Maya Reinfeldt

My name is Maya Reinfeldt. I’m a junior at UW Madison studying Russian Literature and International Studies. This is quite fitting, since I am a Madison native, but grew up in a strongly bicultural family. I’ve spoken Russian fluently since I was a child, and was raised Russian Orthodox. As I grew older, reading about and participating in this faith helped me feel a deeper, more profound connection to Russia without having lived there. This led me to believe that religion and faith are inextricably human qualities, and have the power to connect people from all across the globe in the pursuit of a common good. I believe faith can be explored and shared through literature, travel, and interpersonal interactions. It’s my goal as an Interfaith Fellow to learn as much as I can about other faiths and the emotions and beliefs they elicit, as well as encourage my fellow students to engage in positive, productive cross-faith discussions. I will always believe in the power of faith to heal and to unite, and I hope to help bring this joy to our campus.