The University of Arizona has a diverse community of students with varying beliefs.
For new students who would like to explore their identity, stay connected to their spirituality and/or find communities of like-minded people at the UA, this is a guide to various religious centers on and around campus.
Campus Christian Center
715 N. Park Ave.
The Campus Christian Center (CCC) welcomes students to their “home away from home,” encouraging them to use it as a safe space to do homework, share meals, worship or hang out.
Located at Park and University, the CCC offers UA students a diverse choice of Christian denominations.
The CCC houses five different Christian ministries — Episcopal Campus Ministry and Canturbury Club, Lutheran Campus Ministry (ELCA), Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LC-MS) Campus Ministry, Presbyterian Campus Ministry and United Methodist Wesley Foundation — all recognized as clubs by the Arizona Student Union Association.
All ministries share the space, which includes a kitchen, a lounge, a conference room, offices and a central dining area for community meals. Free Wi-Fi is available.
Defined schedules for dinners, worship, Bible studies, fellowship, service projects, social activities and retreats can be found on the CCC website.
Tucson Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Institute of Religion
1333 E 2nd St.
Over the years, the UA built itself around the Tucson Institute of Religion.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Institute of Religion are educational programs provided to young adults ages 18 to 30 with more than 350,000 students enrolled in nearly 2,700 locations worldwide.
The institute aims to strengthen students’ relationship with Jesus Christ through the comprehensive study of scripture and modern-day prophets.
Students hoping to find a community in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and study the bible and the Book of Mormon are welcome to attend and can graduate from the institute by taking classes.
According to the institute website, “institute students may find guidance and direction from the Holy Ghost. This guidance can help them make important life decisions as students learn together and strengthen one another.”
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Hillel Foundation
1245 E. 2nd St.
The Hillel Foundation at the UA exists to build a “vibrant, diverse, meaningful and empowered” Jewish community for students to engage in “on their terms.”
Whether a student is looking for activities, community service, religion or a place to safely explore their Jewish identity, the Hillel Foundation works to offer as many opportunities as possible, including trips to Israel.
Shabbat services are held every other Friday evening and students have a choice of attending Reform or Conservative services or a non-service alternative, all of which is free to attend for students and followed by a kosher dinner.
Holidays are also celebrated at Hillel as they fall in the calendar.
Islamic Center of Tucson
901 E. 1st St.
The Muslim Students Association (MSA) of the UA works to build community between its members and promote “friendly relations between Muslim and non-Muslim students,” according to the club’s goals as listed on Campus Labs.
The Islamic Center of Tucson was founded by Muslim students from the UA in the 1960’s. Now, it serves as a prayer space and community center for the the entire diverse community of Muslims in Tucson, but “remains faithful to its roots” with the students of the UA.
The center is open to anybody seeking to practice Islam and to non-Muslim visitors hoping to learn about the the religion and the ever-growing Muslim community in Tucson, all as part of their vision to promote interfaith dialogue and acceptance.
St. Thomas More Catholic Newman Center
1615 E Second St.
The St. Thomas More Catholic Newman Center was founded at the UA in 1926 to serve as both a Catholic parish for the Tucson community and as a club for UA students.
The center “seeks to allow Catholic students to attend a public university with an environment and community that supports their Catholic faith,” according to the center’s website.
Located on the corner of 2nd Street and Cherry Avenue, the Newman Center is open to the public and offers several meeting and lounge spaces with free Wi-Fi.
Students who wish to inquire about Catholicism or continue practicing their faith away from home are welcome, said Sister Mary Virginia Leach. The center is active in social outreach and volunteer work, and the more academically inclined are also welcome to formal classes at the center.
“We hope there is something here for everyone,” Leach said.
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