Residency Overview:
The UCLA Islamic Studies Program (ISP) is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 Community Bridges Residency, a unique opportunity for community leaders, scholars, artists, and other professionals who engage with projects within the academic scope of the UCLA Islamic Studies program. The residency allows for time, space, and resources to reflect and envision new projects and campaigns that address community needs and challenges. While we prefer projects that engage with our Southern California communities, we are open to transregional projects as well. This residency offers an affiliation with UCLA for the 2025-2026 academic year providing resources, space, and collaborative opportunities to enable stronger ties between the academy and local and transregional communities.
About the Residency:
The ISP Community Bridges Residency aims to strengthen connections between UCLA’s academic community and community leaders as aligned with UCLA’s mission as a leading public university. We aspire to build mutually beneficial relationships with community partners by:
- facilitating access for community partners to academic research and resources which can in turn strengthen their work for the public good,
- promoting conversations and collaborative exchanges between UCLA faculty and staff and our community partners. Such exchanges will in turn promote faculty research and teaching which considers the lived realities of religiously and culturally pluralistic American communities.
The selected Scholar-in-Residence will work closely with UCLA’s Islamic Studies Program and with UCLA departments and research units whose disciplinary and methodological scope aligns with their projects, including the Center for Community-Engaged Learning and the Center for Near Eastern Studies. The residency is designed to uplift critical conversations and collaborations, offering both the resident and the UCLA community avenues to explore diverse expressions of Muslim culture and practice from the rise of Islam to the present and which represent the pluralism of Muslim communities across the world.
This residency is made possible by the Al-Ameen Foundation, a leading philanthropic foundation which is committed to education about Islam and Muslims across history and in the West.
Residency Benefits
– Access to UCLA research resources, libraries, and collaborative networks to conduct original research and projects.
– Opportunity to support existing Islamic Studies courses, in addition to potentially developing and leading a course or seminar at UCLA related to the resident’s expertise and work-in-progress.
– Potential to collaborate with UCLA faculty on projects, exhibitions, and public programs.
– A stipend of $7,000 for 2025-2026 Academic Year, with potential for additional research funds.
Responsibilities of the Resident:
During the residency, the Scholar-in-Residence will:
– Conduct original research and/or creative projects relevant to the American Muslim experience and in partnership with a Southern California community organization.
– Organize 2 co-curricular events as relevant to the proposed project. These events will be organized through consultation with the Islamic Studies program and should ideally align with the scope of one or more undergraduate courses offered at UCLA.
– Hold weekly office hours to connect with students and faculty in support of existing Islamic Studies coursework like the Freshman Global Islam cluster.
– Contribute to public programming, exhibitions, or community outreach activities held by ISP and adjacent organizations.
Eligibility:
This opportunity is open to applicants who are:
– Available part-time during the residency period. Residency period may be for one, two, or three quarters depending on the scope of the project.
– Not be a current university student or employee.
– Community leaders, cultural producers, artists, or practitioners with demonstrated experience in fields related to Islam, Muslim communities, or interfaith work.
– Individuals who have a record of accomplishment of community engagement and can bring unique insights that benefit both the university and broader community.
Application Requirements:
Applicants should submit:
1. Personal Statement (1-2 pages): Describe your professional trajectory and your vision and objectives for public education about Islam and Muslims. While we are especially interested in public education about contemporary Muslim communities in the West, we welcome statements about Muslim communities and education on Islam across history and across world regions.
2. Project Proposal (1-2 pages): Outline the specific research, creative project, or public programming you wish to pursue, including its relevance to UCLA’s Islamic Studies Program and/or the Los Angeles and southern California Muslim community. Project statements should also clearly state deliverables (e.g. publications, blog posts, exhibits etc.) and a timeline for completing the project objectives. We also request a budget for project-related expenses and will consider requests for research funds (depending on availability of funds).
- CV or Résumé
- Two Letters of Recommendation: These letters should be from community leaders, academics, or collaborators familiar with your community work and with the proposed project.
How to Apply:
Applications should be submitted here. For any additional questions or inquiries, please contact islamicstudies@humnet.ucla.edu.
Selection Process:
Applications will be reviewed by a committee from UCLA’s Islamic Studies Program and affiliated departments. Applicants will be contacted several weeks after the application deadline for interviews.
PREVIOUS RESIDENTS
Edina Lekovic
2021-2023
In the Fall of 2021, Edina Lekovic served as the first Community Bridges Scholar-in-Residence in partnership with the Fowler Museum and co-sponsored by the Center for Near Eastern Studies and Center for Community Engaged Learning. Her two-year tenure as a resident at UCLA contributed to crucial work in recording and writing on Muslim American history in Los Angeles.
As Executive Director of the Robert Ellis Simon Foundation and consultant for Muslim philanthropic initiatives, Edina brought more than two decades of activism and leadership expertise to her role. During her time at UCLA, she researched the history of Muslim life in Los Angeles using archives and by hosting community conversations. She also designed and taught a Spring seminar entitled “A People’s History of Muslim Los Angeles” as part of the Global Islam Freshman Cluster program. She trained students in the methodology of oral history interviews, resulting in a collection of 20 multigenerational oral history interviews.
Edina also collaborated with Amy Landau, Fowler Museum’s Director of Interpretation and Education on different initiatives to incorporate Muslim Angeleno voices and perspectives. These include the following two projects:
- Vital Matters: Stories of Belief (UCLA Chancellor’s Arts Initiative), a digital exhibit featuring interviews with diverse Muslim Angelenos about devotional works at the museum.
- Visual and Sonic Landscapes of Muslim Los Angeles (Henry Luce Foundation and Chancellor’s Arts Initiative). This project integrated all of Edina’s research and student oral histories into a digital exhibit, including new interviews with 30 Muslim Angelenos, a timeline of events, a map of historical and community sites, and essays on the evolution of Muslim life in L.A.
Edina also launched the Instagram page @LAMuslimHistory, sharing over 100 posts highlighting stories and oral histories of Muslim Angelenos spanning over 150+ years. The L.A. Muslim History Project, which she formally launched as an independent community archive, continues to document and share these stories for future generations.
Throughout her residency, Edina brought dozens of Muslim Angelenos to campus for events and interviews, while promoting the Islamic Studies Program at community events, on social media, and beyond. Inspiring excitement and gratitude, Edina’s experience in the Community Bridges Residency created a new path for exploration and community service that will continue for years to come.
We look forward to hosting other exciting, impactful projects at UCLA under the auspices of the Community Scholar-in-Residence program.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the UCLA Islamic Studies Community Bridges Residency:
- Who is eligible to apply for the Community Bridges Residency?
The residency is open to community leaders, scholars, artists, and professionals who engage with areas within the purview of the academic mission of the UCLA Islamic Studies program. Applicants must:
- Not be a current university student or employee.
- Be available part-time during the residency period (one, two, or three quarters).
- Have a demonstrated record of community engagement and leadership.
- Propose a project that aligns with the academic scope and mission of the UCLA Islamic Studies Program.
- What are the key benefits of the residency?
Residents will receive:
- A $7,000 stipend for the academic year (potentially increased if teaching additional courses).
- Access to UCLA research resources, libraries, and collaborative networks.
- Opportunities to support and develop courses, collaborate with faculty, and contribute to public programming.
- A platform to conduct community-engaged original research or creative projects.
- What are the expectations and responsibilities of the resident?
Residents are expected to:
- Conduct original research or a creative project in collaboration with a community organization whose purview aligns with the scope of the academic mission of the UCLA Islamic Studies program.
- Organize two co-curricular events tied to their project and relevant to undergraduate coursework.
- Hold weekly office hours to engage with students and faculty.
- Contribute to public programming, exhibitions, or outreach activities with the UCLA Islamic Studies Program.
- Can I apply if I don’t have an academic background?
Yes! The residency is designed for both scholars and non-academic professionals, including community leaders, artists, cultural producers, and practitioners with experience in fields related to Islam and Muslim communities. Applicants with diverse backgrounds and expertise are encouraged to apply.
- What should I include in my application?
Applicants must submit:
- A personal statement (1-2 pages) outlining their professional journey and vision for public education about Islam and Muslims.
- A project proposal (1-2 pages) describing their research or creative project, expected deliverables, and a proposed budget.
- A CV or résumé detailing relevant experience.
- Two letters of recommendation from community leaders, academics, or collaborators familiar with their work.
- What is the selection process, and when will decisions be announced?
Applications will be reviewed by a committee from UCLA’s Islamic Studies Program. Selected candidates will be invited for interviews several weeks after the application deadline. Final decisions will be announced shortly after the interview process.
- How can I get more information or ask additional questions?
For further inquiries, please contact islamicstudies@humnet.ucla.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Equal Employment Opportunity requires that all personnel decisions such as hiring, promotion, reclassification, etc., are made without any consideration of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or service in the uniformed services (as defined by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994).2
UCLA policies prohibit discrimination against or harassment of any individual. In addition, University policy also prohibits retaliation against any employee or person seeking employment for bringing a complaint of discrimination or harassment pursuant to this policy, or against a person who assists someone with a complaint of discrimination or harassment, or who participates in any manner in an investigation or resolution of a complaint of discrimination or harassment.
1 Pregnancy includes pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth.
2 Service in the uniformed services includes membership, application for membership, performance of service, application for service, or obligation for service in the uniformed services.