Muslim
Meet the Facilitator:
Tom Shier, BSc, MS, PhD, FAAS (a.k.a. Mohamed Abdul Rafay)
Tom is a Sunni Naqshbandi Sufi convert since 2012. He has performed Umrah twice and is looking forward to Hajj, perhaps next year. He writes and performs nashids in English as a hobby. He has worked with his wife, Dr. Sadaf Shier, Muslim Chaplain at the University of St. Thomas, and Dr. Raquel Rodriguez to prepare materials to be used by preceptors and other College personnel to accommodate Muslim students. He is a Professor in the Medicinal Chemistry Department, where he teaches biotechnology-derived drugs and nutrition and carries out research on the discovery and production of antibiotics. His major contribution to that field was the discovery of a method to make modified antibiotics that has been used by others to produce doramectin and selamectin, which are approved for veterinary use.
Student Facilitators:
Abdiaziz Haji - haji0062@umn.edu
Ayan Mohamed
Ayan Mohamed is a PharmD/MPH student at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities' class of 2024. Being a first-generation Somali Muslim American, she is deeply connected to her cultural and religious heritage. She is dedicated to supporting communities of color and bridging gaps in health equity. Ayan's initiative to establish an affinity group stems from her desire to foster connections among Muslim students and provide an inclusive platform for all individuals to gain insights into the experiences of being a Muslim student at the College of Pharmacy. moha0481@umn.edu
Group accomplishments:
The group has met twice to discuss arrangements for the affinity group. Additional meetings are planned in the Fall. It has been predicted that within 12 years 25% of college students in the Twin Cities will be Muslim. The Muslim Student Affinity Group is committed to helping the College prepare to make it a welcoming, supportive place for Muslim students in the future.