A new student organization, the Unitarian Universalist Student Association, offers students the chance to learn about faiths and spiritualities outside of their own in an open and free setting.
For Ohio University students wanting to take a broad look at religion and faith, there’s a new group on campus that can offer guidance.
The Unitarian Universalist Student Association started in September and has been meeting weekly on Thursday evenings in Baker Center, Brandon Dowler, president of the association, said.
Dowler, a freshman studying women’s, gender and sexuality studies and social work, said in an email he formed the group in September because he wanted “a place for people of all religions and non-religions to come together and understand different faiths.”
According to the national Unitarian Universalist Association website, the association’s beliefs are “diverse and inclusive” with no shared creed among members. The association promotes seven key principles, the first being the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
Vice President Hunter Kazmierczak, a freshman studying psychology, said the association is a way for all students to learn about religions without the fear of judgement.
“It’s important to promote religious and spiritual diversity on campus and allow people to choose what they want to believe in,” Kazmierczak said.
Kazmierczak added that many people are often scared away by religious organizations, and the group has worked hard to gain student interest.
Dowler, Kazmierczak and other offices sat outside the fourth floor of Baker on Wednesday to garner interest in the organization, while also trying to break down stereotypes surrounding religious organizations, Kazmierczak said.
Colin Halsey, the secretary of the organization and a freshman who is undecided, said he joined the association because he thought the group generally seemed interesting.
Halsey added that he hopes to gain knowledge about different religions, as he came from a non-religious background.
The association hopes to impact OU’s campus by educating students about different forms of spirituality, while giving students a place of freedom to practice their faith, Dowler said.
In addition, the group plans to hold educational events for both OU students and Athens residents to attend, Dowler said.
The advisor of the association, Barb Harrison, is also the president of the congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, and the two organizations plan to interact and collaborate often, Dowler said.
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The mission of the association is to “devote their resources to and exercise their corporate powers for religious, educational and humanitarian purposes,” Dowler said in an email.
“The primary purpose of the association is to serve the needs of its members, promote self-exploration, and extend and strengthen Unitarian Universalist institutions and implement their principles,” Dowler said in an email.
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