Mohamed Elshekh, a junior religious studies and diplomacy major, said that he was in the best place for religious studies.
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Several students said that what makes the program great are the professors in the religious studies department who are dedicated to their craft and are willing to give time to their students.
Kaylee Clemens, a junior philosophy and religion major, said, “Ten out of 10 times, professors point you in the right direction for where you want to take a paper.”
The professors in the department do not only just help out on papers and readings. Elshekh said that he and assistant professor Michael Maloney met a few time over the summer to discuss a book that they were unable to finish during the spring semester.
Both said that many of the department’s professors are open for “drop-in” conversations about any issue a student has, whether it be about the coursework or if the student has core questions.
Students said that the coursework is “different work,” which are not the traditional quizzes and tests given in class. “It’s a whole lot of reading and writing,” Elshekh said. “But, it’s that reading and writing where you’ll be engaged, because you’re speaking about problems that encompass everyone’s mind.”
Clemens said she writes a lot of open-ended essays where she gets to pick her own topic and write about topics that make her curious.
A typical day for a religious studies major is filled with activities and meetings for those extremely dedicated to the subject. Joseph McHale, a freshman philosophy theology major, is a seminarian at Seton Hall and described his schedule, which starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m.
McHale said he begins his day with meditation after waking up and then conducts a morning prayer at 7 a.m. From there, he attends a daily mass.
In the evening, McHale attends an evening prayer at 5:15 p.m., a benediction, a Eucharistic adoration, dinner and then concludes his day with a night prayer.
There are also opportunities for students who are not studying to be a priest. Some religious studies majors said that they are using some of the skills they have learned in the program and applying them to other subjects. Clemens said she plans to attend law school after graduation.
“Hopefully, all the readings and writings prepare me for the entrance exams,” Clemens said. “But I would like to come back to religion, and trace back to the roots.”
Jason Maryeski can be reached at jason.maryeski@student.shu.edu.
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