May 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Summer represents a bitter-sweet half-way point for many. A time to prep for the fall, and a chance to reflect on the year so far. Before the confetti settled on the ground, and before gold 2025 tassels migrated across mortar boards, we asked the departing class to reflect on their time at Emory. Here\u2019s what they had to say: \u201cMy plan after graduation is to pursue a master’s in religion, and potentially PhD in the future.\u201d \u2013 Yihang Li, Quantitative Sciences\u2014BS, Religion, Class of \u201825<\/p>\n Congratulations, Class of 2025!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" May 2025 Summer represents a bitter-sweet half-way point for many. A time to prep for the fall, and a chance…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9591,"featured_media":888,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-student-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/files\/2025\/05\/Class-of-2025-Majors-and-Minors-Instagram-Post-1.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9591"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=883"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/883\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":891,"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/883\/revisions\/891"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/888"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/religionblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Why did you choose to study Religion?<\/strong>
\u201cI chose to major in religion to explore the intersection between belief, culture, and history.\u201d -Jack Halloran, Business Administration – BBA, Religion, Class of \u201825
\u201cI had been passionate about spirituality, mysticism, and philosophy; I had also been curious about religion and art; More specifically, I had been interested in the concept of reincarnation, renunciation of the world, and awakening in Asian religions.\u201d -Yijin Li, Art History \u2013 BA, Philosophy & Religion, Class of \u201825
\u201cLearning that numinous forces can be found in all spheres of life, not exclusively limited to studying religion and spirituality, has allowed me to extend my comprehension of subjects within all disciplines and theorize with a nuanced analysis of behavior and thought.\u201d \u2013 Sophia Chenault, Philosophy and Religion Major, Class of \u201825
\u201cI chose to be a Religion major because I believe that religion is one of the most powerful lenses to understand individuals and how they see the world!\u201d \u2013 Paige Scanlon, Religion \u2013 BA, Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture Major, Class of \u201925
\u201cAs a practicing Christian who also honors and educates others about my ancestral heritage of Shakti Hindu worship in the Caribbean, I found the Religion Department to be a deeply affirming space. It has given me the opportunity to embrace and celebrate my identity while keeping the spiritual traditions of my ancestors alive.\u201d -Matthew Veerasammy, Political Science \u2013 BA, Religion, Class of \u201825
\u201cI chose to major in Religion after taking more classes and realizing that I loved studying religion from a sociological approach. I stayed a religion major for the community.\u201d \u2013 Ameya Bellamkonda, Business Administration \u2013 BBA, Religion, Class of \u201925
\u201cI chose to major in religion because it is an interdisciplinary field that allows me to explore my academic interest through different angles, including sociology, philosophy, history, anthropology, etc. This flexibility allowed me to engage deeply with difficult questions about belief, culture, and society.\u201d \u2013 Yihang Li, Quantitative Sciences\u2014BS, Religion, Class of \u201825
What did you find most rewarding in your studies?<\/strong>
\u201cI am incredibly grateful to all of my professors who have encouraged me to make theoretical connections that allow me to understand the ethics of social justice and art through a lens that emphasizes the importance of understanding religious beliefs and ethical values.\u201d -Sophia Chenault, Philosophy and Religion Major, Class of \u201825
\u201cWhat keeps motivating me in the study of religion is that there are always new questions coming up, pushing me to more specific fields or topics such as: the interconnection of literature, art, and ritual in Tibetan tantric practices, the difference between monastic and non-monastic culture, and the political-spiritual relationship between teacher- and student- practitioners.\u201d -Yijin Li, Art History \u2013 BA, Philosophy & Religion, Class of \u201825
\u201cThe Religion Department has broadened my perspective on faith, worship, and spirituality, and has deepened my respect for the beliefs and rituals of others.\u201d -Matthew Veerasammy, Political Science \u2013 BA, Religion, Class of \u201825
\u201cThe discussion-based classes, the support from professor and peers, and the push to pursue my curiosities within the field have inspired me to not only just major in Religion but a passionate advocate for the department.\u201d \u2013 Ameya Bellamkonda, Business Administration \u2013 BBA, Religion, Class of \u201925
\u201cEvery single faculty member, staff, and peer I came across has been supportive, caring, and kind. I really enjoyed my time here.\u201d \u2013 Yihang Li, Quantitative Sciences\u2014BS, Religion, Class of \u201925
What are your post-graduation plans?<\/strong>
\u201cAfter graduation, I will begin my Master of Theological Studies at the Candler School of Theology, where I will research restorative justice methods and Christian ethics of forgiveness through the lens of various liberation theologies, primarily focusing on Black Christianity.\u201d -Sophia Chenault, Philosophy and Religion Major, Class of \u201825
\u201cI plan to go to the Havard Regional Studies-East Asian master program to pursue graduate studies in Himalayan and Chinese religion and art.\u201d -Yijin Li, Art History \u2013 BA, Philosophy & Religion, Class of \u201825
\u201cAfter Emory, I am attending Harvard Divinity School to pursue interfaith chaplaincy.\u201d \u2013 Paige Scanlon, Religion \u2013 BA, Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture Major, Class of \u201925
\u201cMy goal is to apply to law or divinity school within the next year or two and, God willing, begin the next chapter by pursuing a J.D. with the aspiration of becoming an environmental or corporate lawyer.\u201d – Matthew Veerasammy, Political Science \u2013 BA, Religion, Class of \u201825
\u201cAfter graduation, I\u2019ll be a financial analyst at GE Aerospace in a finance-based, leadership development program!\u201d \u2013 Ameya Bellamkonda, Business Administration \u2013 BBA, Religion, Class of \u201925<\/p>\n\n\n\n