Member, CAIR-Philadelphia Advisory Board
Hamna is an incoming Public Interest Program Scholar at Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law interested in pursuing a career in civil rights law and advocacy. In December of 2023, she graduated summa cum laude from Villanova University majoring in Political Science and minoring in Criminology and Philosophy.
In her first year of undergrad, Hamna restarted the Villanova Muslim Students Association and grew the organization from just 3 members to over 30 upon graduation. Villanova MSA went from an organization that had been dormant for years to one that is recognized as an active MSA in the greater Philadelphia region. Throughout the rest of her undergraduate career, Hamna was involved in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Department of Villanova’s Student Government Association, and also served on the executive board of Blue Key, Villanova’s student-run tour guide association.
Hamna’s passion for public interest law and politics first began during the 2016 election when Hamna was in 8th grade. She enjoyed watching the presidential debates with her father and having deep discussions about the implications of the election for the Muslim community. She decided then that she would dedicate her career to public service and advocating for the less fortunate. Hamna delved further into her interest in public service during the summer of 2022, when she was awarded the Islamic Scholarship Fund Congressional Internship, during which she worked for Congresswoman Madeleine Dean in DC, representing PA’s 4th District. During this time, she was also awarded the Muslim Public Service Network Fellowship, an opportunity that allowed her to meet other professionals in the DC area pursuing careers in public service and policy. Hamna was very passionate about this work and decided to continue her involvement in public interest law, serving as a Legal Fellow for CAIR Philadelphia during the summer of 2023. Since graduating, she is working for the Office of Congresswoman Susan Wild, representing PA District 7.