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Our Journey & Milestones

2008
The vision of Boston Islamic Seminary (BIS) was born.
2014
Muslim American Society (MAS) Boston initiated the first core team to start the Seminary.
2015
• BIS registered as a corporation with the Massachusetts Secretary of State.
• BIS’s board of directors was formed with only three board members.
• Current logo was created.
2016
• Continuing education program was launched in Fall 2016.
• BIS operated its offices out of 100 Malcom X Boulevard in Boston, MA.
• BIS successfully hired its first Dean of Academic Affairs.
• The first Academic Committee was formed to design and develop the curriculum of BIS’s full-time program.
2017
• BIS offered its first fellowship program – Iqra Fellowship Program for college and graduate students.
• BIS launched its first certificate program in Islamic Intellectual History.
• BIS offered its first hybrid online course in Spring 2017.
• The completion of the development of the first BIS full-time program curriculum.
2018
• BIS was registered as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit tax-exempt organization.
• BIS submitted an application with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE), to secure degree-granting authority.
• BIS launched its first Graduate Certificate Program in Islamic Foundations, a sequence of five courses offered by BIS faculty members, as a preparation for the full-time degree program.
• Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Basyouny Nehela, was named as BIS’s first President.
2019
• BIS hired its first Dean of Administration & Chief Operating Officer (COO).
• Expanded board to include 6 members.
• BIS moved its offices to Prospect Street, in the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• BIS expanded its offerings to include a range of five unique offerings and programs.
• BIS held its first graduation ceremony to recognize and award its students, faculty members and instructors.
2020
• BIS launched its first virtual certificate in Islamic foundations.
• BIS launched its first Facebook Live show “Real Talk” between students and faculty.
• BIS moved its office and campus to Al Huda Society in Chelsea, MA
• BIS was approved by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education to award the Master of Islamic Religious Leadership (MIRL), a full-time graduate program
2021
• The inaugural cohort of Master of Islamic Religious Leadership (MIRL) students commenced their studies in September.
• BIS joined the Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium (BTIC) as an Associate Member.
• BIS joined the Association of Muslim Chaplains as an institutional member.