Note from the Chair

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Fall is always a busy season in the Religious Studies department, and 2025 has been no different. We teach the largest number of first-level religious studies courses in the fall quarter as we welcome the new class of incoming students. RS faculty do an excellent job introducing students to the academic study of religion and to the life of a college student at Santa Clara. I am grateful for how well they do this important work in the life of the university. The fruits of that labor are evidenced in the wave of students who have declared a religious studies major or minor in the last few weeks. No doubt they are also drawn to the incredible range of interesting courses they see available in the coming quarter. Did you know that we offer over 160 courses each academic year?

Faculty are also excelling in their work outside the classroom. Once again, the department had two recipients of college awards at the beginning of the year–David Gray won the Professor Joseph Bayma, S.J. Scholarship Award for outstanding and prolific scholarly output, and Elyse Raby won the Public Intellectual Award for her extensive media presence at the time of the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo. Congratulations to both David and Elyse for this well-deserved recognition. In addition, Ana Maria Pineda, RSM was awarded the Peter Hinde CRISPAZ Peace Award at a dinner in the de Saisset museum honoring her in October.

From programming for the university and department, to their scholarly achievements, all of our faculty have continued their excellent work and I invite you to explore this edition of Perspectives to get a taste of all they have been up to. We also know that you, our larger Religious Studies community of alumni, have been up to great things. We want to hear from you and share your stories as well. Please send updates to us at religiousstudies@scu.edu.

With gratitude for all who are part of our RS community–students, faculty, staff, and alumni–I wish you a happy holiday season and New Year.

Jim Bennett
Chair, Religious Studies Department

Ana María Pineda, RSM, Honored by Christians for Peace in El Salvador

Ana María was awarded the 2025 Peter Hinde CRISPAZ Peace Award at Santa Clara University for her lifelong commitment to the Latino/a community and her dedication to preserving the memory of the Martyrs of El Salvador.

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Third Annual Camino de los Muertos Event

Celebrating the bonds between the living and the dead.

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An Evening with a Sufi Sheikh

Daniel Morgan and Gaurika Mehta hosted the prominent Pakistani Sufi and interfaith activist, Sahibzada Asim Maharvi. Maharvi spent about an hour introducing students to Sufism and answering their questions about Sufi ideas and practices.

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Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead workshop explains traditions and rituals that honor loved ones who have passed.

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How Ordinary People and Community Organizing Affect Politics

This RS Conversation was anchored by Nicholas Hayes-Mota with special guest Liz Hall, lead organizer for Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good.

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American Agitators screening brings together SCU and the Local Community

American Agitators is a new documentary about Fred Ross, Sr., the organizer who mentored Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.

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Fred Parrella

Our beloved colleague, Professor Emeritus Fred Parrella, passed away on October 17, 2025.

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Eugene Schlesinger

Eugene Schlesinger's travels this Fall included Thessaloniki, Greece, Belgium, and Boston. Along the way, he managed to finish the manuscript for a book on the liturgical calendar. 

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Gaurika Mehta

Gaurika Mehta presented a paper at the "Plantation Worlds" conference at UCSC, proposing new intersections between Black Studies and South Asian Studies.

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Nicholas Hayes-Mota

Nicholas Hayes-Mota published a book chapter, was a featured panelist at an event at Georgetown University, was a special guest and featured speaker at the West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation's Regional Seminar, and presented a draft book chapter at an authors' workshop at Harvard Divinity School.

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Jessica Coblentz '08

Jessica returned to campus in October to deliver the Rev. Francis L. Markey Women in Ministry lecture: “Have Women in Ministry Been Set Up to Burn Out?” Her lecture looked to revolutionary leader in Catholic women’s ministerial formation and theological education, Sr. Madeleva Wolff, CSC, for insights about ministerial burnout and lessons for responding to it today.  Jessica is an associate professor of Religious Studies and Theology at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Watch the video recording

Laura Clark '24

After graduating as a Religious Studies and Philosophy double major (and honors student), Laura spent a year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Portland, ME. She is now in her first year of graduate school at Boston College, working toward a Master of Philosophy.

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Maggi Van Dorn '08

Maggi produced James Martin's The Spiritual Life podcast as well as other podcasts for America magazine.

We would love to hear from you! If you have any news or memories to share (tell us your best RS story!), would like to update us about your current life and work, or have any ideas for RS programs and initiatives, please email religiousstudies@scu.edu.

You might include a story or photo of a recent event, or just let us know about your current location, career, or thoughts. Thank you!