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Muslim student allowed to wear hijab at military academy

Sana Hamze is a first-year student at Norwich University in Vermont, where school officials have made accommodations so she can wear her traditional Muslim headscarf.


Updated: 10:23 AM EDT Oct 12, 2016
Jack Thurston
New England Cable News Reporter

NORTHFIELD, Vt. (NECN) —
A policy change pertaining to uniforms at a Vermont military college has enabled a Muslim student to feel welcome on campus.

“I’m just a normal college student,” military recruit Sana Hamze said. “I’m very happy here.”

Hamze, who is from Florida, is of Lebanese heritage. She said she was born in the United States to parents who also were, born in this country.

The 18-year-old recently started her first year at Norwich University in Northfield.

Before Hamze enrolled, Norwich allowed a change to its uniform policy to enable her to wear a hijab, a form of modest dress by Muslim women.

“A lot have had questions,” Hamze said of her fellow students. “Many have asked, 'What’s it called? What does it mean?'”

Hamze’s hijab must be in muted tones to match the camouflage of her recruit’s uniform, she said. Hamze wore a school cap over her hijab on Wednesday that designated her as a recruit.

Another part of her uniform that reflects her Muslim faith is long sleeves and pants, she said. Other students may have short sleeves.

Hamze said she hopes to one day join the Navy, aiming to keep the U.S. safe, including from ISIS.

“Muslims believe in peace,” Hamze said. “I love my county and I love my religion. And Norwich allowing me to come here and wear my hijab with my uniform just perfectly shows how I can love both at the same time.”

Hamze earned national headlines earlier this year when South Carolina’s famed Citadel would not make such uniform accommodations.

“They wanted me to come to the school, just not with it on,” Hamze said of her hijab. “They wanted me to look like everyone else did.”

NBC News reported in May that Citadel president Lt. Gen. John Rosa pointed out the school accommodates students' religious beliefs in other ways, connecting incoming cadets with houses of worship and meeting prayer and dietary needs.

"The standardization of cadets in apparel, overall appearance, actions and privileges is essential to the learning goals and objectives of the college," Rosa said, according to the NBC report. "This process reflects an initial relinquishing of self during which cadets learn the value of teamwork to function as a single unit."

In a letter sent to Norwich University alumni this summer to explain the move, university president Richard Schneider wrote: “This was a very complex legal, moral and ethical issue that is governed by Vermont statutes and general admissions best practices.”

Schneider noted that Texas A&M University approved a similar religious accommodation for a female Muslim student, and that its change was met without incident.

Schneider said he believes that the decision will make Norwich a stronger university, and added that new regulations would also specify the proper wearing and color of the kippah and yarmulke for members of the Jewish faith who want to join the school’s Corps of Cadets.

Norwich’s campus uniform store helped facilitate Hamze’s new attire by communicating with her before her arrival and outlining options for ordering garments.

“We actually work hard to make sure they all feel comfortable and welcome,” Capt. Mary Roux said of students whom the uniform store serves. “This is a home away from home for a lot of them.”

Hamze said her accommodation has not affected how she is treated by other students or during training sessions.

“I do everything that everyone else does,” Hamze said. “I’m held to the same standard. I’m not treated differently, I’m not given an easy way out. I’m treated like everyone else on campus. That’s exactly how I wanted it.”

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