During halftime of the football game against Colorado State University last Saturday, thousands of UC Berkeley students saw the Cal Band perform songs by artists including Rihanna and Lil Wayne in Memorial Stadium. What they didn't see, however, was a dozen band members holding their weekly pre-game prayer.

The band's bible study group was started in 2003 by a former trombone player and it is currently led by alto sax player and fifth year Ben Smith, who says that having a religious community to turn to helps keep the members' faith strong.

"There's sort of a unique culture that comes with being in the Cal Band, and although it's not exclusive of the Christian lifestyle, it's also not inclusive," he said.

His group is only one of dozens of student religious clubs at UC Berkeley. Nearly 50 are registered with the ASUC, with a total member count of more than 3,200, according to Students Activities Group Advisor Millicent Morris Chaney.

Students said they were drawn to religious organizations because they provide a community of people who share the same religious beliefs and form a network of support at college.

"I knew that I wanted to make Cal a little smaller for myself," said sophomore Huda Adem, who joined the Muslim Students Association when she started attending UC Berkeley. "It's definitely like home base for me."

Within these communities, students feel like they have the freedom to explore the philosophical questions that college brings up.

"College is really that time when you ask yourself those questions," Adem said. "'What do I believe in? How am I going to go about practicing my faith in an environment that might be clashing with my beliefs?'"

Religious fellowships and organizations aren't the only options for students seeking a spiritual community. UC Berkeley also has Christian Greek chapters, including the sorority Alpha Delta Chi. Like Panhellenic sororities, Alpha Delta Chi members have meetings every Monday evening, but they also hold devotional sections, Bible studies and interactive sermons.

"We're really not much different from other sororities," said president Jessica Jacobs, a senior. "We just have a membership requirement about Jesus Christ."

Jacobs went through formal Panhellenic rush during the fall of her freshman year, but she said she found the right spiritual fit in Alpha Delta Chi.

"It's given me a community, but it's also given me an alternate community," she said. "It's a way for us to express our faith and still be in things that are normal."

Meanwhile, the Christian fraternity Alpha Gamma Omega has a house on Haste Street, 25 members in total and social gatherings similar to other fraternities-minus the alcohol.

"There is no alcohol allowed on the premises of AGO," said vice president Phillip Pena, a junior. Instead, the fraternity holds events like root beer keggers.

"Initially the idea of a Christian frat sounded lame," he said. "But it's providing a lot of guys who come to Cal who want a place where they can be social and where they can enjoy having friends without all the bad aspects of the fraternity."

While UC Berkeley is host to a wide range of faith-based organizations, some religious colleges offer a more spiritually like-minded environment.

At Biola University, a private Christian university in La Mirada, Calif., professors pray before class, attending chapel is mandatory and residence halls organize Bible studies.

But Krista Hegenbart, assistant director of residence life at the university, said religious exploration is present at all colleges, public or private.

"I think there's a great danger in people who attend this university are conservative and not wanting to learn and grow-I think that's a misconception," Hegenbart said.

Pena said that no matter which school he attended, his devotion to his faith would remain the same.

"God is everywhere," he said, "including Berkeley."

Tags: STUDENT LIFE, RELIGION