February is well known for celebrating black history, but for the first time this year, it has also been designated as Muslim Awareness Month to recognize the nation’s growing diversity.

Freshman Ahmad Saad remembers the loneliness he felt Sept. 12, 2001, when the aftermath of the terrorist attacks began to affect his social life. Saad, who is Muslim, was in third grade when the two planes crashed into the World Trade Center. His friends refused to sit with him at lunch the next day, he said.

About 300 people on campus didn’t eat or drink between 5:22 a.m. and 7:34 p.m. Wednesday, avoiding water fountains and enduring growling stomachs.

Whether Muslim or just interested in the annual monthlong holiday, participants in the Fast-A-Thon fundraiser abstained from food and drink to appreciate the plight of the hungry and poor while improving their inner spirituality.

The event, inspired by the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, was sponsored by the Muslim Students Association.