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Our department enjoys the generous support of alumni who, after studying religion at ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú, now volunteer their time and expertise to support our current students. The Comparative Religion Alumni Advisory Board (CRAAB) raises funds to support student learning and offers networking and career mentoring for our undergraduates.

Jennifer M. Sanka

CRAAB Chair
Class of 2001
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree: B.A., anthropology and religion

Jennifer Sanka has worked in the environmental compliance industry for 20 years and has nearly 25 years of archaeological field experience in the U.S. and Jordan. She currently works as an archaeologist for an environmental consulting firm and oversees cultural resources projects in the Great Lakes region.

Shelley Walker Pieklik

CRAAB Vice-Chair
Class of 2002
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree: B.A., religion

Shelley Pieklik worked for over a decade in corporate retail, including as a regional human resources recruiter, before opening her own high-end retail store. Currently a stay-at-home mother of four, she also does non-profit fundraising and serves as president of the board of trustees of a local school.

Whittney Barth

Class of 2008
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree: B.A., religion and American studies

Whittney Barth is a J.D. candidate at the University of Chicago Law School, where she is interested in civil rights and constitutional law. She also holds an M.Div. degree from Harvard Divinity School and, prior to law school, served as the assistant director of the Pluralism Project at Harvard.

Alex Boster

Class of 2019
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree: B.A., religion and political science

Alex Boster is currently a law student at University of California, Davis School of Law. During her time as a ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú undergrad, she was the president of the Comparative Religion Student Association and served a two-year term as a student trustee on ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú's Board of Trustees.

Laurie Donley

Class of 1994
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree: M.A., religion

Laurie Donley is a higher education administrator, currently working at Kent State University at Tuscarawas. She is also a certified Adult Mental Health First Aid instructor.

Kathleen (Mahoney Hladky) Grant

Class of 2004 and 2006
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degrees: B.A., philosophy and religion; M.A., religion

After a few years working in academia, Kathleen Grant opted to pursue a more flexible career. She is now employed part-time as an operations manager for a small non-profit, Camp Quest. She is also helping the Department of Comparative Religion build its online curriculum.

Olivia K. Mote

Class of 2011
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree: M.A., religion

Olivia Mote is an attorney with the firm of Eustice, Laffey, Sebranek & Auby, S.C. in Madison, Wisconsin. Outside of work, she teaches for a 9th-grade "coming of age" program, is a board member of the Legal Association for Women in Dane County, Wisconsin, and acts as the intellectual development advisor for Alpha Chi Omega at her alma mater, DePauw University.

Brandon Mueller

Class of 2017
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree: B.A., religion and diplomacy & global politics

Brandon served on active duty in the US Navy for five years in various overseas and stateside assignments. He currently works for the Department of Defense in Washington DC and is pursuing a graduate degree at the Naval War College in defense and strategic studies.

Richard K. Rappleye

Class of 1962
ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree: B.A., humanities

Dick Rappleye currently works with individuals and organizations as an executive mentor and transition coach. He has extensive experience in the non-profit sector, including vice-presidential leadership at both the Kresge Foundation and the C.S. Mott Foundation.

Connect with our alumni