Salima Burke had been interested in inter-faith relations for a long time, but the events of September 11, 2001 intensified her need to better understand differences between faiths. As a Muslim, she was being asked a great deal of questions about Muslim-Christian relations, so she figured the best way to answer was to arm herself with as much knowledge as possible. The Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University was the first place she looked. From there she found the perfect combination of academic rigor and flexibility in Georgetown's Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program.

Through courses such as Islamic Activist Intellectuals and The History of Muslim-Christian Relations, Salima has begun to understand the current interactions by understanding history. Through reading and classroom discussion, Salima has discovered multiple understandings of Islam and a great variety of ways that people practice Islam today. Salima's perspectives have been challenged by both the contemporary and historical issues brought up in class, and by the thoughts of the diverse student body from all over the globe. As professors encourage her to never settle for easy answers, and classroom discussions continue in the hallways, she is learning that dialogue may be more important than definitions. "The professors' concern for the students and their dedication to effective teaching, as well as outstanding scholarship, made classroom interactions engaging. In other environments that I have been in, the professors have been so distant, there hasn't been that exchange. The professors commitment to teaching made for a very interactive learning environment. I can't say enough about what a great learning experience Georgetown has been."