In spring 2025, Sousen Saddik, '27 Management Information Systems, began working as a SWANA cultural programmer at SJSU's MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center. She is the first to serve in the newly-created role.

SWANA is an acronym for Southwest Asia and North Africa, which is a region that has often been referred to as the Middle East. As a cultural programmer, Saddik is focused on bringing students together to engage around the region's diverse heritage, which is known to include 34 different ethnicities. This involves planning events and activities that allow for dialogue, connection and community-building.

When Saddik began her role last year, she wasted no time in developing meaningful programming. One of the first events that she hosted was called "The Hijab Journey: A Conversation on Identity and Empowerment," and it was inspired by her own experiences. The gathering offered a way for students to come together and learn about the significance of the hijab and how to navigate the challenges of wearing it in western society. As a head covering worn by Muslim women, the hijab represents faith and modesty.

"The event really allowed for a space that I wished I'd had," says Saddik.

Saddik's family is from Palestine, and during her upbringing, she enjoyed taking part in practicing the rich tradition of her heritage, whether it was through food, clothing or celebrating together at gatherings.

Growing up, Saddik's parents often spoke of the significance of the hijab; they encouraged, but never pressured, their daughters to wear it. Since it's an important part of their Islamic religion, they did want their girls to be aware of it, and to give it some thought.

Saddik's mother and older sister had first started wearing the hijab right before the ninth grade, and Saddik was set upon continuing the tradition. The summer before she entered high school, she started wearing a hijab.

"It was a pivotal point in my life, where I still cared what people thought of me," she says. "It was scary to start wearing it because I had no idea how people would react."

In choosing to embrace her culture, Saddik was an outlier - the only student on her high school campus wearing a hijab.

"It was a time of navigating who I was in my identity and my sense of belonging," she says.

As a SWANA cultural programmer, Saddik has also hosted events rooted in the arts, such as an Arabic calligraphy workshop, which allowed people to tap into their creative abilities. She recently hosted a perfume-making workshop, which was well-attended by students.

"I'm not an expert on the topics of these events that I'm planning, so I really learn a lot," says Saddik. "Through hosting, I also learn a lot in the aspects of public speaking and connecting."

Earlier this month, she hosted a Dialogue and Diaspora event centered around the sharing of SWANA stories.

"It was a collective space for people to connect and share their experiences and just understand one another," she says.

Even before she was hired to work at MOSAIC, Saddik had been a part of the center's community as a student, attending events and meeting other students.

"The major part of being at SJSU for me has been MOSAIC. I stepped into MOSAIC on the first day of freshman year and have never left," she says. "I truly found my home in that space. My older sister was also here at SJSU when I first started college. She showed me around and made me familiar with the MOSAIC space. That led to me finding my own friends and my own group."

Saddik uses both prayer spaces that are available on campus for students. One is a smaller space that is located in MOSAIC; and the other is a new prayer space that opened in the Boccardo Business Classroom at the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business in 2024.

When she graduates in 2027, she hopes to work either as a business analyst or in project management.

"I really want to incorporate that interpersonal part to connect with people and also solve problems using my technical skills," says Saddik.

So far, she has received the President's Scholar Award every year since starting at SJSU. Last year was particularly special, as both Saddik and her sister, who was graduating at the time, received the President's Scholar Award. Receiving the award with her sister was a moment that Saddik will never forget.

"It felt like we were both graduating together, even though I still had two years left," says Saddik.

Learn more about the MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center here .