By ESTHER GONZALES
MAHWAH-Slowly, a yellow monarch floats peacefully, landing on a purple bush. Bees buzz back and forth on their important mission to find nectar. Ripples of the lake in the background move softly in the wind with small fish swimming below its surface. Wildflowers, budding all around the Salameno Spiritual center, create a picturesque view of the the perfect getaway for students to meditate and pray at Ramapo College.
One of Ramapo’s many attributes is its diverse religious clubs and organizations. With over 100 clubs and 7 religious clubs, such as Campus Crusaders for Christ, Intervarsity, Hillel and the Muslim Student Association, Ramapo students have different options to explore their spirituality.
Salameno Spiritual center is located on campus with several rooms that are dedicated to religious preferences and free of use for religious practices. The center, overlooking a peaceful lake and a beautiful scenery of flowers in the Spring, is nestled in between academic buildings and the food court, which makes it an ideal location for any student to find.
At times, the typical college experience may be overwhelming, but Ramapo College provides safe havens to ease the students transitions and creates safe spaces where any belief, or search of beliefs, are widely accepted. As students search for purpose, belonging and a way to express who they truly are, or want to be, there is a place for them. Ramapo’s diverse religious clubs add to a unique part of campus culture that often times may easily be overshadowed in the spotlight of academics.
Along with finding community, religious clubs are beneficial, according to two counselor educators, Mark Parrish and David Brown, who wrote an article regarding the benefits of spirituality to the life of a college students, because they find love and acceptance in the midst of all the struggles they go through during their college years.
In a study conducted in 2003, the Higher Education Research Institute found that 80 percent of college students have an interest in spirituality, 47 percent of college students seek opportunities to help them grow spiritually and 81 percent of college students attend religious services. But, here at Ramapo, what is spiritual life like?
Campus Crusaders for Christ
As a Christian club on campus, Campus Crusaders for Christ (CRU) seeks to give everyone at Ramapo College an opportunity to explore their faith and learn more about Jesus Christ. Building a community on campus, they welcome students to find a space where they can ask questions regarding the Bible, faith and life. Through large group meetings, small group meetings and JCru, an event where CRU’s from college campuses across New Jersey gather at Rutgers University for a worship night, students can identify with like-minded individuals and feel at home at Ramapo College.
Katie Kazlau, vice president of CRU, has been a member on the e-board since January 2017
“I don’t think [Ramapo] is a particularly spiritual campus,” said Katie Kazlau, vice president of CRU. “What I notice is, there’s a lot of commuters. A lot of people just come here for their classes. They usually stick to their close friends.”
“I’d say the students’ main needs are a sense of belongingness and a sense of purpose,” Kazlau said.
“[CRU] provides a sense of belonging that students are looking for because it lets the students know whoever they are and whatever background they come from they all are loved by Christ and we all can share that together,” she added. “It gives the students a place where they can get away from their school work for a little while, hear the Gospel message and just know that there’s someone that loves them; there’s things beyond this world. No matter what happens in this world there’s something beyond that.”
Hillel
Building a close-knit community, Ramapo College Hillel offers a space for Jewish students in particular to find a home away from home. Through raising awareness about Jewish culture, monthly meetings with other Hillel college groups, organizing a trip to Israel every year and engaging in volunteer activities in the local community, Hillel spreads its wings beyond the four walls of Ramapo.
“There are a lot of Jews on campus, most likely more than those that come to our events,” said Eve Millstein, social director of Ramapo College Hillel. “What I see as the students’ main needs is a place to express themselves and to be with people that share similarities. Hillel is a great place where Jewish students can connect with other Jewish students.”
“Ramapo Hillel also provides different events every week that (hopefully) interest its members. We try to connect our events to different aspects of Judaism,” said Millstein. Most of our events are fun, for example we are doing crafting, discussions, and Shabbat Dinners.”
Last year, members of Hillel held a Kaddish candlelight ceremony on campus in honor of the 11 victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. The ceremony, which was attended by hundreds of other students, is only one example of an unified spiritual community coming together in times of tragedy and crisis.
A small glance at Ramapo College’s other religious clubs:
Inter-varsity Christian Fellowship- Students of Ramapo College are invited to join Inter-varsity where they will learn more about God at weekly Bible studies, small groups and retreats. Inter-varsity seeks to allow students to come together and reach out to their peers to show the love of Christ.
Muslim Student Association- As a community for both non-Muslim and Muslim students alike, MSA focuses on teaching Islam to help raise awareness, understanding and appreciation for its teachings. Through weekly activities, MSA seeks to build an intimate community for the students at Ramapo.
Newman Catholic Group- Newman Catholic Group’s goal is to provide students with a place where they can grow together both spiritually and socially through activities and meetings. An on campus mass is held every Sunday at 8:30 p.m. at the Salameno Spiritual Center.
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