Tahera Ahmad is a Muslim Chaplain who was raised in Morton Grove Ill. and graduated from Niles West High School were she played Varsity basketball. Ahmad studied classical and traditional Islamic Sciences in the five year Alimiyah/Shariah program at the Institute of Islamic Education in Elgin IL. Following traditional madrasa studies, she continued graduate studies in Arabic at Al-Diwan and Al-Azhar in Cairo, Egypt and in Department of Islamic Studies and Christian Muslim Relations and Islamic Chaplaincy at Hartford Theological Seminary in Connecticut.
Ahmad has received graduate certification in various religious fields including Applied Spirituality in Women's Leadership from the Women's Leadership Institute at Hartford Seminary, Certification in Arabic from Al-Diwan, Ijaazaat in Quranic Recitation (Tajweed) and Islamic sciences from renowned Muslim Scholars. During her graduate studies she served as the Muslim Chaplain at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts.
Ahmad served as the Department Head of Islamic Studies at one of the largest Muslim Schools in the Nation, Islamic Foundation School Villa Park. Ahmad has supported leadership for premier Muslim organizations including the Muslim Community Center of Chicago, Inner-City Muslim Action Network, and the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. She has been featured on Chicago Public Radio, Chicago Sun Times, USA Today, and recently featured in the national PBS documentary titled, The Calling which portrays the struggle of faith in the 21st century for seven young leaders from the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths. Currently she serves as an Associate Chaplain at Northwestern University where she is an advisor to the campus and Evanston community. Come check out the Religious Life website or visit Chaplain Tahera Ahmad in her office located in Parkes Hall Room 133. She is usually available during the following times:
| Mondays: | Dinner with Chaplain Ahmad | 7:00 pm |
| Interfaith Initative | 5:30 pm | |
| Tuesdays: | Tajweed/Arabic Lessons | 7:00 pm |
| Fridays: | Open Office Hours | 2 - 4 pm |