Hajra Zaid (M.A. 23) is a 2023 awardee for The Divinity School Prize for Excellence in Service.

What's next for you?

I'll be working on personal projects while I study language this summer, and then I am set to be a part of the next cohort of the Sacred Writes Program at the Divinity School. I am excited to start taking my creative outlets seriously, in writing, style, and food. 

Why study religion?

I study religion because I believe. I believe that ideas of knowledge and authority are heavily influenced by some histories over others. Useful, accurate, and impactful knowledge comes from elsewhere and everywhere, and cannot be separated from the way you live and act. Religious commitment is as powerful a force as any other natural or manmade phenomena-- and is as important to the stories we hear and the stories we tell.

What's something unique or special about studying at the Divinity School?

The Divinity School is special in its potential to be a leader, in more than just academic output. Its position on campus as a place that blends different types of learning together, many of which are closely tied to our identities, and the identities of those all-around campus.