Breaking out of the echo chamber

When Raj Donepudi ’26 was ready to transfer from Catawba Valley Community College to a four-year institution, he found the right fit almost literally in his backyard.

“I live about three blocks away from campus,” he shared. “It takes me longer to walk from the parking lot to my first class than it takes me to drive from my house to here.”

Proximity and fuel savings were part of the draw for Donepudi, as were the generous financial aid package through the Lenoir-Rhyne Promise and the easy transfer logistics of Bear Bound. Academics rounded out the big picture that drew the philosophy and religious studies double major to Lenoir-Rhyne University for the fall semester of 2024.

“Everything just aligned. I like that Lenoir-Rhyne is affiliated with the Lutheran church. I’m Episcopalian, but we’re in full communion with the ELCA. Since I’m pursuing religious studies, that’s very useful,” Donepudi explained.  “I had connections to the departments I wanted to be part of – for example Dr. Makant who teaches religious studies is a friend of my mom, and Dr. Deckard in the philosophy department goes to my church.”

Developing relationships with professors and academic mentors is particularly important to Donepudi because he wants to build his own career in academia. Now that he is immersed in his majors, Donepudi finds inspiration and joy in encountering differing interpretations and points of view, expanding his sphere of understanding.

“Getting these different perspectives on the subjects I love so much has been very valuable. Before, I was just talking about these ideas with friends, which can be a bit of an echo chamber, and my ideas weren’t really developing. I wasn’t growing,” he explained. “Now I get to spend my days talking about this subject I love, reading about it. Even within Christianity there are so many perspectives and approaches. Each professor has their own take – I feel like I’m growing again.”

Donepudi found his passion for studying philosophy and religion in seventh grade, when his Bible teacher asked questions that led him to think about his faith in a more intellectual and academic way than he had before.

“I slipped down a rabbit hole on the internet, and the next thing I know, I’m reading Kierkegaard,” he shared. “That’s how this all started.”

While he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of entering the ministry, after finishing his bachelor’s degree Donepudi plans to go on to divinity school, where the academic focus will prepare him for his intended career path as a philosophy or religion professor.

“I like the discussions, asking questions and having conversations. I love this subject and want to know more about it,” he said. “More importantly, I want to teach people and expose them to these essential questions and different perspectives that have kind of been neglected. This kind of deep thinking is so important, especially in the way the world is changing now – it could help make the whole world a better place.”