Welcome to RUSA!
The Religion Undergraduate Student Association aims to create a community for all undergraduates with an interest in the study of religion. In addition to advocating on behalf of students to the department, RUSA provides a collaborative space for students through events such as socials, academic and career seminars, as well as a mentorship program, where students are able to find one another along their academic journeys. This is a welcoming place for DSR undergraduates to hang out over great food and connect with your peers in religion.
The best way to stay informed about RUSA events and initiatives, potential opportunities for Religion undergraduate students, and to contact RUSA with any questions or concerns is to join the RUSA Discord, follow us on Instagram, and/or on Facebook. You can also e-mail us at rusa@studentorg.utoronto.ca.
| RUSA Executive 2025-2026 | |
|---|---|
|
Miranda Crabtree, President |
Hi Religion students! My name is Miranda and I am so excited to be the President of RUSA! I am in my fourth-year majoring in Religion and minoring in Classics and Sociology. I enjoy reading, drawing, running and cooking. This year, I want to help Religion students make new friends, build networks, participate in meaningful academic opportunities and overall, have fun! I'm always available to hear new ideas for RUSA and chat about Religion! See you at our next event. |
|
Aneri Patel, Director of External Affairs |
Hi everyone! I’m Aneri, your Director of External Affairs for RUSA. I’m currently in my fourth year of the HBA program at UofT. My academic focus centers on the anthropology of religion, law, ethics, and metaphysics. In my free time, I enjoy painting, experimenting with new recipes, or going for a run. I’m looking forward to connecting with our student body this year! |
|
Elina Mao, Director of Internal Affairs |
I'm Elina, a 4th-year CSE major Religion/Sexual Diversity Studies double minor who's primarily interested in how belief manifests as action (and how the two are communicated). As your Director of Internal Affairs, I'll be putting my money where my mouth is, and helping make it easier to keep track of our beliefs and our actions—and bridging any gaps in between. |
|
Kaitlyn D'Souza, Director of Communications |
Hi everyone!! My name is Kaitlyn and I am in my 4th year pursuing a double major in Religion and Philosophy, with a minor in Political Science. I am super interested in topics regarding religious philosophy and ethics, such as the problem of evil and ethics of belief. In my free time, I love spending time with my friends, trying new restaurants, and discovering different activities in the city. I am super excited to be part of the RUSA team and am really looking forward to all the upcoming events and activities :) |
|
Treasurer - Hugh Considine |
Hello, my name is Hugh Considine. I'm a third year Religion specialist, with two minors in Geography (GIS and Env). I specialize in Christianity, and I focus primarily on neo-paganism, terrorism, and making the ugliest maps you've seen in your life. I also love most things on two wheels, being an avid cyclist and motorcyclist. I've been involved around the University in other projects such as the Working Group for Civil Discourse, and I'm a downtown native. |
|
1st Year Rep – Maribelle Shuxin Chu |
Hello, my name is Maribelle. I am a current undergrad student studying philosophy, ethics, psychology, religion, and sociology. After a spiritual awakening, I became interested in the effects of meditation, prayer, fasting, and spiritual psychology on the brain. In my free time, I enjoy composing piano, singing, reading, writing, mathematics, chess, soccer, and ultimate frisbee. A fun fact about me is that I love sheep. Enjoy university, reach out if you have any questions, and see you around campus or at RUSA. |
|
Disability Topics Coordinator - Mohamed Alinur |
Hai! My name is Mohamed, and I’m in my 4th year double majoring in Philosophy and Religion. I’m interested in how ideas of care, justice, and belonging take shape in real communities, and how we can make spaces more accountable to the people they serve. Beyond academics, I work across research, media, and community projects that explore equity and storytelling. I’m excited to help create meaningful ways for Religion students to connect, reflect, and engage with the questions that matter most to them. |
| Indigenous Topics Coordinator - Tristan Goselin | TBD |
| 2024-2025 | ||
| RUSA President | Swamini Sagar | Double Major in Religion and Philosophy, Minor in Writing & Rhetoric |
| Director of External Affairs | Aneri Patel | Double Major in Religion and Philosophy |
| Director of Internal Affairs | Miranda Crabtree | Religion Major, Double Minor in Classics and Philosophy |
| Director of Communications | Annie Metzger-Oke | Double Major in Religion and Art History |
| Treasurer | Eshana Anand | Religion Specialist |
| Mental Health Coordinator | Max Zhang | Religion Major, Double Minor in DTS and BPMH |
| Second-Year Representative | Kaitlyn D'Souza | Double Major in Religion and Philosophy |
| 2023-2024 | ||
| RUSA President | Kayla Klanreungsang | Religion Specialist and German Studies Minor |
| Director of External Affairs | Aneri Patel | Double Major in Religion and Philosophy |
| Director of Internal Affairs | Swamini Sagar | Double Major in Religion and Philosophy, Minor in Writing & Rhetoric |
| Director of Communications | Eshana Anand | Religion Specialist |
| Treasurer | Trent Atkinson | Double Major in Religion and Diaspora & Transnational Studies |
| Mental Health Coordinator | Bianca Quilliam | Religion Specialist |
| Second-Year Representative | Tristan Gosselin | Religion Specialist |
| 2022-2023 | ||
| RUSA President | Owen Huisman | Religion Specialist and Philosophy Minor |
| Director of External Affairs | Kayla Klanreungsang | Religion Specialist and German Studies Minor |
| Director of Internal Affairs | Swamini Sagar | Double Major in Religion and Philosophy, Minor in Writing & Rhetoric |
| Director of Communications | Eshana Anand | Religion Specialist |
| Treasurer | Trent Atkinson | Double Major in Religion and Diaspora & Transnational Studies |
| Second-Year Representative | Eleanor Park | Double Major in Religion and English |
| 2021-2022 | ||
| RUSA President | Mukti Patel | Religion Specialist and Writing & Rhetoric Minor |
| Vice-President, External | Erblin Hysi | Double Major in Religion and English |
| Vice-President, Internal | Nelson Morgan | Religion Specialist |
| Vice-President, Communications | Owen Huisman | Religion Specialist and Philosophy Minor |
| Treasurer | Trent Atkinson | Double Major in Religion and Diaspora & Transnational Studies |
| Second-Year Representative | Eshana Anand | Double Major in Religion and Astronomy & Astrophysics |
| Second-Year Representative | Kayla Klanreungsang | Religion Specialist and German Studies Minor |
| Mental Health Advisor | Mishel Alexandrovsky | Psychology Specialist, Double Minor in Linguistics and Buddhism, Psychology & Mental Health |
| First-Year Representative | Swamini Sagar | Double Major in Religion and Philosophy, Minor in Writing & Rhetoric |
| 2020-2021 | ||
| RUSA President | Mukti Patel | Religion Specialist and Writing & Rhetoric Minor |
| VIce-President, External | Mayadevi Murthy | Double Major in Religion and Critical Equity & Solidarity Studies |
| 2024-2025 | |
| Applying to Graduate Studies | Friday, October 4, 2024 @ 11:00am-12:00pm |
| Bubble Tea Social | Friday, October 18, 2024 @ 1:00pm-3:00pm |
| Paint & Sip + Elections | Tuesday, December 3, 2024 @ 3:00-5:00pm |
| Lightning Talks | Thursday, December 5, 2024 @ 1:00pm-3:00pm |
| Curriculum Cafe | Wednesday, January 22, 2025 @ 12:00pm-2:00pm |
| Valentine's Day Speed Friending | Tuesday, February 11, 2025 @ 1:00pm-3:00pm |
| Vinyl Painting Social | Tuesday, March 25, 2025 @ 1:00pm-3:00pm |
| RUSA Executive Elections & End of Year Social | Tuesday, April 1, 2025 @ 1:00pm-3:00pm |
| DSR & RUSA Undergraduate Student Conference | Tuesday, April 8, 2025 @ 9:45am-4:00pm |
| 2023-2024 | |
| Bubble Tea Social | Thursday, October 12, 2023 @ 1:00pm-3:00pm |
| Guided De-Stresser | Friday, November 17, 2023 @ 2:00pm-3:00pm |
| Movie Night: Everything Everywhere All at Once | Friday, December 1, 2023 @ 7:00pm-9:30pm |
| Hot Chocolate Social | Friday, February 2, 2024 @ 1:00pm-3:00pm |
| RUSA Executive Elections & Social | Friday, March 22, 2024 @ 12:00pm-2:00pm |
| Gaza in the Classroom | Tuesday, March 26, 2024 @ 1:00pm-2:30pm |
| DSR & RUSA Undergraduate Student Conference | Saturday, April 6, 2024 @ 9:30am-5:00pm |
| 2022-2023 | |
| Bubble Tea in Queen's Park | Friday, September 30, 2022 @ 2:00pm-4:00pm |
| First-Year Representative Election | Friday, October 14, 2022 @ 2:00pm-3:00pm |
| RUSA Winter Symposium | Friday, December 2, 2022 @ 5:00pm-7:00pm |
| Bubble Tea Social & Program Exploration Day | Friday, February 17, 2023 @ 2:00pm-4:00pm |
| Book Club: We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies | Wednesday, March 8, 2023 & Friday, March 10, 2023 @ 3:00pm-5:00pm |
| Presenting Religion Seminar | Thursday, March 23, 2023 @ 4:00pm-6:00pm |
| DSR & RUSA Undergraduate Student Conference | Sunday, April 2, 2023 @ 11:45am-5:00pm |
| RUSA Executive Elections | Thursday, April 6, 2023 @ 4:00pm-5:00pm |
| 2021-2022 | |
| RUSA General Meeting | Tuesday, September 28, 2021 @ 5:00pm-6:00pm |
| Bubble Tea in the Park | Friday, October 8, 2021 @ 3:00pm-5:00pm |
| DSR & RUSA Town Hall | Thursday, October 28, 2021 @ 6:00pm-7:00pm |
| Study with Us & De-Stress | Thursday, December 9, 2021 & Friday, December 10, 2021 |
| Chat w/ Grads | Wednesday, February 2, 2022 @ 6:00pm-8:00pm |
| Exploring Religion Programs: An Open Forum for Students | Thursday, February 17, 2022 @ 5:00pm-7:00pm |
| Blood. Sex. Drugs. Happiness? A talk by Dr. Kevin O'Neill | Thursday, March 3, 2022 @ 6:00pm-8:00pm |
| Bubble Tea in the Park | Friday, March 25, 2022 @ 3:00pm-5:00pm |
| RUSA Townhall | Thursday, March 31, 2022 @ 6:00pm-7:30pm |
| DSR & RUSA Undergraduate Student Conference | Saturday, April 2, 2022 @ 12:00pm-4:00pm |
| RUSA General Meeting | Friday, April 15, 2022 @ 2:00pm-3:00pm |
| 2020-2021 | |
| RUSA Power Hour Study Session | Friday, October 9, 2020 @ 4:00pm-5:00pm |
| RUSA General Meeting | Wednesday, October 14, 2020 @ 7:00pm-9:00pm |
| RUSA Power Hour Study Session | Friday, October 23, 2020 @ 5:00pm-6:00pm |
| RUSA Power Hour Study Session | Friday, November 6, 2020 @ 4:00pm-6:00pm |
| RUSA General Meeting | Wednesday, November 18, 2020 @ 7:00pm-9:00pm |
| RUSA Power Hour Study Session | Friday, November 27, 2020 @ 4:00pm-6:00pm |
| RUSA Power Hour Study Session | Friday, February 12, 2021 @ 4:00pm-6:00pm |
| COVID & QAnon with Suzanne van Geuns | Wednesday, February 24, 2021 @ 7:30pm-9:00pm |
| RUSA General Meeting | Wednesday, March 10, 2021 @ 7:30pm-9:00pm |