For many new students leaving home for the first time, college is a departure from home cooking, free laundry and also family-oriented religion. Part of the change lies in deciding how to practice while they are away from the influence of their parents. At Stanford, many find that the newfound autonomy that comes with college strengthens spirituality.
“College is a time of evolution,” said President of the Jewish Leadership Council Carla Fenves, a junior. “Just like you’re finding your major [and] your friends, you’re finding your religion.”
Alongside sports teams and community service projects in the University’s activity agenda exists a core of religious groups that are quiet but thriving.
Stanford is home to religious groups from Bahá’í to Zoroastrianism. According to Dean of Religious Life Scotty McLennan, approximately half of Stanford students are affiliated to some degree with a religious institution.
While there is a core of religious groups at Stanford, there are a number of individuals who prefer to practice privately.
Aarti Rao, educator for the Hindu Students Council, said, “If you want to play soccer you can’t just go out and kick a soccer ball around yourself,” as opposed to religion which is perfectly plausible as an individual activity.
For those who would rather join a religious community, Stanford Associated Religions, an organization currently comprised of thirty registered faiths, aims to unite religious groups. According to McLennan, the purpose of this organization is to “ensure that members represent [their respective] group[s] and purposes forthrightly while at the same time respecting the religious traditions of other groups.”
Only about half a dozen religious groups on campus are unaffiliated with SAR.
A common goal of many student-run religious groups is to invite members of the Stanford community to learn about new practices and beliefs. This leads to outreach projects, interfaith retreats and dialogues, concerts and intra-program discussions.
In fact, earlier this year, it led to the creation of a new group altogether.
Mosaic, a multi-denominational Christian organization, is an amalgam of four formerly separate groups. One aim of this union was to create a large forum for Christian communication and worship on campus and to spark discussion among its members. This kind of cooperation allows students to practice their beliefs in a more socially connected atmosphere.
This growing aspiration has led to extensive interaction among different religious communities. For example, Hillel, a Jewish organization, sponsors Middle East issues discussions to bring Jewish and Muslim students together; they also lead an interfaith retreat.
“I’ve gotten even more of a diverse sense about other people and their religions,” Fenves said.
This sentiment is common. Members of religious groups note that the openness of exchange among groups serves to combat social barriers.
Priyanka Bakaya, president of the Hindu Students Council, remarked on the ease with which international students get along.
“There’s no barrier between people from India and Pakistan,” she pointed out.
McLennan echoed Bakaya’s sentiment.
“Pluralism is really the name of the game in the Bay Area,” he said.