Aurora
Interfaith
Home for the religious, spiritual, secular, and everyone in between.
Almost every religious, spiritual, and secular tradition teaches about community, but each creates community in its own unique way. By living in Aurora, you'll learn more about the wisdom of your tradition and other people's traditions, and then apply that wisdom to shape the community together. What will the community value? How will the members take care of themselves and each other? How will it serve on campus? The answers are up to you.
Aurora is currently located in New Hall West (new location in Harper Hall starting Fall 2024). Whether you identify as religious, secular, spiritual, seeking, or you don't know what you are, you're invited to apply. Find belonging on campus and develop community-building skills that you can use for the rest of your life.
Aurora is a collaboration with the Interfaith Initiative at Virginia Tech.
You’ll fit right in at Aurora if:
- You value your religious, secular, or spiritual identity OR you're trying to figure it out
- You want to learn more from your tradition and the traditions of others
- You are excited about finding community at Virginia Tech
There are two big ways to engage in Aurora - as a General Member or a Council Member. All new Aurora members are encouraged to join one of the Councils: Dharma, Humanity, Koinonia, Rede, Shalom, and Ummah. Each of these names is the term a certain tradition uses to describe healthy community. Led first by returning students and then newcomers, each Council spends the year exploring and practicing that form of community together.
Both General Members and Council Members join in the weekly Aurora Hour, take RLCL 1014: World Religions together in the Spring Semester, and participate in interfaith dialogues. At the end of the spring semester, everyone collaborates on an interfaith event open to the entire student body.
If you are a new student coming to Virginia Tech, you can apply for Aurora once you have accepted your offer of admission from Virginia Tech and paid the matriculation fee. If you are a current or returning student, you can apply in the StarRez Portal beginning in October. Learn more about the application process.
For additional information, contact jillann@vt.edu.