From first hello to first event.
New students can use SSA as a soft landing place: meet people, learn the campus, and find support early.
Somali Student Association
Culture, community, and leadership for Somali students at the University of Minnesota.
Serving Somali students
1998
Flipping through the years…
Culture
Community
Leadership
Student Support
Stories
What SSA looks like in practice.
From your first event to a seat on the board — here's how students grow with SSA.
Events with a reason behind them.
Mixers, cultural nights, field days, and service projects all help students build belonging beyond classes.
Small roles become real ownership.
Students can move from attending, to volunteering, to committees, to board-level leadership.
By the numbers
SSA at the U, at a glance.
One of the largest Somali student communities on campus — built on culture, programming, and student leadership. Tap any i for context.
About
A home for Somali students at the U.
SSA is a student-led organization dedicated to promoting Somali culture, supporting Somali students, and building meaningful connections across campus and the broader Twin Cities community.
Culture
Language, food, history, poetry, fashion, storytelling, and cultural education.
Community
Events and partnerships that connect students, alumni, families, and local leaders.
Leadership
Committee roles, project ownership, and board pathways for student growth.
Calendar
Upcoming SSA moments.
Freshman Mixer
Meet students, learn the campus, and find your first SSA connections.
Fall Kickoff
A clean reset for the school year with food, music, and community.
Family Feud
A community game night built for teams, laughter, and friendly competition.
Field Day
An outdoor community day with games, bonding, and space to meet more SSA members.
Programs
How SSA programs its events.
Every SSA event falls into one of two buckets. It shapes the size, the goal, and how we plan it.
Campus-Focused Events
Designed for broad student reach. Typically larger, more social, and attendance-driven — the goal is visibility, engagement, and campus presence.
- Higher attendance targets
- More promotional infrastructure required
- Energy-forward programming
- Designed to grow SSA's campus footprint
- Often tied to seasonal moments or high-traffic windows
Community-Focused Events
Intentional and specific. They prioritize depth over scale — conversation, reflection, service, and genuine community value. The goal is connection, not just attendance.
- More thoughtful, discussion-driven programming
- Designed for targeted audiences or specific purposes
- Impact-oriented over attendance-oriented
- Often more intimate in format and setting
- Reflects SSA's responsibility to the broader Somali community
Support
Donate to SSA.
Every dollar funds events, culture nights, and student programming. The fastest way to give is right here.
Secure checkout — Apple Pay, card, or PayPal. Opens in a window, no clutter on the page.
or pick a quick amount
Leadership
Meet the president.
President
Salman Said
Salman leads SSA's vision and direction — setting priorities for the year, representing the org across campus, and making sure culture and community stay at the center of every decision.
Get in touch