Lan LI joined at McMaster’s Religious Studies department after completing her undergraduate studies at Beijing Normal University, and her Masters at Peking University, where she was trained in Buddhism and Chinese religious traditions through the study of archaeology.

Lan selected McMaster for her PhD because of the unparalleled scholarship of the faculty within the Department of Religious Studies. Dr. James Benn’s global reputation provided her an opportunity to work with a leading academic in Buddhist Studies. And although Lan’s research interest focuses on dedicatory inscriptions and Buddhist donors from 7–10th Century China, she decided to pursue a PhD in Canada because it offered a new lens through which to study.

“As a student of McMaster, I am able to conduct my research as more of an outsider,” Lan shared. While she explains that joining McMaster as an international student has allowed her to develop a more comprehensive academic perspective, students like Lan contribute immeasurably to the program, bringing their unique lived and academic experiences. The diversity represented by the Department’s faculty and its students complement the academic experience and foster a supportive and collegial environment.

Lan explained that donor support is incredibly impactful, if not essential for PhD candidates in the Religious Studies program, as it reduces the barriers to the language and travel requirements that enable the dynamic academic experience that makes McMaster a leader in the field. “Scholarships and bursaries enable students to connect to other leading institutions and see first-hand how different religious communities are living, offering a vivid picture of the subject of their research.”

Lan is currently completing her research in Kyoto with the support of the BDK Canada Graduate Scholarship, which provides funding to those in Buddhist Studies whose work requires them to travel to Japan. And after many years in the field, Lan would encourage all students to explore Religious Studies.

“Students learn new languages and about new cultures, developing a deeper understanding and respect for others. McMaster’s Religious Studies program offers students the opportunity to think broadly about the world—while also changing your connection with the world.”

Dr. Stephanie Balkwill joined McMaster from the University of Regina, where she completed her BA in Religious Studies. During her second year of undergrad, Balkwill visited Angkor Wat while on a trip to Cambodia. “I was mesmerized,” Balkwill shared. The sheer scope of the temple, as well as the complex religious and cultural history it represented left Balkwill with a curiosity that followed her home to Canada.

Upon returning to Regina, Balkwill’s academic focus shifted to the study of Asian religions, particularly Buddhism, which inspired her extend her studies by applying to graduate school – bringing her to McMaster.

Balkwill chose to attend McMaster because she had felt a connection to the program even prior to enrolling. Many professors from her undergraduate program had either graduated from, or been faculty members in McMaster’s globally recognized Department of Religious Studies. The program had long been an academic hub for the study of Eastern religious traditions, and with Balkwill’s research focus on Asian religions, specifically Chinese Buddhism, as well as the addition of renown scholars Dr. James Benn and Dr. Jake Dalton to the program’s faculty, Balkwill’s decision was clear.

Throughout her Masters, Balkwill lived in the Duke St. apartments, building a community of grad students, including many who were also in the Religious Studies program, who have become a strong network of friends and colleagues.

“Mac connections last,” Balkwill said.

When asked how Mac stands out, Balkwill remains impressed with the breadth of language offerings that are mandatory to the Religious Studies program. Having begun her study of Mandarin during her undergrad, she completed her graduate studies with the ability to read Chinese, Japanese and Sanskrit texts that were fundamental to her research.

Balkwill returned to Mac for her PhD, and with the financial support of grants and bursaries, spent much of the program in Beijing and Taiwan completing her studies and research. She complemented her PhD with a graduate diploma in Gender Studies and Feminist Research to deepen her research and apply a critical feminist lens to her study into the lives of Buddhist women living in what is now China between the 4th and 6th centuries.

Since graduating in 2015, Balkwill remains dedicated to the teaching of Buddhism as a professor of Asian Religions at UCLA. Teaching undergraduate students highlights how an education in religious studies can be applied across disciplines. “Religious literacy is important for anyone who is planning on doing any kind of public-facing work – teachers, nurses, doctors. It will enable students to eventually be more effective in their careers, and in society at large.”

And equal access to this education is key. Balkwill sees the power of supporting student bursaries as so much more than alleviating the costs of the extensive Religious Studies graduate program. With growing inequities, more and more students face socio-economic barriers to pursuing graduate studies, which is ultimately a loss for the field of Religious Studies itself.

By contributing to student opportunities, bursaries and scholarships, donors can enable diverse groups of students to both access and complete their academic pursuits – bringing new voices, perspectives and lived experience to the study of religions. Investing in students is nothing short of investing in the future of religious studies – both here at McMaster, and beyond.

Growing up attending Catholic schools in his home province of Saskatchewan, Marc Lagace always had a religious element to his education. His interest extended beyond Catholicism and western religions when he attended the University of Saskatchewan to attain his BA in Religious Studies, followed by completing his Master of Arts at the University of Toronto.

With a focus on yoga, specifically within a contemporary Chinese religious framework, the lenses through which he investigated his areas of study included anthropology, ethnography, and philosophy. However, Marc was drawn to McMaster because there were active work and research within Religious Studies that focused on the intersection of religion, healthcare, and medicine. “Classes offered at McMaster are at the forefront of the field,” Marc explained. While other institutions offered programs on Chinese religions, or the practice of yoga, McMaster provided Marc the opportunity to focus on his specific areas of research – the introduction of popular yoga in China, beginning the 1980s – investigating religious traditions as they are lived today.

When Marc arrived at McMaster, he lived in downtown Hamilton for the first three years of his PhD, where he worked on campus every day.

“In the Religious Studies department at McMaster, the faculty has built a great sense of community. I was able to share an office with colleagues, connect with faculty in the lunchroom, attend seminars.” The program itself has been a great fit for, as well. “The professors are great, and everything in the program has directly contributed to my thesis,” Marc shared.

Marc is currently conducting his PhD research in China, where he has been able to connect with researchers at local universities, as well as those directly in the Chinese yoga movement. Throughout his studies, Marc has learned various languages, and has become fluent in Chinese – but he is bringing his studies to an international audience. The Journal of Yoga Studies will publish Marc’s article “Mother of Yoga”: Zhang Huilan, Chris Butler, and the Popularization of Yoga in the People’s Republic of China.

Student aid, award and research scholarships have been crucial to Marc’s time at McMaster. The opportunities and community offer an unparalleled educational experience, however, with the program’s extended language and travel requirements, Marc shared that taking on any additional work to fund his studies would have made completing his PhD impossible. “I personally am greatly indebted to the donors who provide support for Religious Studies. I could not have started the program without it.”

McMaster is privileged to have alumni who are investing in the students of today — students who are contributing diverse perspectives to the field, who are creating new bodies of research and sharing cross-cultural learnings with new audiences, and who are building an exciting, dynamic and inclusive future for Religious Studies.