The programs sponsored by the Center for the Middle East and North Africa (CMENA) at UC Santa Cruz reflect our core values of distinction, opportunity, and community. The breadth, diversity, and innovation of CMENA’s research profile is unique among centers devoted to the study of the Middle East and North Africa. The center is devoted to the project of public education and seeks to offer our students the resources to learn, grow, and pursue their goals. CMENA is devoted to creating a community of engaged scholars, students, and citizens that extends throughout our campus and into the communities in which we live.

We are deeply grateful to Marieke and Jeff Rothschild whose generous seed funding allowed us to launch the Center for the Middle East and North Africa in 2019. The Rothschilds also contributed funds to support language instruction in Arabic and Persian, which are essential to the learning needs of our students.

“Providing the opportunity to UCSC students to understand another culture through its language, history, political and economic systems, and arts is so important, especially for the Middle East and Northern Africa, as it enables an understanding of societies different from the U.S. and creates a global view for students,” said Marieke Rothschild (Cowell B.A. Language Studies, ’93). “UCSC has such broad resources in this field; it is a tremendous opportunity to create a center that can work for the good of the world and I am proud to be a part of this.”

Our programming, research, and support of students depend on the generosity of private donors. Your gift can support:

• Student training in Middle Eastern languages
• Scholarships that support study abroad
• Seminars and conferences
• Cultural activities featuring visual artists, filmmakers, and musicians
• Visiting scholars and distinguished guests, including those who have been forced to flee the region because of conflict and political persecution
• Support for faculty and graduate student research

If you would like to make a donation to the Center for the Middle East and North Africa at UC Santa Cruz, please contact Cari Napoles, Senior Director of Development for the Humanities Division at
(831) 459-4713 or at cmnapole@ucsc.edu.

To make a secure web donation, please visit UCSC Online Giving.