Bengali Students' Association
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History

 

The Bengali Students Association was co-founded in September of 2007 by Rita Khan and Samah Choudhury.

Within three months of its inception, the BSA put on a fundraiser titled "Skate for Bangladesh" to aide the victims of the previous November's Cyclone Sidr. As a campus wide effort, the BSA raised over $3500.

In Fall 2008, the BSA premiered its website, and began planning for its first full year. A small-scale Bangla tutoring program was initiated, and a number of social events took place. In January 2009, the BSA co-sponsored a lecture on Microfinance with another organization on campus, Project Shikkha.

In Winter 2009, the BSA embarked on a second S4B, this time to raise funds for The Girl Effect. S4B 09 featured two parts: a skating night, and a community-wide banquet, our first ever "Onushthan." The BSA invited a speaker to discuss microfinance and its effect on women and girls, and debuted its own natok, "Graamcow Capitalist," written, directed by, and starring members of the BSA. The donations from both events totaled to $3500 to donate to "Save the Children Empowering Girls in Bangladesh."

In Winter 2010, the BSA continued S4B to help Babar Ali and his school in Mashiudabad, West Bengal. Again, S4B 3 featured two parts: a skating night, and a community-wide banquet, our second annual "Onushthan." The BSA invited a professor from Michigan State University to discuss education in third-world countries. The donations from both events totaled to $2800 to donate to "Deenabandhu-Friends of the Poor."

BSA traditionally hosts several social events - from mass meetings and dawats to dinners and study breaks - throughout the course of the semester to allow for networking opportunities and friendships to thrive.

The group hopes to continue this new tradition of charity work, education on the region, and social bonding between its members and the greater campus community in the future.

Past Leadership

  • 2007-2008
    President: Samah Choudhury
    Vice President: Fatema Haque
    Secretary: Tashween Ali
    Treasurers: Faria Jabbar, Emanuel Alvarez
    Event Coordinators: Samir Islam, Nasrin Kaniz
  • 2008-2009
    President: Namira Islam
    Vice President: Samah Choudhury
    Secretary: Sangita Ghosh
    Treasurer: Emanuel Alvarez
    Event Coordinators: Tashween Ali, Samir Islam
    Tech Chair: Nazifa Islam
  • 2009-2010
    President: Samah Choudhury
    Vice President: Tashween Ali
    Secretary: Sangita Ghosh
    Treasurer: Rita Khan
    Event Coordinators: Samir Islam, Anira Rashid
    Tech Chair: Nazifa Islam

Awards

  • 3rd Place, Best Overall Student Organization
    World Tour 2009
  • Yeoman Service: Samah Choudhury
    Michigan Leadership Awards 2009
  • Outstanding New Member: Tashween Ali
    Michigan Leadership Awards 2009
  • Honorable Mention
    Program of the Year: S4B (2008)
    Outstanding Student Organization
    Outstanding Student Leader: Namira Islam
    Michigan Leadership Awards 2009