The unique ethnic smells wafted across the parking lot, and with them, the signs of true success.

The Muslim Student Association raised almost $800 at this year’s Spartanfest and it really comes as no surprise. The group wants to use the funds to help people in need.

The art of fundraising is the trickiest for clubs to master. The “who’s” and “how’s” of getting people to support your club and buy your products don’t always have an easy answer. To make even a little bit of money after they subtract spending costs, clubs really have to hustle. That is except, for the MSA, which had an hour’s wait  for tattoos at last month’s fundraiser and a constant crowd around the food table.

“[The MSA] have people looking forward to eating food,” said sponsor Kevin Greata.  Between the kabobs and the hummus and the long line for henna tattoos, the MSA knows how to raise money.

The club also got another mega-bonus because they didn’t have to pay for their unique cuisine; it was all made by supportive parent volunteers. And, with a little bit of Arabic mood music, the atmosphere was in their favor.

“The food is just our culture,” said senior Jahanara Hoque, MSA president. Not all groups, after all, can sell authentic kabobs. “Do things you wouldn’t find in everyday situations,” said Hoque.

With all that success, the MSA now has more in their bank account and needs to start making decisions on how to use it. Group members want to bring in more speakers to promote awareness of their culture. They are also planning to host more fundraisers as well.

They plan to use the money for club events they also set aside a portion of the profit to donate to various charities.

The MSA plans to send funds to “third-world countries, to help them out with food and clothing,” said Hoque.

There are many relief efforts to choose from, but Hoque wants to donate to help victims of recent Pakistani flooding, which left more than 21 million people affected and 12 million in need of emergency food aid. 

Hoque wants to thank all the MSA members who chipped in to help out during Spartanfest, the school’s annual club fundraising fair.

“There were a lot of groups that worked really hard,” said freshmen and MSA member Amna Gurashi.