Two graduate students will be conducting surveys on Nov. 6 and Nov.7 on the topic of “Women and Religious Experience on Campus”.

Destinee Greer, from Lexington, and Daniella Izaguirre, from Los Angeles, are both first year graduate students with a focus on student affairs.

Greer said they are interested in talking to “any female student that is willing to speak to us about their experience with religion on WKU campus.”

Their original research topic focused on Muslim women, a subject that Izaguirre has previously presented on as an undergraduate. However, the partners decided to expand their topic to include “all women, from all religious backgrounds, and their experience on a college campus.”

Both students said they are aware that religion can be a touchy subject.

“When some discuss it they may become uncomfortable,” Greer said. “When you’re uncomfortable, you’re making progress.”

Greer said she feels avoiding uncomfortable topics prevents open dialogue that can lead to identifying and solving contemporary issues.

“I think it’s healthy and productive for students to have a safe place to conduct talks about not only religion, but also politics, race and any other topics they want to discuss,” Greer said.

Izaguirre said she is interested in the subject because it relates to her personally. She said that she’s been interested in religion for several years and finds it “interesting and relatable to speak with other women about their experiences.”

The students plan to analyze their data to identify common trends, similarities and differences among the responses. “I hope that this project will allow us to better serve religious women on campus and find if there is something this university is lacking to support them,” Izaguirre said.

Greer and Izaguirre will be conducting surveys on campus on Monday, Nov. 6 at the Downing Student Union 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 7 at the Garret Conference Center 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Reporter Katie Daniels can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @authorkatielynn.