Students who have majored or minored in Religion have gone on to
a wide variety of careers, as you see below. Our graduates have become
lawyers, counselors, ministers, priests, and pastors, computer programmers,
professionals in business and economics, and professors in Religion—including
religion and literature, the history of religions, Buddhist studies,
Jewish studies, and many other areas. We have selected excerpts from
what our graduates have told us about their lives after K, and we
hope that their remarks will be of use to students in planning their
lives after graduation.
“I think that being a religion minor provided an excellent
background for my future studies and my career as it helped me to
develop important critical thinking and analytical skills. The
courses provided a strong foundation which allowed me
to develop the skills necessary to be successful both in law
school and in my legal career.”
“How do I feel about my experience as a Religion major
at K and how useful was the degree for me? Invaluable. While
I went on to study specifically Catholic Theology once I left K -I
found that the exposure and the depth to which I had studied
things like Liberation Theology, Feminist Theology, Classical Judaism,
prepared me well for the academic graduate degree that I earned. I
found the faculty very accessible and willing to challenge me
outside of the classroom. My experience as Religion major
changed my life.”
“I would say that the major in religion helped
me pinpoint what exactly interests me about the social sciences
and really the large discipline of religion. I explored the different
areas of religious study while at Kalamazoo College and from there
decided on a graduate program.”
“It was a privilege to study in the religion department, or
I would not have chosen it as a major. I know nothing prepared
or challenged me more to analyze or form arguments than my
major in religion. I have fond memories of random chats with
Dr. Shattuck, the storytelling of Dr. Schmeichel, and biting debates
in Dr. Anderson´s
class.”
“As one professor said when I originally considered it, nothing
will serve me better in work in journalism, law or politics than an
understanding of religion, and the study of humanities in a liberal
arts context. Moreover, nothing will serve the world better
than a greater understanding of varied religions and worldviews,
and students going into the world with a sense of social justice
and philanthropy.”
“As for reflections, I have to say that as a double major
in political science and religion I honestly enjoyed the religion
department and degree requirements more than political science. The
department was very closely connected and cared about the students. There
were no impersonal feelings when I walked into any office and every
professor knew me by name and knew other things going on in my life,
I think this also is a plus to going to a school like K. By
having my degree in religion, it provided me a good basis of different
religious values, an appreciation for those different values, and
a good stepping stone towards providing more culturally competent
healthcare to the women and children I worked with. I feel
like the degree made me better rounded as an individual, so it
had personal and professional implications in my life.”
“I have a lot of fond memories of being a religion (along
with math) major at K. The faculty was amazing – every
professor in the department was knowledgeable, engaging
and approachable. Although I have spent the last 8 years in the
marketing world, I have intentions of returning to my theological
roots either through writing or working in business ethics.
We look forward to adding to these comments from our graduates:
one of the best things about Kalamazoo College is the network
of friends that you maintain over the years. Please keep in touch
with us by e-mailing
Dr. Anderson .
