My name is Jordan Snyder and I am a junior Religion major from St. Louis, Missouri. The Religion Department caught my attention because it includes so many unique aspects such as biblical languages, philosophies, art, and literature in its presentation of information. The major is very flexible and has allowed me to work towards a double major in Archaeology and a minor in Biology.

In my first two years of coursework at Lycoming, I have taken Hebrew and Biblical Archaeology. These two religion courses are designed to help students understand the original text of scripture and to study the layout of the world during the time the Bible was written. This has been very exciting because I have always wanted to be able to read the Old Testament in its original language and understand the lifestyle during this time period. I look forward to putting my classroom experience to work in the next couple of years when I plan on joining the archaeological dig in Cyprus or Israel. I have had some hands-on work already by participating in a two-week dig in Illinois, which I’m hoping will lead to a summer internship.

Though double majoring can take some time out of your day, you still have many opportunities for extracurricular activities. At Lycoming, I’m involved with Habitat for Humanity, the Community Service Center, Hand in Hand, Study Buddies, and I work as a tour guide for the Admissions department. My fondest memories of Lycoming have been, hands down, the Habitat trips over spring break. Freshman year we went to Biloxi, Mississippi and sophomore year we went to New Orleans, Louisiana. Both of these areas were badly damaged by hurricane Katrina and it was a rewarding experience being able to help families that were affected by the disaster.

I hope that you give Lycoming’s religion program full consideration. If you are looking for a future in ministry, biblical studies, education, or historical research this is the major for you! I would also encourage you to look at all of the clubs and organizations and get involved in at least one thing that interests you. Also take into consideration the outstanding professors, small campus feel, and experience-based learning that the College offers. If you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.