Moeez Islam Malik | Student

Initiative and Empathy

“I never knew that I would be a leader,” admits Moeez Islam Malik ’27. Yet just a few years into his college career, he has become just that.

After struggling to adjust during his first semester on campus, this self-described introvert from Lahore, Pakistan, hit a turning point thanks to an honest conversation with his first-year seminar professor Greg Schwipps ’95. “He gave me some advice and told me to take on some leadership roles, to join clubs on campus, to start hanging out with other people, to explore my opportunities.”

Malik took the advice to heart, and before long he was working at the library, joining student organizations and beginning to grow into the vibrant, outgoing leader he is today. His involvement on campus has been extensive — from leading campus tours to tutoring computer science students — but at the heart of it all is the trio of leadership roles he holds as president of the Muslim Student Association, co-president of the Pakistani Student Association and vice president of the DeBadminton Club.

“I wanted to lead a religious club, a cultural club and a sports club — to stay involved in all three aspects and see how things go. I'm now doing it, and I think it’s been going really well for me.”

Whether Malik is leading Friday prayers, making new friends on the badminton court or hosting a community meal in his apartment, his approach to leadership is as consistent as it is profound. “Leadership should always include two things: initiative and empathy,” he explains. “If you don’t show those two things, you cannot be a good leader.”

It’s a philosophy that Malik puts into practice on a daily basis. He has helped facilitate events that draw people together into supportive and welcoming spaces. He has connected his peers to important resources for academic, spiritual and emotional well-being. He has mentored fellow Muslim students about how to navigate college life while maintaining a faithful religious practice. And he has advocated for unity in the face of tense national and global events. All of it flows from a desire to be a leader who listens well and prioritizes genuine understanding.

“Humanity comes first,” he says. “We're all friends. We’re in a close knit community. We’re educated individuals. One thing we do is we hold good conversations together.”

At DePauw, Malik has found an environment where his passion for connection can thrive and his leadership potential can be unleashed. He’s confident that his journey has brought him to the right place, and that he has the right people around him to make him a leader who leaves an impact wherever he goes.

“Everything until now has played a big part in making me grow as a leader. When you're in the process of becoming a mentor, you also need a mentor, and I consider everyone I've met so far to be my mentors. All of them have contributed to my growth and my personality. I can guarantee you that if I did not come to DePauw, I would not be this person.”