Club Spotlight: Bangladeshi Students Association

By Kavi Shahnawaz

The Bangladeshi Students Association (BSA) is one of the many recent additions to Jefferson’s ever-expanding roster of clubs. BSA’s mission is to celebrate Bangladeshi heritage through events, cultural showcases, and community engagement where Bangladeshis and non-Bangladeshis alike are welcome. 

Source by Kavi Shahnawaz

The Bangladeshi Students Association Board. From left to right: Kavi Shahnawaz, Nishita Chowdhury, Aiman Raisa, Nusrat Farah, Farhana Islam, Raqaiah Iqbal, Mishall Khan (Absent board members: Wania Karim, Segupta Toishi, Mehul Mehezabin).

Since being registered earlier this year, I have had the honor of serving as Outreach Coordinator alongside a lovely executive board. Now that we are midway through our second semester as BSA, I thought it would be a nice time to highlight our achievements and overall presence on campus as a new yet vibrant student organization. 

I sat down with BSA’s President, Nusrat Farah and asked a few questions. 

Q: Why do you think it’s important to have BSA at Jefferson? 

A: “Bangladeshi people don’t get the credit they deserve for their contributions to this country. Given the immigrant roots at our university and in the surrounding area, I think it's fair that we pay tribute to the Bangladeshis working so hard to be represented. With the ongoing violence against students back in Bangladesh, I feel the need to shine a light on our community and be a voice for them despite being on the other side of the world.” 

Q: What are some of your responsibilities when it comes to running this club? 

A: “As President of BSA, I facilitate communication within the board, among general members, and with directors of campus activities. I also check in with my board to take everyone’s ideas into account and ensure everything is going as planned.” 

Q: What’s your favorite memory throughout your time with BSA? 

A: “One of my favorite memories is the rush from Giving Day. Not to be materialistic, but it was exhilarating to see all the board members band together to get a picture with Phil and earn donations from it. Plus, the money we obtained will be put to good use throughout the upcoming year.” 

I then directed a few inquiries to our Vice President, Aiman Raisa. 

Q: How would you say BSA has grown since it was founded last Spring? 

A: “Besides growing in size, BSA has expanded its priorities. Last semester, we focused on making the student body aware of who we are as Bangladeshis and as a club. However, this semester, we’ve pivoted towards more humanitarian causes. The board has also reflected on last semester and honed in on our event-planning and hosting responsibilities. I’d honestly say that, for a new club, we’re doing fantastic.”

Q: Why would you recommend that people attend BSA’s events? 

A: “For the food! Half joking, but we are quite food-oriented and always have various snacks on deck. Other than that, we are very inclusive and open to everyone who is interested in Bangladeshi culture or our events themselves. We love fun games with great prizes too, as seen in our most recent Cha and Adda event, where we played Jeopardy and gave out goodie bags!” 

Q: What can we expect from BSA in the future? 

A: “A lot more food-centered events, obviously, but also more philanthropic efforts. We hope to not only give back to the community around us, but to the people of our motherland, Bangladesh. Whether it be monetary donations or volunteering, we want to make an impact in any way we can.”

*Editor’s note: If you want your club to be featured in our Club Spotlight series, reach out to us at thejeffersonstudentvoice@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram!