Vanderbilt’s Muslim Students Association partnered with Campus Dining and the Center for Spiritual and Religious Life to craft special dinner menus for Ramadan this spring. These accommodations build upon those implemented in Spring 2023.
Ramadan is an annual, month-long fasting period for the Muslim community which takes place from March 10 to April 9 this year. Those observing Ramadan fast from dawn until dusk throughout the month.
This year, Ramadan began during spring break, for which Dining offered Iftar — sunset meal — menu options at Kissam Kitchen, the only open dining location, until 8 p.m. CDT.
The Iftar options will transition to their own station at E. Bronson Ingram Dining Hall beginning March 17. Last year, Campus Dining had extended EBI’s dining hours until 9 p.m. for Ramadan. No changes to hours were implemented for Ramadan since the change at the start of the year to keep all the dining halls open until 9 p.m.
Campus Dining requested students not participating in Ramadan to allow fasting students to get food first.
Munchie Mart options have also expanded to feature three Ramadan dishes: tomato, spinach and egg scrambler, blueberry overnight oats and a chickpea and veggie bowl. The Halal-friendly frozen meals available for a meal swipe last Ramadan are available using Meal Money this year.
Additionally, the Muslim Students Association will be posting the meal plans for every week on their official Instagram page. MSA also hosted an event with Campus Dining to gather student input on Ramadan accommodations on Jan. 25 at the EBI Great Room
Vice President of MSA and junior Talib Mohiuddin said the Ramadan dining accommodations are similar to those offered last year, which he described as “successful.”
“We are very grateful for all the support dining has given us Muslim students during Ramadan as we have to balance our worship, study and community while we are away from home,” Mohiuddin said. “Any student can feel free to reach out to the MSA or dining about how they can be best supported during Ramadan because there is a lot of hard work that has been going on behind the scenes.”
Intiser Parash, a senior Muslim student at Vanderbilt praised MSA’s efforts.
“This is my fourth Ramadan at Vandy, and I’m always impressed by how the MSA consistently prioritizes our Ramadan meal needs,” Parash said. “The inclusion of new options in the Munchie Mart will be beneficial for Suhoor [morning meal].”
