Religious Studies Arroyo Vista Housing 2019-2020
Department: Religious Studies
Post Date: March 1, 2019News Details
The Religious Studies House in Arroyo Vista prides itself in serving as a residence for students who are interested in patient, thoughtful, interactive, and open-minded examination/discussion of human belief systems – religious, philosophical, and ideological. Representatives of all undergraduate majors, programs, faiths, and points of view are encouraged and welcomed. Students are able to challenge their assumptions and enrich their understanding and respect for other ideologies and religions. This housing provides an ideal opportunity to engage with peers, faculty, and local religious leaders. The ultimate goal is to enrich students' understanding of, and respect for the values and basic assumptions by which they and other human beings navigate their lives.
Students who are passionate about Religious Studies and want to surround themselves with like-minded students with similar interests had the chance to apply for this 2019 - 2020 housing opportunity. The Religious Studies House currently has five students, and the group is about to rapidly expand! Several students applied – and interestingly, none of the applicants were Religious Studies majors. Each student had a unique reason and motive for wanting to join the Religious Studies dialogue and community, check out what each student shared:
“I have a friend living there [in the 2018-2019 Religious Studies House] and she told me about how interesting it’s been to participate in religious dialogue with others and I would like to have this opportunity as well in the future.” -Valerie Orozco, Senior Global Cultures & European Studies Major
“I grew up in Jewish family but have had exposure to several different religions and spiritual paths throughout my life. Though my major is biomedical engineering, I am fascinated by religion and often learn about religions outside of school. I am taking a class about Asian religions right now and I am enjoying it very much.” -Abby Germaine, Sophomore Biomedical Engineering Major
“I am really glad to see that there will be a religious studies house in Arroyo Vista next year. Since I took the religious study last quarter, I have had a huge interest in and passion for religion. I am super interested in this house living for the next academic year.” -Glen Wu, Junior Informatics Major
“I have taken two religious studies class and really enjoyed my experience as I got to learn about different perspectives from people of different background and experiences. It gave me an insight into the origins of the idea of the religion and I could find the answer to my questions but also left with even more questions. I think that religion by itself is very interesting and complicated topic but I enjoy unwrapping the “mystery” behind it. I hope to meet people on the Religious Studies house and make longer connections.” -Nigina Pulatova, Junior Computer Science Major
“I've always been interested in Eastern religions (Mahayana/Theravada/Zen Buddhism, Daoism, Shintoism, Hinduism, etc.) and Western philosophy. I think the Religious Studies housing would suit me very well and offer me a place to discuss and learn more about the values and patterns of thought from various different cultures.” -Jason Wu, Freshman Business Information Management Major