVI and the Grand Sufi Sheik Nazim on the Island of Cyprus, which was published in the New York Times. These are only a few of Chaplain Nadim’s remarkable accomplishments that represent her endowed dedication to serving the public.
To contact Sister Sanaa, please email her at sissanaa [at] aol [dot] com.