Across the country, different colleges have different reputations, different quality levels, and different tuition costs. Some even have a religious affiliation.
Colorado Mesa University, however, does not. The school itself has no religious affiliation, yet the students can still find their places through available on-campus clubs.
The most well-known group on campus is likely Young Life, which brings students together in an environment of worship, but also one of fun and fellowship. Young Life, which meets every Thursday at 7:57 p.m. in the University Center, Room 213, comes packed full of “Men’s, Women’s, and CO-ED Bible studies,” according to the club’s OrgSync page.
In addition to Young Life, TNL at CMU Master Plan Ministries holds open meetings on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. for all who want to join. Held in Wubben Hall, Room 141, TNL’s description on their OrgSync page simply starts with “Come. Connect. Grow. We are a vibrant community of students from many walks of life.”
Colorado Mesa University student Josephine Downen, who doesn’t quite have a defined religion, expressed that practicing religion on CMU’s campus mostly comes without judgment from others.
“Attending TNL, I don’t feel like everybody’s like ‘Oh, you heathen! You’d better become one of us!’” Downen said.
CMU student Kristiona Vail, on the other hand, is involved in both Young Life and TNL, as well as a third on-campus group, called Faith Life, which is run by Faith Heights church in town.
“I want to get out there and do spiritual stuff every day because that’s how I stay consistent in my own faith and that’s how I grow,” Vail said.
Vail also said that all three religious groups share are nondenominational. Because of that, the groups are able to accept the widest variety of students who want to get involved, learn more, find a good extracurricular group to follow and generally stay connected to their beliefs in a school that doesn’t enforce them.
“There’s a lot of consistencies between TNL and Young Life,” Vail said. She explained that Faith Life is a bit different, as it’s less of a family-type environment and more of a hard study of the gospel. Whatever the case, the groups accept all sorts of people into their clubs with all their beliefs. They’re meant to spread their beliefs, but not necessarily to force them onto people.
“If you were to stuff me into a category, you could probably call me a spiritualist,” said Downen. “I believe in the afterlife and in a higher power but there are some differences between what I believe and Christianity.” Downen admitted to really liking TNL, despite the fact that she’s uncertain about her religion. “I want to learn about Christianity because I didn’t grow up with it,” Downen said.
Downen admitted to really liking TNL, despite the fact that she’s uncertain about her religion. “I want to learn about Christianity because I didn’t grow up with it,” Downen said.
Young Life, TNL and Faith Life are all open groups available to all who want to join, along with several other on-campus religious groups. There is a way for everyone to continue the studies of their beliefs, even in a university with no religious affiliation.
