At iACT, we are so grateful for our Board of Directors! In this Board Spotlight, Güner Arslan, iACT Board Member, tells us a little more about himself.
iACT Board Member
Q: Where are you from? How long have you been in Austin?
A: I was born in Germany from Turkish parents. We moved to Turkey when I was 11. I came to Austin to work on my Ph.D. at UT in 1998.
How long have you served on the iACT Board?
I have been on the board since 2012.
What made you want to serve as an iACT Board Member?
As one of the founders of the Dialogue Institute I’ve worked with iACT on various interfaith projects over the years including major ones like the Abraham Walk and iACT Thanksgiving services. I’ve been involved with iACT when it still was Austin Area Interreligious Ministries going back 15-20 years. When I was asked to serve on the board it didn’t feel like I’m getting involved into something new but rather continue the cooperation on a different level.
What do you enjoy the most about your role as a Board Member of iACT?
The people on the board. We work together with an amazing group of people coming form very different backgrounds yet seeing the same need in our society and working together to address that need.
What’s the most challenging thing about working as a Board Member of iACT?
Although I’m active in the interfaith community I’m also a full-time electrical engineer. For me the challenge is to juggle all the different responsibilities I have and still try to be part of the amazing work that iACT does.
What’s the most rewarding thing about being a Board Member of iACT?
Just being part of this important work at this critical time is the reward even if my only contribution was merely being present.
Why would you encourage others to support the work of iACT?
I really believe that we have to bring people of different backgrounds together to get over prejudices and divisions we have in our society. We live in an age were differences are amplified through social media and politics much more than it was in the past. Yet the work that counters that division is the same as before left to a handful of organizations such as iACT. Not doing anything might have been an option in the past. But today we need everyone who believes that we can and should live in a society where every individual and every group is treated with respect and dignity to step up and actually work towards that goal. And what better place to do just that than iACT?
