Inspiration
Inspired by a local Chicago philanthropist and friend of the College, Dr. Shakeela Hassan, and her relentless dedication to peacebuilding efforts around religious literacy and a celebration of diversity, AIC established the Dr. Shakeela Hassan and Dr. Zia Hassan Institute for Interfaith Encounter.
Dr. Shakeela Hassan
Shakeela Zia Hassan is a philanthropist, poet, interfaith community organizer, physician, and author who has cultivated transformative encounters for nearly nine decades. A lifelong champion of human rights and the arts, her work bridging traditions has been shaped by a journey that began in Hyderabad and brought her to Chicago, where she married her husband, Zia. Her career in medicine included serving as Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the University of Chicago.
As a producer and fundraiser, she helped bring to life documentaries such as Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet, Ties That Bind, and The Sounds of Faith. Through her Harran Productions Foundation, the Sounds of Faith initiative has presented more than 20 events from Chicago to New York and Doha, Qatar. As an author, she has written two books reflecting on her friendship with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Sister Clara Muhammad, including A Starry Crown: Making of a Fez (Chicago: Harran Productions Foundation, 2019).
Dr. Hassan has advised institutions including the International Human Rights Law Institute, Catholic Theological Union, American Islamic College, Hands of Peace, Chicago Theological Seminary, Lutheran School of Theology, and the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving (IUPUI). Together with her late husband, Dr. Zia Hassan—longtime professor and dean at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Stuart School of Business—she also helped establish the Islamic Foundation of Villa Park, now a cornerstone of the Muslim community in greater Chicago. Founded in 1986, the Islamic Foundation School of Villa Park remains one of the leading Muslim K–12 institutions in the United States.
Dr. Zia Hassan (d. 2017)
The late Zia Hassan was Professor of Management Science and Dean Emeritus at the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), where he taught policy and quality management. His research on organizational effectiveness and quality was widely published and presented at conferences around the world. He played a pivotal role in launching the Stuart School’s Master of Science programs and securing accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)—the field’s highest standard, held by fewer than five percent of business schools worldwide.
Dr. Hassan mentored countless students and was deeply respected by industry-leading alumni, who honored his legacy through the creation of the M. Zia Hassan Endowed Professorship at IIT. He also served as a consultant to numerous American and international businesses and was named a fellow of the American Society for Quality.
Beyond academia, Dr. Hassan was the founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Islamic Foundation of Villa Park, serving in that role for forty years. He also served as Financial Officer of the Harran Productions Foundation, where he partnered with his wife, Shakeela, in a shared commitment to education, diversity, conflict resolution, and community-building rooted in respect and coexistence.
