With a student population of over 40,000 from over 110 countries, the University hosts a diverse selection of religious services and organizations from around the world. Students can take their pick amongst a wide range of activities, groups and levels of commitment to find the best fit for their interests and schedule. 

But with so many options in extracurriculars, religious groups may provide more than just resume-boosting activities and volunteering opportunities. Participating in a religious organization can help many students find a place on campus. 

The Christian faith has many outlets on campus. While some groups are interdenominational, others are made to unify very specific groups of people, so students should research the different registered student organizations and services available. Some of the larger organizations include Illini Life, Cru and the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. All groups seek to help students grow their relationship with God through biblical communities, though they vary on the type of service work, retreats and resources that they offer their members. 

Fred Kirstein, coordinator for Illini Life, said the organization’s emphasis on the Christian community helps connect members to other Christian groups on campus and a large alumni network as resources. Brittany Small, a campus staff member at InterVarsity and ‘11 alumna, explained how her organization helped her live out her faith in authentic ways that impact the campus and community.

“Being involved with InterVarsity improves a student’s University experience through high-quality leadership development and training as well as opportunities to develop friendships with students from all over campus,” she said. “(Students) also leave campus better prepared to live out their faith in meaningful ways in places beyond the University.”

For those practicing the Catholic faith, campus hosts the St. John Catholic Newman Center and FOCUS: Fellowship of Catholic University Students, along with other options. Jewish centers and groups also form communities for many students, including the Illini Hillel and the Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus. These organizations also provide many opportunities to participate in community service work, grow through leadership activities, and make an impact through educational outreach. 

Others students join communities around the Muslim faith. Zuheir Kotob, upcoming president for the Muslim Student Association and senior in Media, shared how while the organization participates in religious practices, philanthropy, professional development and staying active, it is also a very social group. Last Thanksgiving, the group hosted a relief trip with Islamic Relief to New York to aid the victims of Hurricane Sandy. 

Groups like the Illini Secular Student Alliance, whose mission is to bring together “atheists, agnostics and freethinkers,” also find a place at the University among Humanists at UIUC and Interfaith in Action, facilitating thriving communities on campus. They exist in the same vein as other religious groups on campus, hosting various retreats, community service work, and educational services.

Derek Miller, president of the Illini Secular Student Alliance and senior in LAS, has been participating in his organization since he was a freshman. From service work and philanthropy to bringing guest speakers and hosting debates, ISSA promotes its members to contribute to the community and support different ways of thinking. Miller believes students can benefit greatly from participating, by gaining an appreciation for a plurality of viewpoints and learning to rationally tackle matters of public policy and greater moral issues.

While some of the more prominent organizations have been listed, it would be quite lengthy to go into every option available to students on campus. From the Baha’i Center to the Wesley Foundation and the University YMCA to the Prairie Zen Center, many of the world’s practicing religions have an organization or service on campus to welcome them to a community that will foster their personal, professional and spiritual development. Many even have subcategory organizations to unify close, specific groups of people. 

Student can familiarize themselves with the available religious organizations and services on campus either by searching the RSO database, walking by the religious booths on Quad Day or by exploring different resources, like the directory on the Office of the Dean of Students’ website. Joining a religious organization or service is one way students can become part of a supportive community that helps personal growth, professional development and encourages a philanthropic responsibility in its members.  

Sarah can be reached at [email protected].