During in my first semester, I enrolled in a few religion classes to see if I would like it or not, and I ended up loving it. I began to realize that religion was always present in various ways and started to think a lot about how I had witnessed the different ways states and institutions approached religion while growing up abroad.
– isabella infante
Why did you major in Religion?
To better understand the world around me, obviously! When I transferred to UVM, I knew I wanted to double major in something that would complement political science while offering different perspectives on the questions I grappled with in that field. Initially, I considered economics (which, in hindsight, I don’t think I would have liked) or philosophy, but then my dad suggested religion. So, during in my first semester, I enrolled in a few religion classes to see if I would like it or not, and I ended up loving it. I began to realize that religion was always present in various ways and started to think a lot about how I had witnessed the different ways states and institutions approached religion while growing up abroad. And who knows, maybe my parents dragging my sister and I to all those churches and temples throughout my youth primed my interest on a subconscious level!
Where do you imagine yourself in 10 years?
I’m not sure what shape this will take, but making education and important knowledge about politics, religion, and the media more accessible to others. At the bare minimum, we can hope I will finally be coming around to being a real person with healthcare and knowledge about how to pay my taxes and surrounded by people who I love and care about who are helping me learn and experience new things.
Imagine a first-year student has asked your advice about REL courses. What’s the one she shouldn’t dream about missing? Why?
Religion, Nation, and State! I know that’s not an introductory-level course, but I believe that, generally, seminars are the best classes. By the end of the semester, I had more questions than answers, but in a fun and interesting way that made me want to learn more. I also really appreciated the way Professor Borchert facilitated discussions and made us truly think about all that complexity.
If you could write any book, what would it be?
Hmmm that’s hard! Maybe compile all the post cards I have sent and received from my friends and family? I go through phases of sending letters to people. My little cousin and I were pen pals for a while, but he got too cool for me once he got to high school. I also wrote a lot of letters to my high school friends when our senior year was interrupted by covid. It was a nice way to make meaningful time for them when I couldn’t just see them every day like I was used to. And sometimes when my parents or I go to a new place we send each other postcards. It’s fun to show people where you’ve been and what you have been up to and to reflect on how your paths have diverged and come together at different times. I have almost all the letters and postcards I’ve received from the last five or so years saved, so that’s nice.
Any fond memories of the Department you want to share?
I will fondly remember all the times we spent laughing in my religion, nation, and state classes. To pick just one of those memories, the time that Emily realized I had accidentally come to own a signed copy of Onishi’s book – which was definitely not something I prized myself in owning, but hey… shoutout to Half-Priced Books! They have catered to my textbook needs since high school, and I am forever grateful.
What did we miss? Anything else you’d like to share?
I always tell my younger sister to take classes with the professors she likes rather than the classes that sound interesting. It will be the professors who will make the content interesting and encourage you to learn and care. I think you learn the most when you have a good teacher, and the faculty of the religion department defiantly hold that to be true. My religion classes have been my favorite courses and the ones I have learned the most in. Not only do the religion professors deliver excellent instruction, but they really care about their students and are super supportive. I am very grateful to all of them!
