Student Summit

Students involved in past Student Summits include the following universities:

• Iranian Student Cultural Organization, UC Davis
• Harvard Persian Society, Harvard University
• Persian Students Association, MIT
• Wellesley Persian Students’ Association, Wellesley College
• Iranian Student Alliance in America, UC Berkeley
• Iranian Students' Cultural Organization, UC Berkeley
• Persian Students Cultural Club, Boston University
• Iranian Students Association, Georgia Tech
• Harvard Iranian Students Association, Harvard University
• Persian Association, North Dakota State University
• Persian Cultural Society, New York University
• Iranian Students Foundation, University of Maryland, College Park
• Iranian Cultural Society, George Washington University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Persian Club, George Mason University

The Student Summit is open to all university students and serves as a space for student leaders to strengthen their skills and learn about pertinent issues through a weekend series of speakers, workshops, and discussions. Industry experts and professionals from various fields offer insight on issues relevant to Iranian Americans. Students hone their skills and become equipped to address issues on their campuses through workshops and simulations. 

As part of the Summit, student leaders connect their organizations to a national alliances of Iranian student organizations known as IAAB's Campus Action Network (I-CAN). In 2010, the Summit created an inclusive network, known as I-CAN, through which student leaders build a deeper sense of community and understanding of leadership as practice. Throughout the year, members continue to foster relationships, develop new forms of collaboration as student leaders, and organize joint local, regional, and national programs.

The Student Summit began in 2008 as an annual weekend leadership program dedicated to enriching Iranian-American university student leaders. 

Past Summits have been held at Wellesley College, George Washington University, and the University of California Washington Center.

In the past, workshops and panels covered a wide range of topics including leadership development, effective communication skills, coalition building, exploration of identities, and community organizing.

Past speakers include: Niaz Kasravi (NAACP); Laura Pena (National Hispanic Outreach Director for the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign); Thenjiwe McHarris (Amnesty International); Banafsheh Akhlaghi (Pars Equality Center); Mahdis Keshavarz (Make Agency); Sousan Abadian (MIT); Behrad Mahdi (Censeo Consulting); among others.

As a non-political and non-religious conference, the Summit is open to all races and all creeds.

• American University
• University of Iowa
• University of Texas, Austin
• Stanford University
• University of California, Davis
• James Madison University
• New School
• Thomas Jefferson University
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• University of Connecticut
• University of California, Los Angeles

Students can get involved in IAAB by:

• attending the Student Summit;
• getting involved in Campus Action Network (I-CAN);
• applying to Camp Javan & Camp Ayandeh for available staff, counselor, and media team positions
• representing IAAB at community and cultural events
• interning with IAAB
• volunteering at IAAB programs and events