Each year, the Religious Studies department chooses 2 Undergraduate Department Fellows, who act as peer advisors to fellow undergrads (both enrolled in and considering the major/minor) and work in conjunction with the Director of Undergraduate Programs on organizing events and communicating with the Religious Studies undergraduate cohort.

Please reach out to any of them with any questions and to learn about the lived experience of the Religious Studies major/minor from an expert perspective! 

The 2024-25 Religious Studies Undergraduate Department Fellows are:

Susanna Kharatyan (nxe9ar@virginia.edu) is a fourth-year double majoring in Religious Studies and Foreign Affairs. Her concentrations in Religious Studies are Christianity and Islam. Susanna is passionate about exploring the relationship between government, global affairs, and religion and shedding light on how religion influences and shapes institutions and their role in both domestic and foreign policy. She is interested in research on religion-related violence and how to contribute to ongoing dialogues about conflict resolution and peacebuilding, especially between Christian and Muslim communities. One of Susanna's favorite classes in the department has been "Religion, Reform and Democracy," where she researched how religion influenced various political decisions, particularly in the context of the United State's foreign policy, during the Cold War period.

Caroline Quiroga (btk4ya@virginia.edu) is a third-year double major in Religious Studies and History. Her concentration in Religious Studies is Christianity. She is interested in the historical significance of religion in the Southern United States as it pertains to race and racism and the freedom struggles of marginalized groups throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Caroline hopes to pursue a career in education. Her favorite courses thus far have been “Black Religion and the Criminal Justice System” (RELG 3713), “The Black Church” (RELC 2770), both with Kai Parker, and “Religion, Reform, and Democracy” (RELC 3465) with Heather Warren. Caroline is eager to meet prospective and existing Religious Studies majors/minors. Please reach out to her with any peer-related questions regarding the undergraduate program or the department.