The Middle East and North Africa Graduate Student Organization at the University of Arizona (MENA) began more than a decade ago with the help of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) and the Department of Middle Eastern and North African Studies (MENAS). 

We have a long history of activity both on and off campus and are devoted to furthering scholarship of the Middle East and North Africa. The organization provides a platform for graduate students to participate in the planning of cultural events and academic exchanges related to the region. Furthermore, MENA aims to serve the University of Arizona and larger Tucson community in pursuit of a deeper sense of the culture, diversity, and history of this region.

MENA began hosting the Annual Southwest Graduate Conference in Middle Eastern and North African Studies in April 2001. Dedicated to providing an opportunity for graduate students to receive valuable feedback on their academic papers in context and delivery, the conference has expanded to include graduate students from numerous universities within and outside the United States.